Pacific FC announced on Thursday the signing of Victoria native Sean Melvin to a two-year contract with a club option for 2026.

The seasoned goalkeeper, 29, arrives back home after building a reputation as a talented and dependable last line of defence in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and United Soccer League (USL).

“We have been incredibly impressed with Sean since he’s arrived at Pacific,” said Jamar Dixon, Manager of Football, Pacific FC. “His work in training and his personality have surpassed our expectations. He has a fantastic character, and we expect him to be a leader within our organization and in the community.”

Melvin most recently spent the last two years with Atlético Ottawa, making seven overall starts, including one in the Canadian Championship, for the side that was named 2022 regular season winners and reached the 2022 CPL Final. Melvin tallied three clean sheets during his time in the nation’s capital.

Prior to joining the CPL, Melvin served as the starting goalkeeper for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the USL, making 35 appearances between 2020 and 2021.

Melvin has previous experience playing professionally on Canada’s West Coast, during stints with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, where he signed his first professional contract in 2016, and later with the Major League Soccer club’s first team, where he signed a homegrown contract in 2018. Melvin has also previously represented the Whitecaps’ former USL affiliate, Fresno FC. His college years were spent with UNC Wilmington, in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he competed in NCAA Division I play from 2013 to 2015.

On Vancouver Island, Melvin got his start in soccer playing for local club Gordon Head Soccer Association.

Melvin will train alongside Pacific’s young goalkeeper Emil Gazdov, 20, who played in 23 matches for the club last season.

“Sean is a competitor who will push Emil every week and fight for a spot in the starting line up,” said Dixon.

The club will be announcing a new goalkeeping coach in the coming weeks, following the departure of Pedro Guerreiro, who previously held the position, in October 2023.