Courtesy of Oakland Roots SC
Keegan Tingey is deeply rooted in the East Bay. A De La Salle High School alum who spent his teen years in Danville, the star defender is now joining the Oakland Roots soccer team for the 2026 season. A three-time Pac-12 All-Conference honoree during his playing career for Stanford University, Tingey is back in the East Bay after two years as a starter for Virginia’s Loudoun United FC. After kicking off the season with an away game in Monterey, the Roots play their home opener against New Mexico United on March 14.
“If we can put on a good show and display a great product, it sets the tone for a year of [fans]
rallying around us.”—Keegan TingeyQ: How did your early years in Danville help shape your love of soccer?
A: My love for soccer only exploded when I was exposed to clubs like Mustang [Soccer] and Ballistic [United], and then playing for the [San Jose] Earthquakes Academy. I was given the opportunity to play at the highest level and be exposed to a ton of people watching. The exposure and the opportunity were such a blessing.
Q: Were there players you looked up to growing up?
A: Chris Wondolowski—when I played a year at Quakes, he was on the coaching staff. His brother was actually my coach for one year at Mustang, so I remember him taking me to some Earthquakes games when I was younger, and I got to meet Chris. He’s a De La Salle and East Bay guy. I was like, this would be awesome to follow in these footsteps, which luckily, I did, to some degree.
Q: How does it feel to come home to play at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum?
A: I’m a Raiders fan. Walking into the Alameda facility and seeing Bo Jackson up on the wall and these Raiders logos that are still there—it’s awesome. Knowing that you’re in the same room as, formerly, some of the greats is so cool.
Q: Ryan Martin is also joining the Roots as head coach from Loudoun United FC this season. How do you hope to grow your collaboration here?
A: Ryan’s a phenomenal guy—an amazing coach, but an even better guy. … Oakland is building like crazy—this cool brand and this cool community—and so to be a part of that and [among the] fresh faces brought into the club to hopefully push us to that next level with Ryan at the helm is going to be special.
Q: What are your goals for the season?
A: The home opener is going to be super special, because if we can put on a good show and display a great product, it sets the tone for a year of [fans] rallying around us and showing that we’re really putting our best foot forward for the community. As we win more, they come to more games. It’s that feedback loop that I hope we can start with the first game of the season.