Halifax Wanderers sign Canadian defender Daniel Nimick

The Halifax Wanderers have signed Canadian-English defender Daniel Nimick to a contract for the 2023 CPL season with a club option for 2024.

Nimick, 22, was recently selected in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Vancouver Whitecaps after a standout career at Western Michigan University. An aerial threat with a scoring touch, Nimick contributed 12 goals and seven assists from the back during his NCAA career.

“Dan is a celebrated player at the collegiate level that is extremely aggressive and gives us a different look on our backline,” head coach Patrice Gheisar said. “It’s not every day you sign a centre-back that can score goals like him, so he’s going to be an imposing threat going the other way as well.”

Over his four years at Western Michigan, Nimick made 65 appearances and started every match since the 2020 season. In 2022, Nimick finished second on the team in goals (8) as the Broncos finished with the lowest number of goals against in the country, conceding just ten times in 21 matches. Some awards he picked up along the way include MAC Player of the Year and First Team All-MAC (2022), United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American (2022) and Academic All-MAC (2020, 2021, 2022).

Born in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nimick was raised in Harrogate, England and played at Leeds United’s academy from age eight to 16. He would later join his local professional club, Harrogate Town, playing from the U-19 level through to the first team.

Due to his Canadian birthplace, Nimick will count as a domestic player on the Wanderers roster.

“I’m really excited to get out to Halifax; Patrice and everyone at the Wanderers have been great through this whole process, and I’m buzzing for pre-season,” Nimick said. “I think my composure and passing range suits the style Patrice is going to implement, so the fans can expect a ball-playing centre-back that fights for every result!”

Nimick’s playing abilities are complimented by his leadership. Along with serving as captain for Western Michigan, he wore the armband for youth teams at both Leeds United and Harrogate Town.

“I think everyone in a squad has a leadership responsibility, so my main focus is to do whatever I can to make the team and the people around me better and bring back some silverware to the club.”

While in the United States, Nimick also played two seasons in USL League Two for Grand Rapids FC and South Bend Lions. He scored four goals in 21 appearances from 2021-2022.