Following the merger of the XFL and USFL, a former Aberdeen football player has been announced as continuing under the new spring league.

2016 Aberdeen graduate Kohl Levao was announced among the players continuing into the newly announced United Football League (UFL), continuing with his team the San Antonio Brahmas.

The UFL held the first phase of its player dispersal process on Friday, January 5, with the announcement of the draft results on Monday.

Levao was included among the Brahmas team in the announcement. Levao had previously been selected as Pick 59 in the 8th Round of the 2022 draft to join the Offensive Line of the Brahmas.

Levao, according to the University of Hawaii website, came to the school after being a four-year starter in high school playing on both sides of the line.

Originally from Pago Pago, American Samoa, Levao had been named All-Mountain West honorable mention, Polynesian Player of the Year and Rimington Trophy watch lists during his college career.

Announced recently, the UFL combined the former XFL and USFL leagues, reducing the teams down to 8. Among the teams lost in the merger were the Seattle Sea Dragons.

As part of the merger, each UFL was able to protect 42 players from its 2023 roster and select up to 20 players from the rosters of teams that will not be moving forward in 2024 from their previous league.

14 players from the former Seattle team were picked up in the draft, including standout WR Jahcour Pearson.

Players not protected or selected during the draft will be available for all UFL teams to choose from, regardless of previous league. That process will take place during a second dispersal draft on Jan. 15.

Aberdeen’s Joel Dublanko, who had been listed on the Philadelphia Stars roster last, was not included in the recent draft. The Philadelphia Stars were a team lost in the UFL merger and 

Training camp for the UFL is set to begin Feb. 24 in Arlington, Texas. Each team will invite 75 players to camp, with rosters being set at 50 players once the season begins. Each UFL team will have 42 active players on game days, with a third quarterback rule as an inactive going into games.

THe UFL begins their inaugural season as a merged system on March 30.