KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - One Knoxville SC announced that it has re-signed defenders Dani Fernández and James Thomas, pending league and federation approval.

The pair of fan-favorite defenders will enter their fourth season with Knoxville after spending time with the club since its inaugural 2022 USL League Two campaign. Fernández and Thomas helped anchor a Knoxville defense that conceded the fewest goals in the regular season a year ago (16); One Knox's 0.73 goals conceded per match was the second-fewest in a single season in League One history. Of Knoxville's 83 official matches contested since its inception in 2022, Fernández and Thomas have played in 58 and 53, respectively.

A native of Madrid, Spain, Fernández played collegiately in North Carolina at NCAA Division II's Lenoir-Rhyne University and was named the South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season. The 6-foot-2-inch defender won the USL League Two title with Des Moines Menace in 2021 before participating in One Knoxville SC's inaugural 2022 season. Fernández signed his first professional deal with Knoxville when the club joined USL League One in 2023.

Thomas grew up in Woking, England and appeared for English Isthmian League side Farnham Town FC before playing collegiately in the United States with NCAA Division II's Young Harris College (2016-18) and NCAA Division I's University of New Hampshire (2019). The 5-foot-8-inch defender played in USL League Two with Peachtree City MOBA (2017), Des Moines Menace (2019-21) and One Knoxville SC (2022).

Thomas won the 2021 USL League Two title with Des Moines alongside Fernández and joined Knoxville's inaugural League Two roster a summer later. Thomas inked his first professional contract with One Knox in 2023 to become the club's first professional signing.

"Knoxville is and has been home since the first day I stepped foot in this city," Fernández said. "I still remember the first game at Austin East High School, and I can't wait to play at the new stadium in the Old City. I'm really excited to see this club continue to grow over the next few years!"

"I'm really excited to be back playing for One Knoxville SC this year,"  Thomas said. "We have made so much progress as a club year after year, and I can't wait to see us progress again in 2025. There's Only One Knox!"