MILWAUKEE - Former Panther All-American Laurie Bell has taken his soccer talents back overseas, signing a professional contract last week with Karlslunds IFHFK, a team that competes in the Swedish Second Division.
 
"The chance to play in Sweden came out of nowhere and it's all happened very quickly. I grew up with ambitions to play in Europe, so when I got the offer from Karlslunds I said yes, hopped on a plane and so far everything has been brilliant," Bell said, after playing all 90 minutes in his first game with the new team.
 
Bell signed a one year contract with the club after spending some time at home in England awaiting new professional opportunities and playing for the semi-pro side Hyde United. His new club is based in the city of Örebro in central Sweden.
 
"It's a great club with some old traditions, including crazy locker room celebrations, which I experienced after our win on the weekend," Bell said. "And Örebro is a beautiful new city to live in and explore. Some of my happiest footballing years have been in America though. Milwaukee still feels like a second home and a truly special college experience at UWM put me on a path to my first professional season with the Tulsa Roughnecks. So I will always keep one eye open for future footballing opportunities in the States too!"
 
Bell was a First-Team All-American at Milwaukee as a junior and was named a Senior CLASS Award Second-Team All-American in 2014 in addition to being named an Academic All-American for the second year in a row. The 2013 Horizon League Player of the Year and First-Team All-American overcame a slow start following an injury to still be recognized by the Horizon League coaches in 2014, becoming just the third UWM men's soccer player to earn all-league first-team honors three times in a career.
 
He began his professional career in March of 2015, signing with the Tulsa Roughnecks of the USL, making six starts in 22 games played on the season.