Irakoze Donasiyano embracing next step of soccer journey with Phoenix Rising

As Irakoze Donasiyano walked into Phoenix Rising's media room, his grey training jersey was soaked with sweat.

When the 24-year-old was first told of his loan from Nashville SC to Rising, he prepared to embrace the opportunity of getting more game time and experience. Teammates told him good things about Rising's players, including defender Darnell King.

So far, he has enjoyed his time in Arizona, from seeing time in Saturday's 1-0 loss to Birmingham Legion to meeting new players and staying at the team's apartment complex.

Yet he's still adjusting to the scorching temperatures of the Valley.

"This heat is a lot," Donasiyano said. "But once you get used to it — well I haven't gotten used to it — but during training, it's not bad. But yesterday was bad. The heat yesterday was super hot. I've never seen something like that."

Rising's leadership is confident that Donasiyano will not only acclimate to the 100-degree days, but also the team's lineup as a central midfielder. It's why when coach Rick Schantz needed someone to replace the injured Arturo Rodriguez, he settled on Donasiyano following a discussion with Nashville general manager Mike Jacobs.

Schantz started calling MLS clubs the night Rodriguez suffered a foot injury against Hartford Athletic that will keep him out multiple weeks. Eventually, he connected with Jacobs, who brought up Donasiyano. Phoenix's coach had previously watched the University of Virginia player and remembered his impressive work ethic and tenacity.

After Nashville SC head coach Gary Smith praised Donasiyano, Schantz knew he found the player he wanted. Rising eventually announced Donasiyano's signing for the rest of the 2022 USL Championship season on June 3.

"(Smith) says, 'There's no one that's going to work harder.' That's all I really needed to hear because that's what this team needs right now," Schantz said. "It's nice to have nice guys, but right now we need guys that are going to fight and compete and get after it. I think that's what he really does."

Donasiyano's arrival comes after Rising dropped its fifth of seven contests last week following a six-game win streak earlier this spring. Phoenix has been outscored 19-6 over its recent stretch and will likely need to regain its offensive success to better its 7-0-6 record.

MORE: What we learned in Rising's loss to Birmingham

That's where the former MLS SuperDraft first-round pick comes in.

Despite proven options such as striker Greg Hurst and midfielder Luis Seijas — each has five goals to lead the Rising in scoring — Donasiyano is looking to be a key contributor to Phoenix's offensive attack.

His position in the middle of the formation allows him to receive the ball often, distribute and get creative in setting up the next steps of moving the team down the field.

Schantz called Rising's newest addition a "right-footed" Aodhan Quinn, who leads the team with three assists. His success may be crucial in the short-term for Rising, which welcomes El Paso Locomotive FC — the top-scoring team in the USL with 29 goals — to Wild Horse Pass this weekend.

"I'm good at getting the team out of pressure," Donasiyano said. "I like to get on the ball. You always want a midfielder that likes to get on the ball a lot, not one that shies away."

Donasiyano, who was born in Tanzania, had numerous opportunities to hone these skills, including in 57 consecutive matches for Virginia. He scored five goals and notched eight assists during his time with the Cavaliers and was the only Virginia player to play every minute of its 16 matches during the 2020 season.

Performing in Atlantic Coast Conference competition was where he first encountered Virginia Tech defender Sivert Haugli, now his Rising teammate.

"When I saw him at the first session, I was first of all a little bit surprised because I didn't know he was going to show up. I hadn't heard anything," said Haugli, the 83rd overall pick of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. "I know he's a quality player and I've been battling against him in midfield in college for many years. He's a very good guy as well, so I think that could be a good addition for us."

For Donasiyano, joining Rising is not only a continuation of his soccer journey, but also the culmination of his road back from injury.

He was cleared to return three weeks ago after suffering setbacks in Nashville, including a torn rectus femoris muscle in the fall and two groin tears that kept him off the field for multiple months.

Donasiyano believes that rushing back into training led to him getting re-injured. So this spring, he made sure to wait until he felt comfortable to return, a decision that paid off in last week's match against Birmingham.

He said he felt "great" and embraced the opportunity to get touches and take part in a competitive match.

Schantz is looking forward to him embracing the opportunity.

"Every day I get to spend with him, it makes me realize how fortunate I am to meet players like this and how hard he works in training," Schantz said. "It's unbelievable. He's exactly what we needed."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Irakoze Donasiyano embracing next step with Phoenix Rising