The 31 year old is tops in so many hearts and categories at NCFC, top 10 in games with 175, minutes a whopping 13,004, 22 goals total and 18 assists overall, his presence will be missed on and off the field. Following the end of the 2019 USL Championship season he is done with his decade as a pro, 8 with his current team. Da Luz informed, "It feels like lthe right time to step away. The team's in a good place, and I'm just excited about continuing to watch it grow from the outside." Out of Wake Forest, 2010-'11 saw Austin in MLS with Red Bulls & DC United, then 2012 to NCFC. An impact player from his arrival in NC, as they went to the 2012 NASL post season, in 2012 & '13 runs to the 4th round and quaters in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup followed as in 2013 he scored facing the LA Galaxy. In being the most veteran with the team he is now just the 6th player in club lore to hit 10,000 minutes, accomplished in April 2018, that same year, he set personal bests in games with 34, an outstanding 8 goals over 2,880 minutes, co captain that year, this year he is the captain. NCFC Pres. & GM Curt Johnson had this to say, " When I think of Austin, I think it's his drive to win and consistency as a pro every single day." Playing for Pride was the work of da Luz in 2017, benefitting the Human Rights Campaign and LGBTQ issues, that made him the 2017 NASL Humanitarian of the Year. WIth his paltform as a pro athlete he has helped raise over $60,000 in this short time.