Sullivan began his youth career at Fishtown A.C. and then transferred to the Philadelphia Union academy where he attended the prestigious YSC Academy School. He made his professional debut at the age of 16 years old with the club's reserve team, Philadelphia Union II, on July 18, 2020, against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. He came on as a substitute in the second half.[4]
Sullivan officially signed for the first team on November 12, 2020, as a homegrown player alongside childhood teammate Brandan Craig. Sullivan's contract began as a rostered player for the 2021 season.[5][6] His first minutes for the Union were late-game substitutions during the Union's first CONCACAF Champions League campaign.[7] Sullivan made his first league start for the Union on June 26 against Chicago Fire, where he scored his first goal to equalize the match at 1–1.[7] His first professional goal for the Union earned Goal of the Week honors, and he subsequently added another GOTW.[8]
International career
Sullivan has represented the United States under-20 team in 19 occasions.
Overall he has scored 10 goals in those appearances and added five assists. In the lead up to the CONCACAF Championship he scored a hat trick as a substitute in a come from behind win over River Plate's reserve team and added another goal in a 2–2 tie versus the Argentina U20's.
In CONCACAF U20 group play, Quinn scored a hat trick in a 3–0 win against Cuba to finish top of the group. He also scored a brace (2 goals) against Nicaragua in the quarterfinals and another goal against the host team, Honduras, in the semifinal. He has tallied three assists and a drawn pk in tournament play as well.
Personal life
Sullivan comes from a soccer family: his father, Brendan, played for five clubs over a six-year professional career in the A-League. Prior to that, Brendan Sullivan was an All-Ivy selection at University of Pennsylvania and starred at St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia. He then went on to coach at his alma mater. Quinn's mother, Heike, played Division I soccer and captained the University of Pennsylvania women's team.[9][10] Quinn's younger brother Cavan is a U.S. youth international who also plays for Philadelphia Union.[11] His two other brothers, the younger twins Declan and Ronan, are also youth soccer players, with both currently attending YSC Academy and playing for MLS NEXT affiliate FC DELCO.[12]
His cousin is Chris Albright, an American international who played two seasons for the Union, and his grandfather is Larry Sullivan, who served as the head coach at Villanova from 1991 to 2007.[9][13] Sullivan's uncle, Bryan Sullivan, was a Division I goalkeeper at Philadelphia Textile and was also on the coaching staff at Villanova.[14]