A. J. Soares
Encyclopedia
A. J. Soares is an American
soccer player, currently playing for New England Revolution
in Major League Soccer
.
where he was the captain for his junior and senior seasons, and won the 2005 Division 1 CIF Championship. He was a member of the California ODP team from 2001–2006, and was a national champion with the Cal-South 88 club team, before going on to play college soccer
at the University of California, Berkeley
.
As the Cal
co-captain in 2010, Soares was named an National Soccer Coaches Association of America
First Team All American, Pac-10 Player of the Year, Goal.com Player of the Year. Soares entered college at California as an attacking player, but head coach Kevin Grimes
converted him to a central defender because of his size and strength. However, he still managed to score five goals in his final collegiate season while anchoring a stingy Bear defense; during this campaign, he was named a semifinalist for the 2010 Hermann Trophy
.
In 2010 Soares made one appearance for Orange County Blue Star
in the USL Premier Development League
.
as the sixth overall pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft
. He made his professional debut on March 20, 2011, in the Revs' first game of the 2011 MLS season against Los Angeles Galaxy
. He made his second professional appearance, which was his home opener for the Revs, against DC United.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player, currently playing for New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
College and Amateur
Soares attended Torrey Pines High SchoolTorrey Pines High School
Torrey Pines High School is a high school in the North County Coastal area of San Diego, California. The school is named after the Torrey Pine tree that grows in the area...
where he was the captain for his junior and senior seasons, and won the 2005 Division 1 CIF Championship. He was a member of the California ODP team from 2001–2006, and was a national champion with the Cal-South 88 club team, before going on to play college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
As the Cal
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
co-captain in 2010, Soares was named an National Soccer Coaches Association of America
NSCAA
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America is an organization of American soccer coaches founded in 1941. The NSCAA has grown from a handful of college soccer coaches to more than 22,000 members, making it the largest coaching organization in the world. Its members coach at all levels of...
First Team All American, Pac-10 Player of the Year, Goal.com Player of the Year. Soares entered college at California as an attacking player, but head coach Kevin Grimes
Kevin Grimes (soccer)
Kevin Grimes is a former U.S. soccer defender who played five seasons in the American Professional Soccer League, two in the USISL and one each in Iceland and Major League Soccer. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team in 1988.-Youth:Grimes grew up in St...
converted him to a central defender because of his size and strength. However, he still managed to score five goals in his final collegiate season while anchoring a stingy Bear defense; during this campaign, he was named a semifinalist for the 2010 Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
.
In 2010 Soares made one appearance for Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star is an American soccer team based in Irvine, California, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at...
in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
Professional
Soares was chosen by New England RevolutionNew England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
as the sixth overall pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft
2011 MLS SuperDraft
The 2011 MLS SuperDraft was the twelfth annual SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. It was held on January 13, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland, during the 2011 NSCAA Convention at the Baltimore Convention Center. The 2011 SuperDraft consisted of three rounds with eighteen selections each, for...
. He made his professional debut on March 20, 2011, in the Revs' first game of the 2011 MLS season against Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
. He made his second professional appearance, which was his home opener for the Revs, against DC United.