Billy Gazonas
Encyclopedia
Billy Gazonas is a former U.S. soccer midfielder
who won the 1977 Hermann Trophy
as the top collegiate soccer player of the year. He four seasons in the North American Soccer League
and several in Major Indoor Soccer League
.
in Trenton, New Jersey
, and graduated from the school in 1973. In 1999, he was named by The Star-Ledger
as one of the top ten New Jersey high school soccer players of the 1970s
He entered Hartwick College
that fall where he played on the school’s men's soccer team. Hartwick had a dominant team during Gazonas four years at the school. His freshman year, Hartwick lost to Howard
in the NCAA post-season tournament semifinals. In 1976, Hartwick made it to the semifinals before losing to Indiana
. However, his senior year, Hartwick made it to the championship game where it defeated the University of San Francisco
2-1 to take the NCAA title. Gazones was team captain. That year, Gazonas was named as a first team All American
and won the Hermann Trophy
winner as the best collegiate player of the year. This game Hartwick its second consecutive Hermann Trophy winner as Glenn Myernick
had won it the year prior. Hartwick University inducted Gazonas into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.
of the North American Soccer League
selected Gazonas with the first pick in the 1977 NASL college draft. He played three seasons as a creative midfielder for the Roughnecks. After the 1980 season, Gazonas moved to the Calgary Boomers
for its one season in the NASL. By the end of the 1981 season, the NASL was beginning to contract and Gazonas, who had played in the NASL indoor seasons, jumped to the New York Arrows
of Major Indoor Soccer League. That year the Arrows won the MISL championship. Later played with the Kansas City Comets
.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who won the 1977 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:...
as the top collegiate soccer player of the year. He four seasons in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
and several in Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
.
Youth
Gazonas played soccer on the boy's team at St. Anthony High SchoolTrenton Catholic Academy
Trenton Catholic Academy is a regional Catholic elementary and high school in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, serving students in pre-K through 12th grade, under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton....
in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, and graduated from the school in 1973. In 1999, he was named by The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
as one of the top ten New Jersey high school soccer players of the 1970s
He entered Hartwick College
Hartwick College
Hartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
that fall where he played on the school’s men's soccer team. Hartwick had a dominant team during Gazonas four years at the school. His freshman year, Hartwick lost to Howard
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in the NCAA post-season tournament semifinals. In 1976, Hartwick made it to the semifinals before losing to Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are the athletic teams for the Bloomington campus of Indiana University . Athletic teams sponsored by IU Bloomington include cross country, track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, volleyball, soccer, football and basketball...
. However, his senior year, Hartwick made it to the championship game where it defeated the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
2-1 to take the NCAA title. Gazones was team captain. That year, Gazonas was named as a first team All American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
and won the 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:...
winner as the best collegiate player of the year. This game Hartwick its second consecutive Hermann Trophy winner as Glenn Myernick
Glenn Myernick
Glenn "Mooch" Myernick was an American soccer player and coach. He won the 1976 Hermann Trophy as that year’s outstanding collegiate player. He then spent eight seasons in the North American Soccer League and one in Major Indoor Soccer League. Myernick also earned 10 caps with the U.S. national...
had won it the year prior. Hartwick University inducted Gazonas into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.
Professional
The Tulsa RoughnecksTulsa Roughnecks
-NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
selected Gazonas with the first pick in the 1977 NASL college draft. He played three seasons as a creative midfielder for the Roughnecks. After the 1980 season, Gazonas moved to the Calgary Boomers
Calgary Boomers
The Calgary Boomers were a professional soccer team, that competed in the North American Soccer League during the 1981 season, after which they folded. They were owned by Nelson Skalbania, a Canadian businessman who moved the Memphis Rogues to Calgary, Alberta after the 1980 season.-1981 Roster:*No...
for its one season in the NASL. By the end of the 1981 season, the NASL was beginning to contract and Gazonas, who had played in the NASL indoor seasons, jumped to the New York Arrows
New York Arrows
The New York Arrows was an indoor soccer team that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.-Preparing for the first season:...
of Major Indoor Soccer League. That year the Arrows won the MISL championship. Later played with the Kansas City Comets
Kansas City Comets
The Kansas City Comets were a professional indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979–1991, when they folded...
.