Daouda Kanté
Encyclopedia
Daouda Kante is a Mali
an football (soccer)
defender
. He spent three seasons in Major League Soccer
, and two in the Major Indoor Soccer League
.
in New Jersey
, United States
, where he played on the school’s 1996 state championship soccer team. In 1998, he entered Mercer Community College where he was a junior college All American soccer player. In 1999, he transferred to Florida International University
. He began his career with the Golden Panthers in midfield, but moved to defense in 2000. In February 2001, the Miami Fusion
selected Kanté in the 6th round (64th overall) of the 2001 MLS SuperDraft
. However, he chose not to sign with the Fusion in order to complete his degree. He graduated with a bachelors degree in international business and international relations.
and the Tampa Bay Hawks
of the Premier Development League. In 2002, D.C. United
drafted Kanté in the first round (11th overall) in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft
, but he never played a first team game. Instead, D.C. sent him on loan to the Wilmington Hammerheads
of the USL D-3 Pro League at the end of April. He played two games on loan to the Hampton Roads Mariners on June 2002. United waived him on June 3, 2002 and on July 19, 2002 the New England Revolution
signed Kanté as a transitional international. He played well for the Revolution that season, but injury and fitness issues led to him seeing little playing time over the next two seasons. The Revolution released him in 2004. In the fall of 2004, he signed with the St. Louis Steamers of Major Indoor Soccer League
. He played only one game before being traded to the Baltimore Blast
in exchange for a third round pick in the 2006 MISL Amateur Draft. He finished his career with the Blast in the 2005-2006 season.
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
an football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He spent three seasons 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...
, and two in the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
.
Youth
A native of Mali, Kante attended Saint Benedict's Preparatory SchoolSaint Benedict's Preparatory School
Saint Benedict's Preparatory School is a college preparatory school in Newark, New Jersey, United States. It is an all-boys, secondary school located on a urban campus serving students in the seventh through twelfth grades...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he played on the school’s 1996 state championship soccer team. In 1998, he entered Mercer Community College where he was a junior college All American soccer player. In 1999, he transferred to Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
. He began his career with the Golden Panthers in midfield, but moved to defense in 2000. In February 2001, the Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
selected Kanté in the 6th round (64th overall) of the 2001 MLS SuperDraft
2001 MLS SuperDraft
-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:-External links:*...
. However, he chose not to sign with the Fusion in order to complete his degree. He graduated with a bachelors degree in international business and international relations.
Professional
During his collegiate career, he played for the Central Jersey RiptideCentral Jersey Riptide
Central Jersey Riptide were an American soccer team that played in Clark, New Jersey.They joined the USISL Pro League in 1996, but were relegated to the USL PDL in 1999. They became a provisional team the next season and then folded after the end of the season.-Year-by-year:...
and the Tampa Bay Hawks
Tampa Bay Hawks
Tampa Bay Hawks was an American soccer team, founded in 2000, who were members of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2002, after which the team left the league and the franchise was terminated.The Hawks played their home...
of the Premier Development League. In 2002, D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. 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, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
drafted Kanté in the first round (11th overall) in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft
2002 MLS SuperDraft
The 2002 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:...
, but he never played a first team game. Instead, D.C. sent him on loan to the Wilmington Hammerheads
Wilmington Hammerheads
Wilmington Hammerheads is an American professional soccer team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL D-3 Pro League at the end of April. He played two games on loan to the Hampton Roads Mariners on June 2002. United waived him on June 3, 2002 and on July 19, 2002 the 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...
signed Kanté as a transitional international. He played well for the Revolution that season, but injury and fitness issues led to him seeing little playing time over the next two seasons. The Revolution released him in 2004. In the fall of 2004, he signed with the St. Louis Steamers of Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
. He played only one game before being traded to the Baltimore Blast
Baltimore Blast (current)
Baltimore Blast is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Founded in 1992, the team plays in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
in exchange for a third round pick in the 2006 MISL Amateur Draft. He finished his career with the Blast in the 2005-2006 season.