Jeff Zaun
Encyclopedia
Jeff Zaun is a retired U.S. soccer defender
who is currently an assistant coach with the Rutgers University
men’s soccer team. He played professionally in Major League Soccer
, USISL and the USL A-League and coached one season in the USL A-League.
as one of the top ten New Jersey high school soccer players of the 1980s. He was also named as one of the top ten South Jersey high school players on the All Century team by the Philadelphia Inquirer. His 1988 Shawnee team was named the top high school team of the century by the Philadelphia Inquirer as well.
He then attended Rutgers University
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1989 to 1993 where he played in two Final Fours and four NCAA tournaments. In 1990, Zaun moved from center midfield to sweeper after starting sweeper Alexi Lalas
was diagnosed with an abscessed appendix. That year, Rutgers went to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
where it finished runner-up to UCLA
. Rutgers inducted Zaun into its Hall of Fame in 2006.
of the USISL in 1994. On February 6, 1996, the MetroStars
selected Zaun in the 4th round (39th overall) of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
. He spent three seasons in New Jersey, but saw time in only four games in 1998 due to injuries in his final season. The MetroStars waived Zaun on February 25, 1999. On March 1, 1999, the Chicago Fire claimed Zaun off the waiver list. After playing with the Fire for part of one season Zaun moved on to play and coach for the Lehigh Valley Steam of the USL A-League. The Steam qualified for the playoffs in their inaugural season. Zaun retired after that season and began his coaching career.
. He returned to coaching in 1999 when he was a player-coach with the Lehigh Valley Steam
of the USL A-League. Following his retirement from playing professionally, Zaun joined the Rutgers University soccer team as an assistant coach then moved up to Associate Head Coach since 2003.
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who is currently an assistant coach with the Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
men’s soccer team. He played professionally 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...
, USISL and the USL A-League and coached one season in the USL A-League.
Early career
Zaun played soccer at Holy Cross High School where he was a 1986 and 1987 New Jersey first team All State player. He finished high school at Shawnee High School where he was the 1988 New Jersey Player of the Year. Shawnee won the Group 4 NJ State Championship that season and finished as the #1 ranked team in New Jersey. In 1999, he was named by The Star-LedgerThe 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 1980s. He was also named as one of the top ten South Jersey high school players on the All Century team by the Philadelphia Inquirer. His 1988 Shawnee team was named the top high school team of the century by the Philadelphia Inquirer as well.
He then attended Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1989 to 1993 where he played in two Final Fours and four NCAA tournaments. In 1990, Zaun moved from center midfield to sweeper after starting sweeper Alexi Lalas
Alexi Lalas
Panayotis Alexander Lalas is a retired American soccer player who played mostly as a defender for the United States national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup...
was diagnosed with an abscessed appendix. That year, Rutgers went to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
where it finished runner-up to UCLA
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
. Rutgers inducted Zaun into its Hall of Fame in 2006.
Club career
Zaun began his professional career with the expansion North Jersey ImperialsNorth Jersey Imperials
The North Jersey Imperials were a soccer club based in Paramus, New Jersey. They played in the United Soccer Leagues between 1994 and 2001. The Imperials were the first pro team of US national team goalkeeper Tim Howard....
of the USISL in 1994. On February 6, 1996, the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
selected Zaun in the 4th round (39th overall) of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer's initial 1996 season, distributed players who had already graduated from college to the league's ten inaugural teams. The draft occurred on February 6 and 7, 1996...
. He spent three seasons in New Jersey, but saw time in only four games in 1998 due to injuries in his final season. The MetroStars waived Zaun on February 25, 1999. On March 1, 1999, the Chicago Fire claimed Zaun off the waiver list. After playing with the Fire for part of one season Zaun moved on to play and coach for the Lehigh Valley Steam of the USL A-League. The Steam qualified for the playoffs in their inaugural season. Zaun retired after that season and began his coaching career.
Managerial career
After graduating from Rutgers in 1994, Zaun briefly coached as an assistant with Drew UniversityDrew University
Drew University is a private university located in Madison, New Jersey.Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955...
. He returned to coaching in 1999 when he was a player-coach with the Lehigh Valley Steam
Lehigh Valley Steam
Lehigh Valley Steam was a soccer club that competed in the A-League in 1999. Based in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, the club has problems securing a home stadium and folded after a single season. The club featured future U.S. national team player Kerry Zavagnin and was coached by Daryl...
of the USL A-League. Following his retirement from playing professionally, Zaun joined the Rutgers University soccer team as an assistant coach then moved up to Associate Head Coach since 2003.