Matt Besler
Encyclopedia
Matt Besler is an American
soccer player who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer
.
in Overland Park, Kansas
. He led Blue Valley West to the Kansas 5A State Championship as a senior, scoring 23 goals with 19 assists, and holds the season and career marks in total points (124), goals (40) and assists (44) at Blue Valley West. He was also a member of the KCFC Alliance club team and a key member of the Region II Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) which competed in the 2004 ESP All-Star game.
Besler played college soccer
at the University of Notre Dame
, playing in 90 games (73 starts) and scoring 5 goals during his college career. He received All-American and Academic All-American honors as a senior, was named the NSCAA 2008 Senior College Men's Scholar All-America Player of the Year, and was named to the All Big East Team 3 times. He helped Notre Dame gain 4 straight berths to the NCAA Championship, including the program's first 2 trips to the quarterfinals in 2006 and 2007.
by Kansas City Wizards
. He made his professional debut on March 28, 2009, as an 87th minute subtitute during a 2-1 loss away to Colorado Rapids
., and scored his first professional goal on March 26, 2011, in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Fire. On July 10, 2011, Besler was added to the 2011 MLS All-Star team. He received the most text-messaged votes through MLS Soccer and will play at the Center Back position.
He also writes a weekly column titled 'Across the Midwest Pitch' for soccer website MLS Daily every Tuesday.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City 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 Youth
Besler was a four year All-Conference player at Blue Valley West High SchoolBlue Valley West High School
Blue Valley West High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Overland Park, Kansas, and one of five currently operated high schools in the Blue Valley Unified School District. The school opened in August 2001, and has a current enrollment of approximately 1600 students...
in Overland Park, Kansas
Overland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
. He led Blue Valley West to the Kansas 5A State Championship as a senior, scoring 23 goals with 19 assists, and holds the season and career marks in total points (124), goals (40) and assists (44) at Blue Valley West. He was also a member of the KCFC Alliance club team and a key member of the Region II Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) which competed in the 2004 ESP All-Star game.
Besler played 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 Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, playing in 90 games (73 starts) and scoring 5 goals during his college career. He received All-American and Academic All-American honors as a senior, was named the NSCAA 2008 Senior College Men's Scholar All-America Player of the Year, and was named to the All Big East Team 3 times. He helped Notre Dame gain 4 straight berths to the NCAA Championship, including the program's first 2 trips to the quarterfinals in 2006 and 2007.
Professional
Besler was drafted in the first round (8th overall) in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft2009 MLS SuperDraft
The 2009 MLS SuperDraft took place on January 15, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the tenth annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The first selection was owned by the expansion Seattle Sounders FC...
by Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
. He made his professional debut on March 28, 2009, as an 87th minute subtitute during a 2-1 loss away to Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado 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...
., and scored his first professional goal on March 26, 2011, in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Fire. On July 10, 2011, Besler was added to the 2011 MLS All-Star team. He received the most text-messaged votes through MLS Soccer and will play at the Center Back position.
He also writes a weekly column titled 'Across the Midwest Pitch' for soccer website MLS Daily every Tuesday.