Maurizio Rocha
Encyclopedia
Maurizio Rocha is a retired Bolivian football (soccer)
midfielder
who played professionally in Major League Soccer
and USL A-League.
which he had attended through St. Benedict's foreign exchange program with the Tahuichi Academy in Bolivia. Rocha attended the University of Connecticut
, playing on the men's soccer team from 1995 to 1998. He was a 1998 First Team All Ameican
.
Project 40 and was assigned to the Miami Fusion
. He spent the entire 1999 seaosn with Project 40. In 2000, he played eleven games with the Fusion first team. The Fusion waived Rocha on November 2, 2000. In 2003, he played for the Rochester Rhinos and El Paso Patriots
of the USL A-League. In April 2004, he signed with the Western Mass Pioneers
, but was released in July. Rocha also played for Real Santa Cruz
in Bolivia.
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...
midfielder
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 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...
and USL A-League.
Youth
Rocha graduated from 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...
which he had attended through St. Benedict's foreign exchange program with the Tahuichi Academy in Bolivia. Rocha attended the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, playing on the men's soccer team from 1995 to 1998. He was a 1998 First Team All Ameican
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:...
.
Professional
In February 1999, Rocha signed the Major League SoccerMajor 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...
Project 40 and was assigned to 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...
. He spent the entire 1999 seaosn with Project 40. In 2000, he played eleven games with the Fusion first team. The Fusion waived Rocha on November 2, 2000. In 2003, he played for the Rochester Rhinos and El Paso Patriots
El Paso Patriots
Chivas El Paso Patriots is an American soccer team based in El Paso, Texas, United States. Founded in 1989, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference.The team plays its home games at...
of the USL A-League. In April 2004, he signed with the Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers is an American soccer team based in Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1998, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home games...
, but was released in July. Rocha also played for Real Santa Cruz
Real Santa Cruz
Club Real Santa Cruz is a football club from Santa Cruz, Bolivia currently playing at Santa Cruz Primera A, one of the second division regional leagues....
in Bolivia.