- Neal Kitson
-
Neal Kitson 
Personal information Full name Neal Kitson Date of birth January 4, 1986 Place of birth Little Neck, New York, United States Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Playing position Goalkeeper Club information Current club Rochester Rhinos Number 1 Youth career 2004 Dowling Golden Lions 2005–2008 St. John's Red Storm Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2008 Newark Ironbound Express 5 (0) 2010– Rochester Rhinos 43 (1) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of September 21, 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).Neal Kitson (born January 4, 1986 in Little Neck, New York) is an American soccer player currently playing for Rochester Rhinos in the USL Professional Division.
Contents
Career
College and Amateur
Kitson attended Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, where he won the PSAL Heisman Wingate Award and was selected to the Newsday All-City first team in 2003, before beginning his college soccer career at Dowling College.
He transferred to St. John's University as a sophomore, redshirting his first season with the team, but went on to become the team's first choice goalkeeper after his junior year in 2007. In his senior campaign he set a school record by recording 15 shutouts in 24 starts, and was instrumental in helping the Red Storm to a No.4 ranking in the 2008 NSCAA/Adidas polls,[1] winning the Big East regular season title,[2] and qualifying for the NCAA College Cup for only the fourth time in the school's history.
During his college years he also played for Newark Ironbound Express in the USL Premier Development League.[3]
Professional
Kitson was drafted in the third round (42nd overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by Kansas City Wizards,[4] but was not offered a professional contract by the team after doctors in Kansas diagnosed him with a sports hernia, a fractured pelvis and a torn labrum in his hip.[5]
After spending much of 2009 recuperating, Kitson signed his first professional contract in 2010 when he signed with Rochester Rhinos.[6] He made his professional debut on April 28, 2010, in a game against NSC Minnesota Stars.[7]
Kitson became of the few goalkeepers to score a goal when he netted a 90th minute equalizer for the Rhinos in a 2-2 tie with Antigua Barracuda FC on June 5, 2011.[8]
Rochester re-signed Kitson for the 2012 season on November 3, 2011.[9]
Honors
Rochester Rhinos
- USSF Division 2 Pro League Regular Season Champions (1): 2010
References
- ^ Neal Kitson leads St. John's soccer to lofty perch
- ^ St. John's men's soccer captures Big East, looks to make much more noise
- ^ http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2008/roster/8986443.html
- ^ Express Goalkeeper Neal Kitson Selected in MLS SuperDraft
- ^ Injuries delay Kitson's professional soccer debut
- ^ Rhinos Sign West, Kitson, Aguilar
- ^ http://ussf.demosphere.com/stats/2010/1634159.html
- ^ Late Equalizer Earns Rhinos A Point
- ^ http://www.rhinossoccer.com/news/index.html?article_id=174
External links
Categories:- 1986 births
- Living people
- American soccer players
- Newark Ironbound Express players
- Rochester Rhinos players
- St. John's Red Storm men's soccer players
- USL Premier Development League players
- USSF Division 2 Pro League players
- USL Professional Division players
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