Thompson Usiyan

Thompson Usiyan is a former NCAA and MISL soccer star forward and Nigerian Olympic soccer team member.

A forward, Usiyan first arrived in North America as a member of his country's 1976 Olympic team, which however did not compete due to an African and Arab country Olympic boycott. Usiyan decided to ignore an order to return to Nigeria and stay and attend university. He played college soccer at Appalachian State and set an NCAA record with 109 career goals (a record as of 2005 that still stands). Usiyan also set records for most career points (255), goals in a season (46 in 1980), and points in a season (108 in 1980). He was the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 1977, '78, and '80.

Usiyan played in the North American Soccer League for the Montreal Manic in 1981 and '82, and for the Tulsa Roughnecks for the summer of '83.

Usiyan was the MISL's sixteenth leading scorer in 1984-85 as a member of the Minnesota Strikers, with 62 points in 47 games. He was fifteenth best a season later with 60 points in 40 contests. Usiyan finished eighth in scoring in the 1987-88 season as a member of the Los Angeles Lazers with 88 points in 51 games. He was sixth best in 1990-91 with 102 points in 51 games played for the St. Louis Storm. Usiyan was amongst the leaders one final time (in the league's last season) finishing fifteenth with 57 points in 40 games playing with the San Diego Sockers. He was named Championship Series Most Valuable Player as the Sockers won the championship.

With the demise of the original MISL, Usiyan played indoor soccer for the Sockers. He later played for the San Jose Grizzlies, scoring 9 points in a game played August 10, 1995. He also signed for the Hamilton Steelers of the Canadian Soccer League] for at least the 1991 season.

Usiyan earned 1 'A' international cap for Nigeria, playing in a 0-2 lose to Algeria on October 10, 1981 in Lagos.

Usiyan makes his home in San Diego, California where he is a tax consultant.

ources

* [http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2005/0411web/scoringmachine.php3 "Watauga Democrat" Sports article on Usyian]
* [http://www.oursportscentral.com/misl/history.html "MISL: A Look Back"]