Ritchie Kotschau

Football player infobox| playername= Ritchie Kotschau
fullname = Ritchie Scott Kotschau
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1975|11|22
cityofbirth = Levittown, NY
countryofbirth = United States
height = 5'10"
currentclub = Real Salt Lake
clubnumber = 6
position = defender
youthyears = 1994-97
youthclubs = George Mason
years = 1998-99 1999-01 2001-05 2006 2007-
clubs = Chicago Fire Tampa Bay Mutiny Colorado Rapids Columbus Crew Real Salt Lake
caps(goals) = 028 (4) 058 (4) 126 (2) 026 (1) 003 (0)
nationalyears = 2005
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 1 (0)
pcupdate = November 23, 2006 (UTC)
ntupdate = 3 June 2005

Ritchie Kotschau (born November 22, 1975 in Levittown, New York) is an American soccer player who last played as a defender for the Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer.

After playing college soccer at George Mason University, where he helped his team to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, Kotschau was drafted by the Chicago Fire second overall in the 1998 MLS College Draft. Although he helped the Fire to the MLS Cup and US Open Cup double in his rookie year, he did not live up to the high expectations, and was traded to the Tampa Bay Mutiny midway through the 1999 season.

Midway through 2001, Kotschau was part of the deal that sent Carlos Valderrama to the Colorado Rapids. With Colorado, Ritchie has been a first-choice player and has played a number of defensive roles. After the 2005 season, he was dealt to the Crew for Cornell Glen. In eight years in MLS, Kotschau scored nine regular season goals and added 15 assists.

Kotschau earned his first cap for the United States national team on March 9, 2005, against Colombia.