Jay Needham

Football player infobox| playername= Jay Charles Needham
fullname = Jay Charles Needham
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|9|30
cityofbirth =
countryofbirth = United States of America
height = 6'2"
position = central defender
youthyears = 1998-2004
2003-2006
youthclubs =Dallas Texans Soccer Club
SMU
years = 2006
2007
2008-
clubs = DFW Tornados
Puerto Rico Islanders
Alta IF
caps(goals) = 14 (2)
25 (1)
19 (1)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 30 September 2008
ntupdate = 30 September 2008

Jay Charles Needham (born 9/30/1984) is an American soccer player from Fort Worth, Texas.

As a youth, he played club soccer for the Dallas Texans Soccer Club. His team, the '85 Texans Red, won four consecutive North Texas State Cups, three Regional Cups and appeared in two U.S. Youth Cup Final Fours. The '85 Dallas Texans also won the Under 19 division of the prestigious Dallas Cup in 2003. Other professionals playing on this Texans team were Hunter Freeman and Ramon Nunez.

After graduating from Fort Worth Arlington Heights High School, Needham attended Southern Methodist University (SMU). While at SMU, he and the team earned numerous honors. SMU was the 2003 Missouri Valley Conference tournament champion and were the Missouri Valley season and tournament champions in 2004. In 2005, SMU moved to Conference USA. In their first season, SMU won the season champion honors. In 2006, SMU won both the season and tournament honors for Conference USA. SMU participated in the NCAA Tournament in all four seasons that Needham played. In 2005, they made the NCAA College Cup, losing in the semi-finals to the ultimate winners Maryland.

Jay Needham was a four year letterman at SMU. He was one of the team's tri-captains in 2005 and 2006. He was a member of the Missouri Valley Conference All Freshman Team in 2003. He was selected first team All Conference USA as a defender in 2005 and 2006. He was also elected First Team All Midwest Region in those same years. Conference USA named him Defender of the Year in 2006. Jay was named a First Team All American and was one of three finalist for the MAC Hermann Award (honoring college soccer's player of the year) in 2006.

During his college years, Needham also played with the DFW Tornados in the USL Premier Development League.

Professional career

He was drafted by D.C. United in the third round of the 2007 MLS draft. After attending training camp, he and D.C. United were unable to come to terms for a contract. Jay signed with the Puerto Rico Islanders in the USL First Division. He played the 2007 season for the Islanders, logging over 2,000 minutes of play. The Islanders advanced to the USL semi-finals where they were defeated by the ultimate champions, Seattle. At the end of the season, Jay Needham was named the 2007 USL Division 1 Rookie of the Year.

In 2008, he transferred to Alta IF in Alta, Norway. Alta plays in Norway's 1st Division.

His primary position has been central defender. He also plays outside defender, sweeper and defensive mid-field.

External links

* [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=393962&cc=5901 Hermann Award Finalist]
* [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=459854&root=us&cc=5901 D.C. United Contract]
* [http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/recentnews/207628.html USL Rookie of the Year]