Patrick Nyarko

Football player infobox
playername= Patrick Nyarko
fullname = Patrick Nyarko
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1986|1|15
cityofbirth = Kumasi
countryofbirth = Ghana
height = height|ft=6|in=0
currentclub = Chicago Fire
clubnumber = 12
position = Forward
youthyears = -2005
2005-07
youthclubs = Kaaseman F.C.
Virginia Tech
years = 2008-
clubs = Chicago Fire
caps(goals) = 07 0(1)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 2 August, 2008
ntupdate =

Patrick Nyarko (born January 15, 1986) is a football (soccer) player originally from Kumasi, Ghana. He was drafted by the Chicago Fire as the 7th overall pick of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.

Nyarko was a star forward and three-time All-ACC selection for the Virginia Tech Hokies soccer team, which played in the 2007 Division I Men's College Cup, falling to Wake Forest in the final four.

College career

Nyarko, who finished his Virginia Tech career with 31 goals,cite web|url=http://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/147128|title=Nyarko taking kicks to MLS|last=Berman|first=Mark|date=2008-01-15|accessdate=2008-01-31|publisher=Roanoke Times] was called by coach Oliver Weiss, "the most incredible player I've ever coached" [cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/AR2007121301548.html|title=Hokies' First College Cup a Foreign Concept|date=2007-12-14|last=Kilgore|first=Adam|accessdate=2008-01-31|publisher=Washington Post] and he is considered to be the best soccer player in Virginia Tech history.

Nyarko first met Weiss when the coach was on a recruiting trip to Ghana.

In Nyarko's freshman year, he scored the lone goal of his team's marquee win over then-#4 North Carolina. [cite web|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/msoccer/recaps/2005108aaa.html|title=Tech Topples No. 4 Tar Heels|date=2005-10-08|accessdate=2008-01-31|publisher=hokiesports.com] Tech rose as high as #10 in the polls and earned its second trip in school history to the NCAA tournament. Nyarko was named the Atlantic Coast Conference freshman of the year and was named to the all-ACC team.

Following the 2007 season, in which the Hokies finished #8 in the final AP poll and played in the final four of the 2007 Division I Men's College Cup, Nyarko was named as a finalist for the Hermann Trophy. [cite web|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/msoccer/recaps/20071215aaa.html|title=Nyarko named MAC Hermann Trophy Finalist|date=2007-12-15|accessdate=2008-01-31|publisher=hokiesports.com]

Chicago Fire

Nyarko decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. Widely predicted to be the first pick in the draft, Nyarko was selected 7th overall by the Chicago Fire. [cite web|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=216319|title=Nyarko, like others, needs time to develop|date=2008-7-8|accessdate=2008-08-07|publisher=dailyherald.com]

He made his MLS debut on June 15, 2008 against FC Dallas, and scored his first MLS goal on August 2, 2008 against Chivas USA.

ee also

* List of current MLS players

References

External links

* [http://www.hokiesports.com/msoccer/players/2007/nyarko.html Virginia Tech bio]
* [http://www.hokiesports.com/msoccer/recaps/20080118aaa.html Nyarko selected seventh in MLS SuperDraft] (HokieSports.com)
* [http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-12-07-0190.html Virginia Tech's Nyarko makes grade] (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/17/AR2008011702760.html Clear Choice for Potential Top Pick] (Washington Post)
* [http://www.mlsnet.com//news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080118&content_id=135958&vkey=news_chf&fext=.jsp&team=t100 Fire get goal scorer in Nyarko] (MLS Net)