Bojan Vuckovic (soccer player)
Encyclopedia
Bojan "Bo" Vučković (born July 17, 1970 in Belgrade
) is a Serbia
n footballer, who currently owns and plays for Vermont Voltage
in the USL Premier Development League
.
, joining FK Partizan
as a youth player in 1984. With the onset of unrest in Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, Vučković elected to attend college in the United States and in 1991 entered Franklin Pierce College
, playing with the school's Division II NCAA soccer team. He was a 1993 and 1994 second team All American and finished his four years with the school record in goals (99) and points (246).
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
(CISL) where he finished runner up to Mark Chung
in the Rookie of the Year voting. That fall, he joined the Tampa Bay Terror
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) for the 1995-1996 season. He was the ninth leading scorer in the league that season, with sixty-three goals in thirty-five games.
In February 1996, the New England Revolution
drafted Vučković in the third round (25th overall) of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
. He played only one game with the Revolution before being released on June 28, 1996. He then signed with the New Hampshire Phantoms
of USISL. That fall he rejoined the Tampa Bay Terror
and would spend the next several years playing indoor soccer. While Vučković began the season in Tampa Bay, the team sold him to the Baltimore Spirit after only four games. He played the remainder of the 1996-1997 and the entire 1997-1998 seasons in Baltimore.
In 1997, Vučković played for the Rochester Rhinos in the USISL. He then began the 1998-1999 season with the Kansas City Attack
, but was traded to the Detroit Rockers
after six games. In April 1999, he signed with the Vermont Voltage
of the fourth division USL Premier Development League
. On January 30, 1999, the Rockers traded Vučković to the Philadelphia KiXX
in exchange for Genoni Martinez and Joel Shanker
. He finished the 1999-2000 season with the KiXX, then left indoor soccer to continue his outdoor career with the Voltage. Vuckovic briefly returned to indoor in 2001 for several games with the St. Louis Steamers of the World Indoor Soccer League. During his years in the NPSL, he was a two-time first team All Star and a two-time third team All Star.
Vučković is currently a co-owner, player, coach, and director of marketing for the Voltage.
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
) is a Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n footballer, who currently owns and plays for Vermont Voltage
Vermont Voltage
Vermont Voltage is an American soccer team based in St. Albans, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference, having spent the 2009 season on...
in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
Youth and College
Vučković grew up in BelgradeBelgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, joining FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
as a youth player in 1984. With the onset of unrest in Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, Vučković elected to attend college in the United States and in 1991 entered Franklin Pierce College
Franklin Pierce College
Franklin Pierce University is a small, private, regionally-accredited university in rural Rindge, New Hampshire, founded in 1962, combining a liberal arts foundation with coursework for professional preparation...
, playing with the school's Division II NCAA soccer team. He was a 1993 and 1994 second team All American and finished his four years with the school record in goals (99) and points (246).
Professional
Following college, Vučković remained in the United States and signed with the Arizona SandsharksArizona Sandsharks
Arizona Sandsharks was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League . It was founded in 1992 and folded in 1997, along with the CISL.-Arizona Sandsharks:...
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
(CISL) where he finished runner up to Mark Chung
Mark Chung
Mark Chung is a former American soccer midfielder who, after a season in the Continental Indoor Soccer League, played ten seasons in Major League Soccer. He also earned twenty-four caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team.-Youth and college:Chung was born in Toronto to Chinese...
in the Rookie of the Year voting. That fall, he joined the Tampa Bay Terror
Tampa Bay Terror
The Tampa Bay Terror were an indoor soccer team based in Tampa Bay, Florida that competed in the defunct National Professional Soccer League . The team existed for two seasons before folding: 1995-1996 and 1996-1997. The team's home games were held at the Bayfront Center. The two season that the...
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) for the 1995-1996 season. He was the ninth leading scorer in the league that season, with sixty-three goals in thirty-five games.
In February 1996, the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
drafted Vučković in the third round (25th overall) of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer's initial 1996 season, distributed players who had already graduated from college to the league's ten inaugural teams. The draft occurred on February 6 and 7, 1996...
. He played only one game with the Revolution before being released on June 28, 1996. He then signed with the New Hampshire Phantoms
New Hampshire Phantoms
New Hampshire Phantoms is an American soccer team based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home...
of USISL. That fall he rejoined the Tampa Bay Terror
Tampa Bay Terror
The Tampa Bay Terror were an indoor soccer team based in Tampa Bay, Florida that competed in the defunct National Professional Soccer League . The team existed for two seasons before folding: 1995-1996 and 1996-1997. The team's home games were held at the Bayfront Center. The two season that the...
and would spend the next several years playing indoor soccer. While Vučković began the season in Tampa Bay, the team sold him to the Baltimore Spirit after only four games. He played the remainder of the 1996-1997 and the entire 1997-1998 seasons in Baltimore.
In 1997, Vučković played for the Rochester Rhinos in the USISL. He then began the 1998-1999 season with the Kansas City Attack
Kansas City Attack
The Kansas City Attack, previously the Atlanta Attack and later known as the Kansas City Comets, were an indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. In its various incarnations the franchise played in the National Professional Soccer League from 1989–2001 and the...
, but was traded to the Detroit Rockers
Detroit Rockers
The Detroit Rockers were an indoor soccer team in the National Professional Soccer League from 1990 to 2001. They played in Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit, Michigan as well as The Palace of Auburn Hills and Compuware Sports Arena in the suburbs...
after six games. In April 1999, he signed with the Vermont Voltage
Vermont Voltage
Vermont Voltage is an American soccer team based in St. Albans, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference, having spent the 2009 season on...
of the fourth division USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
. On January 30, 1999, the Rockers traded Vučković to the Philadelphia KiXX
Philadelphia KiXX
The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1995 as an NPSL expansion franchise, they played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.The team colors were red, black, white, and blue...
in exchange for Genoni Martinez and Joel Shanker
Joel Shanker
Joel Shanker is a retired U.S. soccer forward who spent his entire professional career in the U.S. indoor leagues. He was a three time MISL All Star and was a member of the U.S. national futsal team at the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship.-Youth:Shanker grew up in St. Louis where he played...
. He finished the 1999-2000 season with the KiXX, then left indoor soccer to continue his outdoor career with the Voltage. Vuckovic briefly returned to indoor in 2001 for several games with the St. Louis Steamers of the World Indoor Soccer League. During his years in the NPSL, he was a two-time first team All Star and a two-time third team All Star.
Vučković is currently a co-owner, player, coach, and director of marketing for the Voltage.