Joe Ulrich
Encyclopedia
Joe Ulrich is a retired U.S. soccer defender
. He won the 1982 Hermann Trophy
as that year's top collegiate soccer player. He also played three seasons with in the Major Indoor Soccer League
.
. After graduating from high school, Ulrich played soccer at Ulster County Community College
in New York for two years before transferring to Duke University
in 1981. While at Duke University, he played on the school’s men's soccer team in 1981 and 1982. In 1981, he was named the ACC
Player of the Year. In 1982, the Blue Devils went to the NCAA Championship
game where it lost to Indiana
in eight overtimes. That year, Ulrich won the Hermann Trophy
as the top collegiate player of the year. In his two years at Duke, he scored 13 goals, despite playing as a defender. In 1999, Duke inducted Ulrich into its Athletic Hall of Fame.
drafted Ulrich in the first round of the North American Soccer League
draft, but did not sign Ulrich. That year, the New York Arrows
drafted Ulrich in the first round (12th overall) of the Major Indoor Soccer League college draft. The Arrows signed Ulrich for $28,000 per year for two years. He spent two seasons with the Arrows, until they folded at the end of the 1983-1984 season. He then signed as a free agent with the Dallas Sidekicks
on September 11, 1984. He appeared in only sixteen games with the Sidekicks during the 1984-1985 season before the team released him on March 7, 1985.
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He won the 1982 Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
as that year's top collegiate soccer player. He also played three seasons with in the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
.
Youth and college
Ulrich attended Arlington High SchoolArlington High School (LaGrange, New York)
Arlington High School is a high school in the Arlington Central School District located in Lagrangeville, New York, United States, on Route 55.-History:...
. After graduating from high school, Ulrich played soccer at Ulster County Community College
Ulster County Community College
SUNY Ulster is a public two-year college supported by Ulster County, New York and the State University of New York. The main campus is located in Stone Ridge, New York...
in New York for two years before transferring to Duke University
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
in 1981. While at Duke University, he played on the school’s men's soccer team in 1981 and 1982. In 1981, he was named the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Player of the Year. In 1982, the Blue Devils went to the NCAA Championship
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
game where it lost to Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are the athletic teams for the Bloomington campus of Indiana University . Athletic teams sponsored by IU Bloomington include cross country, track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, volleyball, soccer, football and basketball...
in eight overtimes. That year, Ulrich won the Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
as the top collegiate player of the year. In his two years at Duke, he scored 13 goals, despite playing as a defender. In 1999, Duke inducted Ulrich into its Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional
In December 1982, the Chicago StingChicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
drafted Ulrich in the first round of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
draft, but did not sign Ulrich. That year, the New York Arrows
New York Arrows
The New York Arrows was an indoor soccer team that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.-Preparing for the first season:...
drafted Ulrich in the first round (12th overall) of the Major Indoor Soccer League college draft. The Arrows signed Ulrich for $28,000 per year for two years. He spent two seasons with the Arrows, until they folded at the end of the 1983-1984 season. He then signed as a free agent with the Dallas Sidekicks
Dallas Sidekicks
The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2004 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor...
on September 11, 1984. He appeared in only sixteen games with the Sidekicks during the 1984-1985 season before the team released him on March 7, 1985.