Matt Crawford
Encyclopedia
Matthew David Crawford (born August 20, 1980 in Durham
, North Carolina
) is an American soccer midfielder
who last played for the Colorado Rapids
of Major League Soccer
.
He played high school soccer at Durham Academy in Durham, North Carolina and helped earn them state titles in 1995 and 1996.
Crawford played college soccer
at the University of North Carolina
from 1999 to 2002. He finished his career at UNC with 12 goals and 35 assists in 89 games, 81 of them starts.
Upon graduating, Crawford was drafted 38th overall in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft
by the Rapids. Crawford surprised by earning a place on the team, and played extensively as a reserve defender, appearing in 16 games, 8 of them starts, and adding one assist. In 2004, Crawford cemented a starting role in the Rapids midfield, although he still played occasionally in defense. He played in all 30 Rapids games that year, starting 28, and adding one goal and four assists.
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
) is an American soccer midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who last played for the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
He played high school soccer at Durham Academy in Durham, North Carolina and helped earn them state titles in 1995 and 1996.
Crawford played college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
from 1999 to 2002. He finished his career at UNC with 12 goals and 35 assists in 89 games, 81 of them starts.
Upon graduating, Crawford was drafted 38th overall in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft
2003 MLS SuperDraft
The 2003 Major League Soccer SuperDraft was held January 17, 2003 in Kansas City, Missouri.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:References=* USA Today MLS Draft List...
by the Rapids. Crawford surprised by earning a place on the team, and played extensively as a reserve defender, appearing in 16 games, 8 of them starts, and adding one assist. In 2004, Crawford cemented a starting role in the Rapids midfield, although he still played occasionally in defense. He played in all 30 Rapids games that year, starting 28, and adding one goal and four assists.