Matt McKeon
Encyclopedia
Matthew John McKeon (born September 24, 1974 in Saint Louis
, Missouri
) is a retired American soccer midfielder
who played seven seasons in Major League Soccer
. He earned two caps with the United States men's national soccer team
and was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic soccer team.
where he was a Parade Magazine High School All American soccer player his senior season. He was also the 1992 Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year. A product of Saint Louis University
, where he was a 1994 and 1995 First Team All-American
. In 1996, the Missouri Athletic Club
awarded him the Hermann Trophy
.
, going to the Kansas City Wizards
. He was known as a tough defender, and led the league in fouls committed during the 1997 season. The Wizards traded him to the Colorado Rapids
for Chris Henderson
in November 1998. A year later, the Rapids traded him and Peter Vermes
to the Wizards for Scott Vermillion, an allocation
, and an exchange of draft picks). McKeon was a "salary cap
casualty" in the 02/03 offseason, being cut from the team despite strong play. In seven seasons in MLS, Matt scored 13 goals and 19 assists in league play.
, both at the 1999 Confederations Cup, his first coming on July 30 against Germany
. He also played at the 1996 Summer Olympics
.
Matt currently coaches at St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club in his hometown.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
) is a retired 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 played seven seasons in 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 earned two caps with the United States men's national soccer team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
and was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic soccer team.
Youth
McKeon graduated from De Smet Jesuit High SchoolDe Smet Jesuit High School
De Smet Jesuit High School is a Jesuit Catholic, college preparatory high school Creve Coeur, Missouri in western St. Louis County. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis.The school began classes in the fall of 1967...
where he was a Parade Magazine High School All American soccer player his senior season. He was also the 1992 Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year. A product of Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...
, where he was a 1994 and 1995 First Team All-American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
. In 1996, the Missouri Athletic Club
Missouri Athletic Club
The Missouri Athletic Club , founded in 1903, is a traditional gentlemen's club and athletic club in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri, USA, with a separate athletic campus in the St. Louis County suburb of Town and Country. The MAC awards the annual Hermann Trophy, the highest award in American...
awarded him 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:...
.
Professional
On March 4, 1996, McKeon was the first pick in the 1996 MLS College Draft1996 MLS College Draft
-History:As Major League Soccer prepared for its first season, the league began stocking teams with players. As the teams were being created at the same time, the league adopted a measured approach to building rosters. First, the league allocated four "big name" players to each team. Then on...
, going to the Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
. He was known as a tough defender, and led the league in fouls committed during the 1997 season. The Wizards traded him to 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...
for Chris Henderson
Chris Henderson
Christopher "Chris" Henderson is a former American soccer midfielder who earned 79 caps with the U.S. national team. He was part of the U.S...
in November 1998. A year later, the Rapids traded him and Peter Vermes
Peter Vermes
Peter Joseph Vermes is an American former professional soccer player. He is currently the head coach of Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer....
to the Wizards for Scott Vermillion, an allocation
Allocation (MLS)
In Major League Soccer, an allocation represents an amount of money teams can use to sign players and/or allocate to their salaries to get under the salary cap. Allocations are given to teams that have missed the playoffs the previous seasons, given to expansion teams, or awarded as compensation...
, and an exchange of draft picks). McKeon was a "salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
casualty" in the 02/03 offseason, being cut from the team despite strong play. In seven seasons in MLS, Matt scored 13 goals and 19 assists in league play.
International
McKeon earned two caps with the United States national teamUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, both at the 1999 Confederations Cup, his first coming on July 30 against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
. He also played at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
.
Matt currently coaches at St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club in his hometown.