Neal Kitson
Encyclopedia
Neal Kitson is an American
soccer player currently playing for Rochester Rhinos in the USL Professional Division.
career at Dowling College
.
He transferred to St. John's University as a sophomore, redshirting his first season with the team, but went on to become the team's first choice goalkeeper after his junior year in 2007. In his senior campaign he set a school record by recording 15 shutouts in 24 starts, and was instrumental in helping the Red Storm to a No.4 ranking in the 2008 NSCAA/Adidas polls, winning the Big East regular season title, and qualifying for the NCAA College Cup for only the fourth time in the school's history.
During his college years he also played for Newark Ironbound Express
in the USL Premier Development League
.
by Kansas City Wizards
, but was not offered a professional contract by the team after doctors in Kansas diagnosed him with a sports hernia, a fractured pelvis and a torn labrum in his hip.
After spending much of 2009 recuperating, Kitson signed his first professional contract in 2010 when he signed with Rochester Rhinos. He made his professional debut on April 28, 2010, in a game against NSC Minnesota Stars
.
Kitson became of the few goalkeepers to score a goal when he netted a 90th minute equalizer for the Rhinos in a 2-2 tie with Antigua Barracuda FC
on June 5, 2011.
Rochester re-signed Kitson for the 2012 season on November 3, 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player currently playing for Rochester Rhinos in the USL Professional Division.
College and Amateur
Kitson attended Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, where he won the PSAL Heisman Wingate Award and was selected to the Newsday All-City first team in 2003, before beginning his college soccerCollege 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...
career at Dowling College
Dowling College
Dowling College is a private co-educational liberal arts college with three campuses spread across Long Island, New York. The college's main campus in Oakdale, NY sits on the site of William K. Vanderbilt's former Idle Hour estate, which is now known as Fortunoff Hall. The Brookhaven Campus in...
.
He transferred to St. John's University as a sophomore, redshirting his first season with the team, but went on to become the team's first choice goalkeeper after his junior year in 2007. In his senior campaign he set a school record by recording 15 shutouts in 24 starts, and was instrumental in helping the Red Storm to a No.4 ranking in the 2008 NSCAA/Adidas polls, winning the Big East regular season title, and qualifying for the NCAA College Cup for only the fourth time in the school's history.
During his college years he also played for Newark Ironbound Express
Newark Ironbound Express
Jersey Express is an American soccer team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 2007, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference...
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...
.
Professional
Kitson was drafted in the third round (42nd overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft2009 MLS SuperDraft
The 2009 MLS SuperDraft took place on January 15, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the tenth annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The first selection was owned by the expansion Seattle Sounders FC...
by 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...
, but was not offered a professional contract by the team after doctors in Kansas diagnosed him with a sports hernia, a fractured pelvis and a torn labrum in his hip.
After spending much of 2009 recuperating, Kitson signed his first professional contract in 2010 when he signed with Rochester Rhinos. He made his professional debut on April 28, 2010, in a game against NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
Kitson became of the few goalkeepers to score a goal when he netted a 90th minute equalizer for the Rhinos in a 2-2 tie with Antigua Barracuda FC
Antigua Barracuda FC
Antigua Barracuda is an Antiguan professional soccer team based in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
on June 5, 2011.
Rochester re-signed Kitson for the 2012 season on November 3, 2011.
Rochester Rhinos
- USSF Division 2 Pro League Regular Season Champions (1): 2010