Thien Nguyen (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Thien Nguyen is a retired Vietnamese-American soccer player. He played professionally in the Western Soccer Alliance and Major Indoor Soccer League.
Born in South Vietnam, Nyguyen grew up in southern California. He graduated from Madison High School
and attended UC San Diego where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1984 to 1986 and again in 1988. In 1988, the Tritons went undefeated as they claimed the 1988 NCAA Men's Division III Soccer Championship
. Nguyen holds the Tritons career assists record with thirty-six and is sixth on the career points list with seventy-four.
In 1988, Nguyen played for the San Diego Nomads
of the Western Soccer Alliance. He continued to play for the Nomads each summer until they withdrew from the league following the 1990 season. In 1989, the Nomads won the league title before falling to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the national championship. In October 1989, Nguyen signed as a developmental player with the San Diego Sockers of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He played twenty-three games for the Sockers’ first team during the 1989-1990 season. The Sockers signed him again for the 1990-1991 season, but released Nguyen in November 1990 as he decided to pursue his graduate studies.
Born in South Vietnam, Nyguyen grew up in southern California. He graduated from Madison High School
James Madison High School (California)
For schools with a similar name, see Madison High School.James Madison High School is a public high school in San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. Madison's campus opened in 1962...
and attended UC San Diego where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1984 to 1986 and again in 1988. In 1988, the Tritons went undefeated as they claimed the 1988 NCAA Men's Division III Soccer Championship
NCAA Men's Division III Soccer Championship
The NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship is played since 1974.It is the largest of the three NCAA divisions' championships, with the most complicated selection process. The tournament is a 57-team, single-elimination tournament. Teams are divided into three pools. Pool A consists of the 36...
. Nguyen holds the Tritons career assists record with thirty-six and is sixth on the career points list with seventy-four.
In 1988, Nguyen played for the San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
of the Western Soccer Alliance. He continued to play for the Nomads each summer until they withdrew from the league following the 1990 season. In 1989, the Nomads won the league title before falling to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the national championship. In October 1989, Nguyen signed as a developmental player with the San Diego Sockers of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He played twenty-three games for the Sockers’ first team during the 1989-1990 season. The Sockers signed him again for the 1990-1991 season, but released Nguyen in November 1990 as he decided to pursue his graduate studies.