Zen Luzniak

Zen Luzniak
Personal information
Full nameZenon Luzniak
Place of birthNewark, New Jersey, United States
Playing positionDefender
Youth career
1987-1989Wake Forest
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1991-1994Fort Lauderdale Strikers34(1)
1996, 1999Carolina Dynamo18(0)
National team
1988United States1(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Zenon “Zen” Luzniak is a U.S. soccer defender who spent three seasons in the American Professional Soccer League and two in the USISL. He also earned one cap with the U.S. national team.

High school and college

Luzniak grew up in Cooper City, Florida where he attended Cooper City High School from 1980 to 1984. During his four seasons on the Cooper City soccer team, he led the team in scoring. He was also a two time All County cross country runner.[1] He then attended Wake Forest University where he played on the men’s soccer team. In his two seasons, 1987–1988, with the Demon Deacons, Luzniak scored four goals in thirty-seven games.[2] He tore a ligament in his right knee during his junior season and left Wake to rehab with a Netherlands team.[3]

Professional

When Luzniak returned to the United States in 1991, he signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Professional Soccer League and played four seasons with them. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Mutiny in the thirteen round (127th overall) in the 1996 MLS Draft. However, he never played for the Mutiny, but joined the Carolina Dynamo of the USISL for the 1996 season.[4] He signed with the Dynamo in 1999, but on May 8, 1999, he tore his anterior-cruciate ligament in a game against the Myrtle Beach Seadawgs.

National team

Luzniak earned one cap with the U.S. national team in a 1-0 win over Costa Rica on June 14, 1988 when he came on for Donald Cogsville.[5]

References

  1. ZENON LUZNIAK SOCCER PLAYER Miami Herald, The (FL) - Sunday, February 1, 1987
  2. "2003 Wake Forest Men's Soccer Media Guide". Wake Forest Athletics. 2003.
  3. Thuma, Cynthia A. (2007). "Sport Lauderdale: Big Names and Big Games". The History Press. ISBN 1-59629-145-1.
  4. "Carolina Dynamo All-Time Player Stats 1993–2006". Carolina Dynamo. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  5. Courtney, Barrie (2003-06-14). "USA - Details of International Matches 1980-1989". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2008-01-08.