Eriq Zavaleta

Eriq Zavaleta

Zavaleta playing for Indiana in 2011
Personal information
Full name Eriq Anthony Zavaleta
Date of birth (1992-08-02) August 2, 1992
Place of birth Westfield, Indiana, United States
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Toronto FC
Number 15
Youth career
2008–2009 IMG Soccer Academy
2009–2010 FC Pride
2010–2011 Real Salt Lake
2011 Chivas USA
2011 Columbus Crew
2011–2012 Indiana Hoosiers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2013–2014 Seattle Sounders FC 5 (0)
2013 → San Antonio Scorpions (loan) 4 (1)
2014 → Chivas USA (loan) 17 (0)
2015– Toronto FC 18 (1)
National team‡
2008–2009 United States U17 23 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of September 26, 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 23, 2013

Eriq Anthony Zavaleta (born August 2, 1992) is an American soccer player who plays as a centre back for Toronto FC of Major League Soccer.

Career

Youth and college

Zavaleta played his freshman and senior seasons of high school soccer Westfield High School in Westfield, Indiana. He scored 25 goals and nine assists as a freshman and 20 goals and 10 assists as a senior. He also spent his youth career with FC Pride, Real Salt Lake, and Chivas USA, and was also part of Columbus Crew's USL Super-20 championship team in 2011.

On February 7, 2011, Zavaleta signed a letter of intent to play college soccer at Indiana University.[1] In his freshman year with the Hoosiers in 2011, Zavaleta started 22 games and led the team with 10 goals and 5 assists and was also the team leader in points with 25. He went on to be named College Soccer News All-Freshman first team, NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region first team selection, Soccer America All-Freshman first team and Chicagoland Soccer News Player of the Year. In his sophomore year, Zavaleta started all 24 matches and again was the team leader with 40 points, this time as he finished with 18 goals and four assists and led the team to their eighth national title in school history. One of the four assists came in the 2012 College Cup final against no. 3 Georgetown, when he set up teammate Nikita Kotlov for what turned out to be the title-clinching goal.[2] He went on to be named Big Ten All-Tournament team, NSCAA third-team All-American, College Soccer News first-team All-American and the College Cup All-Tournament team. At Indiana University he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Professional

On January 5, 2013, it was announced by agent Ron Waxman that Zavaleta had signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer, making him eligible for the 2013 MLS SuperDraft.[3][4] On January 17, Zavaleta was selected 10th overall by Seattle Sounders FC and immediately added to the roster.[5][6] He made his professional debut on March 23, 2013, in a 1–0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes.[7]

On February 28, 2014, Chivas USA announced that they had added Zavaleta to their roster on loan from Seattle Sounders FC for one year.[8]

On January 26, 2015, Toronto FC announced that they had traded a 2016 MLS SuperDraft second-round pick to Seattle for Zavaleta.[9]

On September 5, 2015, against former team Seattle Sounders, Zavaleta scored his first Toronto FC goal off a header to tie the game at 1-1.

International

Zavaleta was part of the U.S. Soccer Residency program in 2008–09 and made 23 appearances for the United States U-17 national team during that stretch, including three appearances in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Zavaleta mostly played as a defender with the under-17s.

He is eligible to play for both the United States national team and El Salvador.[4]

Personal life

Zavaleta is the son of Carlos and Kristi Zavaleta. He has one sister, Alexa; and one brother, Casey. His father played professionally in the United States and El Salvador and was also a member of the El Salvador national team. He is also the nephew of former MLS and U.S. national team defender, and his current coach at Toronto FC, Greg Vanney.[4][6]

Honors

Indiana University

Individual

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Hoosier Men's Soccer Inks Eight In 2011 Recruiting Class". IU Hoosiers. Indiana University. February 7, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Indiana Wins Eighth National Title with 1-0 Win Over Georgetown". IU Athletics. Indiana University. December 9, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  3. ↑ Borg, Simon (January 5, 2013). "Agent: Indiana star Zavaleta signs Generation adidas deal". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 "MLS signs Indiana star Eriq Zavaleta, five NCAA senior standouts". Soccer Wire. January 7, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Sounders FC Makes Forward Eriq Zavaleta Top Pick". Seattle Sounders FC. Sounders FC Public Relations. January 17, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  6. 1 2 Gaschk, Matt (January 17, 2013). "Interview: SuperDraft pick Eriq Zavaleta". Seattle Sounders FC. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  7. ↑ Gaschk, Matt (March 25, 2013). "Zavaleta proud to make MLS debut with the Sounders". Seattle Sounders FC. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ http://blogs.seattletimes.com/soundersfc/2014/02/28/sounders-loan-forward-eriq-zavaleta-to-chivas-usa-for-the-2014-season/
  9. ↑ http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2015/01/reds-acquire-eriq-zavaleta

External links

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