 Garcia in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nick Garcia | ||
| Date of birth | April 9, 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Plano, Texas, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1998 | Dallas Texans | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–1999 | Indiana Hoosiers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2007 | Kansas City Wizards | 224 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | San Jose Earthquakes | 36 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Toronto FC | 36 | (0) |
| Total | 296 | (1) | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 1995 | United States U-17 | 2 | (0) |
| 1999 | United States U-20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | United States | 6 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 23, 2010 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of April 4, 2010 | |||
Nick Garcia (born April 9, 1979, in Plano, Texas) is an American former professional soccer player.
Career
[edit]Youth and College
[edit]As a junior and senior at Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, Texas, Garcia helped his high school win their first 2 TAPPS state boys soccer championships in 1996 and 1997. He was selected to the all-district, all-state and all-tournament teams. Garcia won the 1996–97 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award, as well, while starring for Dallas Texans youth club. Garcia played college soccer at Indiana University, leading Indiana to the consecutive national titles in 1998 and 1999, and was named All-American in his final season. Garcia was also named the Soccer America National Freshman of the year while at Indiana University and won the 1999 NCAA Defensive MVP in the College Cup Tournament.
Professional
[edit]Garcia signed with Project-40 and MLS in 2000, and was drafted second overall (behind Steve Shak) in the 2000 MLS SuperDraft by the Kansas City Wizards.
Garcia subsequently played in – and started – 224 games for the Wizards between 2000 and 2007 and helped the Wizards win the MLS Cup in 2000, and the US Open Cup in 2004.
He joined the San Jose Earthquakes as their captain upon their return to MLS in 2008. In early 2009 Garcia signed a multi-year contract with San Jose,[1] but was traded (along with the rights to Canadian international Ali Gerba) to Toronto FC on June 9, 2009, for a third round pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.[2]
After the 2010 MLS season Toronto declined Garcia's contract option and he elected to participate in the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Garcia became a free agent in Major League Soccer when he was not selected in the Re-Entry draft.
International
[edit]Garcia played in the 1997 World Youth Championship in Ecuador and captained the US Under-20 national team at the World Youth Championship in Nigeria in 1999. Garcia earned his first cap for the full national team on January 18, 2003, against Canada. So far, he has amassed six caps for the United States.
Personal life
[edit]Garcia is married to his wife MeLinda. They have 3 children.
Honors
[edit]- Kansas City Wizards
- Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: 2004
- Major League Soccer MLS Cup: 2000
- Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield: 2000
- Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship: 2004
- Toronto FC
References
[edit]- ^ "Earthquakes Sign Defender Nick Garcia to Multi-Year Contract - OurSports Central". www.oursportscentral.com. 21 January 2009.
- ^ "Roster Shuffle In Toronto". US Soccer Players. 9 June 2009.