Kevin Rodriguez (soccer, born 1996)

Kevin Rodriguez
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-09-25) September 25, 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Pasadena, Texas, United States
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Manchester United Houston
2014–2015 Houston Dynamo
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 Northern Illinois Huskies 59 (7)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Brazos Valley Cavalry 5 (0)
2019–2020 Rio Grande Valley FC 30 (2)
2021–2022 FC Tucson 18 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 4, 2022

Kevin Rodriguez (born September 25, 1996) is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder.

Early life

He played youth soccer with Manchester United Houston.[1] After originally getting cut by the Houston Dynamo academy twice, he eventually was accepted to join the academy in 2014.[2]

College career

In 2015, he began attending Northern Illinois University, where he played for the men's soccer team.[1] He scored his first collegiate goal on September 29, 2015, against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.[3] As a freshman, he was named the 2015 MAC Freshman of the Year,[4] and was named to the NIU Adidas Invitational All-Tournament Team.[5] In his senior season in 2018, he was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Third Team and the All-MAC First Team.[6][7]

Club career

In 2017, Rodriguez joined USL Premier Development League side Brazos Valley Cavalry during the college offseason.[8] He made two appearances in 2017 and three appearances in 2018.[9][10]

In January 2019, Rodriguez was selected 75th overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by Minnesota United,[11][12] becoming the first Northern Illinois University player to ever be drafted.[13][14]

In March 2019, Rodriguez signed for USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC.[15] He scored his first professional goal on August 10, 2019, against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.[16]

Rodriguez signed with FC Tucson in USL League One on February 10, 2021.[17] After struggling with injuries early in the 2021 season, he scored his first goal for the club on October 16, 2021, when he scored two goals against South Georgia Tormenta FC in a 3–1 victory.[18][19] As a result of that performance, he was named to the USL Team of the Week.[20]

Career statistics

As of June 4, 2022[21]
Club Season League Playoffs Domestic Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brazos Valley Cavalry 2017[9] Premier Development League 2 0 – – – 2 0
2018[10] 3 0 0 0 – – 3 0
Total 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Rio Grande Valley FC 2019 USL Championship 22 2 – – – 22 2
2020 8 0 – – – 8 0
Total 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 2
FC Tucson 2021 USL League One 17 3 2 0 – – 19 3
2022 1 0 – 0 0 – 1 0
Total 18 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 20 3
Career total 53 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 55 5

References

  1. ^ a b "Kevin Rodriguez Northern Illinois profile". Northern Illinois Huskies.
  2. ^ Akio, William (August 12, 2020). "Cut Twice By An MLS Academy To Getting Drafted Into The MLS & Signing PRO - Kevin Rodriguez".
  3. ^ "Huskies Open League Slate at Bowling Green". Northern Illinois Huskies. October 3, 2015.
  4. ^ "Luke Read and Kevin Rodriguez Earn MAC Honors". Northern Illinois Huskies. November 12, 2015.
  5. ^ "Huskies Open Four-Game Roadtrip at Marquette". Northern Illinois Huskies. September 17, 2015.
  6. ^ "Kevin Rodriguez Earns All-Region Honors". Northern Illinois Huskies. December 5, 2018.
  7. ^ "MAC Announces 2018 Men's Soccer Postseason Awards". Mid-American Conference. November 8, 2018.
  8. ^ "Brazos Valley Cavalry FC announce first player signings". Houston Dynamo. March 29, 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Kevin Rodriguez 2017 PDL Stats". USL League Two.
  10. ^ a b "Kevin Rodriguez 2018 PDL Stats". USL League Two.
  11. ^ O'Donnell, Colin (January 14, 2019). "Loons Take Winger and Center Back in Final Two SuperDraft Picks". E Pluribus Loonum.
  12. ^ "MNUFC Selects Rodriguez and Osmond in the Fourth Round of the MLS SuperDraft". Our Sports Central. January 14, 2019.
  13. ^ Hacker, Roland (January 14, 2019). "Former Huskie forward Kevin Rodriguez drafted by MLS". Northern Star.
  14. ^ "Kevin Rodriguez Selected by Minnesota United in MLS SuperDraft". Northern Illinois Huskies. January 14, 2019.
  15. ^ "RGV FC adds 12 players to roster ahead of 2019 season". Rio Grande Valley FC. March 9, 2019.
  16. ^ "Match Recap: Switchbacks equalize late to steal a point at home against the Toros". Rio Grande Valley FC. August 12, 2019.
  17. ^ "FC Tucson Signs RGV FC Winger Kevin Rodriguez". FC Tucson. February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  18. ^ Prezelski, Ted (October 17, 2021). "Rodriguez earns brace in rare start as FC Tucson takes out Tormenta FC". Tucson Sentinel.
  19. ^ Kelley, James. "Kevin Rodriguez provides spark for FC Tucson heading into biggest match of the season". Arizona Daily Star.
  20. ^ "Charlie Dennis & Kevin Rodriguez Earn Team of the Week Honors". FC Tucson. October 18, 2021.
  21. ^ Kevin Rodriguez at Soccerway