Quincy Amarikwa

Quincy Amarikwa
Warming up for San Jose in 2017
Personal information
Full name Quincy Obinna Amarikwa
Date of birth (1987-10-29) October 29, 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Bakersfield, California, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Forward, winger
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 UC Davis Aggies 75 (31)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 Bakersfield Brigade 7 (4)
2009–2010 San Jose Earthquakes 25 (1)
2010–2012 Colorado Rapids 31 (3)
2012 Toronto FC 11 (0)
2013–2015 Chicago Fire 60 (11)
2015–2018 San Jose Earthquakes 63 (9)
2018–2019 Montreal Impact 10 (1)
2019 D.C. United 23 (1)
2020 Las Vegas Lights 6 (0)
2021 Oakland Roots 14 (2)
Total 250 (32)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 8, 2021

Quincy Obinna Amarikwa (/ɑːˈmɑːriːkwɑː/ ah-MAR-eek-wah;[1] born October 29, 1987) is an American former professional soccer player.

Career

Early career

Amarikwa attended Liberty High School. He was a member of the Bakersfield Alliance club soccer team and played college soccer at UC Davis. In 2008, he led the team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.[2]

During his college years, Amarikwa also played with Bakersfield Brigade in the USL Premier Development League.[3]

Professional

Amarikwa was drafted in the third round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by San Jose Earthquakes.[4] He made his professional debut in San Jose's first game of the 2009 MLS season against the New England Revolution and scored his first MLS goal on October 7 against FC Dallas.[5]

Amarikwa playing for the Colorado Rapids

After 25 games for San Jose and one goal, he was traded to Colorado Rapids in April 2010 in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.[6] Amarikwa made 31 league appearances for Colorado scoring three goals and was a member of the side that captured the 2010 MLS Cup.

Amarikwa was waived by Colorado in June 2012.[7] Shortly thereafter his rights were claimed through waivers by the New York Red Bulls. He spent two weeks training with New York but never signed, instead, New York traded Amarikwa to Toronto FC for a conditional draft pick on July 21.[8] He made his league debut for Toronto in a 2–0 home defeat to Houston Dynamo on July 28.[9] Amarikwa scored his first goal for Toronto in CONCACAF Champions League play against Santos Laguna in a 3–1 home defeat.[10]

In February 2013, Amarikwa was acquired by Chicago Fire in exchange for a first-round selection in the 2014 MLS Supplemental Draft.[1]

In June 2015, Chicago Fire traded Amarikwa to San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for defender Ty Harden.[11] He scored two goals in four minutes in his second Earthquakes appearance during the California Clásico against the LA Galaxy. Amarikwa was sidelined for the rest of the 2016 season and for the first half of the 2017 season after suffering a knee injury on September 24, 2016, against Sporting Kansas City.[12] He made his return to the team on July 14, 2017, in a friendly match against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring a penalty kick twelve minutes after substituting in for Simon Dawkins and securing San Jose's 4–1 victory.[13] On October 14, 2017, he was nominated for the MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award.[14]

On August 8, 2018, Amarikwa was traded by the Earthquakes to Montreal Impact in exchange for Dominic Oduro.[15] He made his debut for Montreal on August 11, 2018, in a game against Real Salt Lake.[16]

On March 1, 2019, after speculation and Amarikwa appearing at D.C. United practices, Quincy Amarikwa signed with D.C. United.[17] Amarikwa scored his first goal for D.C. United in a friendly against Real Betis on May 22, 2019.[18] Amarikwa then scored his first D.C. United MLS goal against the New England Revolution on July 12, 2019. His goal equalized the game 2-2.[19] His contract with D.C. United ran out after the 2019 season.[20]

On September 1, 2020, Amarikwa signed with USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights.[21]

On August 11, 2021, Amarikwa joined Oakland Roots SC.[22]

Personal life

Amarikwa is a member of the UC Davis Hall of Fame.[23] While studying there, Quincy Amarikwa met his wife Sirena Amarikwa; they were engaged in 2016 while Sirena was pursuing her professional track career, and wed in January 2017.[24] They have two sons, Sir Amarikwa and Lord Amarikwa.[25]

Amarikwa and Ross LaBauex co-own a brand called Perfect Soccer, a Black news source for soccer.[26] He is also Founder and Director of Strategic Partnerships for Black Players for Change, serving as interim director when the organisation was launched.[citation needed]

Honors

Colorado Rapids

Statistics

Statistics accurate as of April 14, 2018.

Club Season League Open Cup MLS Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
San Jose Earthquakes 2009 24 1 0 0 0 0 - - 24 1
2010 7 0 0 0 0 0 - - 7 0
2015 17 6 0 0 0 0 2[a] 0 17 6
2016 23 3 0 0 0 0 - - 23 3
2017 10 0 0 0 0 0 - - 10 0
2018 4 0 0 0 0 0 - - 4 0
Total 85 10 0 0 0 0 2 0 85 10
Colorado Rapids 2010 11 1 0 0 3 0 - - 14 1
2011 15 1 0 0 1 0 4[b] 1 20 2
2012 3 1 0 0 0 0 - - 3 1
Total 29 3 0 0 4 0 4 1 37 4
Toronto FC 2012 11 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 14 2
Total 11 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 14 2
Chicago Fire SC 2013 14 3 1 0 0 0 - - 15 3
2014 32 8 4 2 0 0 - - 36 10
2015 14 0 1 1 0 0 - - 15 1
Total 60 11 6 3 0 0 - - 66 14
Career Total 185 24 6 3 4 0 9 3 204 30
  1. ^ Appearances in the International Champions Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League

References

  1. ^ a b "Fire Acquire Forward Quincy Amarikwa From Toronto FC". chicago-fire.com. February 27, 2013.
  2. ^ "UCDAVISAGGIES.com Quincy Amarikwa Bio :: UC Davis Official Athletic Site :: Men's Soccer".
  3. ^ "2009 Major League Soccer SuperDraft" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2011.
  4. ^ "Quincy Amarikwa on his way out of San Jose? – Center Line Soccer". Archived from the original on July 22, 2010.
  5. ^ "Rapids land Amarikwa – The Denver Post". April 7, 2010.
  6. ^ "News".
  7. ^ "Rapids waive Amarikwa, LaBauex, and Ababio | Colorado Rapids".
  8. ^ "Toronto Trades For Amarikwa | Toronto FC".
  9. ^ "Toronto Stopped By Houston | Toronto FC".
  10. ^ "Breakdown Costs Toronto In CCL | Toronto FC".
  11. ^ "Chicago Fire trade Quincy Amarikwa to San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for Ty Harden". mlssoccer.com. June 26, 2015.
  12. ^ "Earthquakes' Amarikwa injures knee on opening play vs. KC, feared serious". Major League Soccer. September 25, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  13. ^ "RECAP: Earthquakes Defeat Bundesliga's Eintracht Frankfurt 4–1". San Jose Earthquakes. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  14. ^ Jake Pisani (October 14, 2017). "FEATURE: Several San Jose Earthquakes nominated for MLS awards". San Jose Earthquakes. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  15. ^ "Impact acquires forward Quincy Amarikwa from the San Jose Earthquakes". Montreal Impact. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  16. ^ Menexis, George (August 14, 2018). "Amarikwa and Azira make Impact debut". impactmontreal.com. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  17. ^ Bogert, Tom (March 1, 2019). "DC United sign veteran striker Quincy Amarikwa". Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  18. ^ "Despite Griffin Yow goal, D.C. United drops 5-2 friendly decision to Real Betis". May 22, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  19. ^ "GOAL: Quincy Amarikwa slams home the equalizer". Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  20. ^ "D.C. United have announced that 16 players are under contract for the 2020 MLS season". November 22, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  21. ^ "11-Year Major League Soccer Veteran MLS Cup Champion Quincy Amarikwa Signs with Lights Fc".
  22. ^ "OAKLAND ROOTS SIGN VETERAN ATTACKER QUINCY AMARIKWA". August 11, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  23. ^ "2019 CAAHOF Induction & Awards Videos". UC Davis Athletics. September 29, 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  24. ^ "Respect the Hustle: Goals only part of entrepreneur Quincy Amarikwa's game | MLSSoccer.com".
  25. ^ Giambalvo, Emily. "D.C. United's baby boom has players balancing soccer with the ups and downs of fatherhood". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  26. ^ "Perfect Soccer". Retrieved August 30, 2019.