Matt Kmosko

Last updated
Matt Kmosko
Personal information
Full name Matthew W. Kmosko
Date of birth (1972-01-08) January 8, 1972 (age 52)
Place of birth Ship Bottom, New Jersey, United States
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1990–1994 Hartwick College
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1995 New York Fever
1995–1996 Cincinnati Silverbacks (indoor) 22 (0)
1996–1997 Colorado Rapids 67 (1)
1998 Miami Fusion 29 (0)
1999 Columbus Crew 14 (0)
International career
1992 United States 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Matthew W. Kmosko (born January 8, 1972, in Ship Bottom, New Jersey) is a former U.S. soccer defender who played three and a half seasons in Major League Soccer. He also earned three caps with the U.S. national team in 1992. In January 2023, he was criminally convicted of aggravated menacing in the Athens County Municipal Court for threatening a special needs student-worker at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio. [1]

Contents

High school and college

Kmosko attended Southern Regional High School in Ocean County, New Jersey. [2] He graduated in 1990 and entered Hartwick College. Kmosko played on the Hartwick soccer team from 1990 to 1994. He was a team captain his senior year and finished his four-year career with a 41-27-8 record. He was inducted into the Hartwick Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. [3]

Minor leagues

The Buffalo Blizzard of National Professional Soccer League drafted Kmosko in 1994, but he did not sign with them. In 1995, he began his professional career with the USISL New York Fever where he earned Northeast Division Rookie of the Year. That winter, he joined an NPSL team, the Cincinnati Silverbacks instead of signing with the Blizzard.

MLS

Colorado Rapids

In February 1996, the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer selected Kmosko in the 7th round (62nd overall) of the league's Inaugural Player Draft. He spent the next two seasons with the Rapids. However, at the end of the 1996 season, the Rapids loaned out Kmosko for two exhibition games. On November 7, 1996, the team sent him to the Rapids farm team, the Raleigh Flyers (USISL), for an exhibition match with Trinidad and Tobago. [4] Later that month, the Rapids loaned him to fellow MLS team Dallas Burn for an exhibition match with the El Salvador national team. [5] In 1997, Kmosko was an integral part of the Rapids team which went to the MLS championship game where it lost 2–1 to D.C. United. Kmosko started and played the entire game. [6]

Miami Fusion

In 1997, MLS prepared to expand the number of teams in the league for the 1998 season. As part of this process, the league ran an expansion draft. The Miami Fusion selected Kmosko with the eighteenth pick draft and he played twenty-nine games in 1998 with the Fusion.

Columbus Crew

The Mutiny traded Kmosko to the Columbus Crew for a first round 2000 MLS College Draft pick. While Kmosko began the season well, playing in fourteen games, he suddenly and unexpectedly left the team. The Crew waived Kmosko at the end of the season. On February 24, 2000, the Mutiny selected Kmosko off waivers, [7] but waived him on March 16, 2000. [8] There has been no official or public explanation for the end of Kmosko's playing career.

National team

Kmosko earned three caps with the U.S. national team while still in college. His first game came in a scoreless tie with Costa Rica on February 12, 1992. Six days later, he played in a 2–0 loss to El Salvador. His last cap came on September 3, 1992, when he came on for Fernando Clavijo in a 2–0 win over Canada.

In 1993, he was a member of the U.S. team at the World University Games.

Following complaints of harassment by multiple student-workers under his supervision, Kmosko resigned from his position as the soccer coach and coordinator of the college's Student Center and Campus Recreation Office at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio. In May 2022, Kmosko threatened a special needs student-worker, Caden Cox, with a knife in the bathroom of the Student Center. As a result of this incident, Kmosko was subsequently convicted of menacing in the Athens County Municipal Court. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominic Kinnear</span> American soccer coach and former player (born 1967)

Dominic Kinnear is an American soccer coach and former player. On January 18, 2022, he was named an assistant coach by FC Cincinnati, his first coaching role since serving as the interim head coach of the LA Galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Zavagnin</span> American soccer player (born 1974)

Kerry Zavagnin is an American former professional soccer player who is an assistant coach with Sporting Kansas City. A defensive midfielder, he spent most of his career with Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. He made 21 appearances for the United States national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richie Williams</span> American soccer player (born 1970)

Richard "Richie" Williams is an American soccer coach and former player who is currently the head coach of MLS Next Pro side New England Revolution II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritchie Kotschau</span> American former soccer player (born 1975)

Richard Scott Kotschau is an American former soccer player who last played as a defender for the Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer.

The North Jersey Imperials were a soccer club based in Paramus, New Jersey. They played in the United Soccer Leagues between 1994 and 2001. The Imperials were the first pro team of US national team goalkeeper Tim Howard. Sean Kenny was the head coach.

Paul Bravo is an American former soccer player who was most recently head coach of NISA side Oakland Roots SC. He played six seasons in Major League Soccer, two in the American Professional Soccer League and two in the USISL. He also earned four caps, scoring one goal, with the United States men's national soccer team. After he retired from playing, Bravo served for several years as an assistant coach in both Major League Soccer and the NCAA and was most recently Technical Director for the Colorado Rapids.

Tim Martin is a former American soccer defender. Over his twelve-year professional career, he played with numerous teams in six leagues, winning the 1994 U.S. Open Cup with the San Francisco Greek-Americans and the 1991 American Professional Soccer League title with the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks. He also earned two caps with the U.S. national team. Since retiring from playing in 2000, he has become a college and youth soccer coach.

Glenn "Mooch" Myernick was an American soccer player and coach. He won the 1976 Hermann Trophy as that year's outstanding collegiate player. He then spent eight seasons in the North American Soccer League and one in Major Indoor Soccer League. Myernick also earned 10 caps with the U.S. national team. After retiring from playing professionally, Myernick spent over twenty years as a professional and national team coach.

Todd Yeagley is a retired U.S. soccer player who is the head men's soccer coach for the Indiana University Hoosiers. He played seven seasons in Major League Soccer with the Columbus Crew and one in the USISL with the Richmond Kickers. He is the son of legendary Indiana University soccer coach Jerry Yeagley.

Chad McCarty is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who spent six seasons in Major League Soccer. He also earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1999.

Tayt Ianni is a former U.S. soccer defender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Dougherty</span> American soccer player (born 1967)

Mark Dougherty is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played in the Western Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League, USISL and Major League Soccer. He served as a goalkeeper coach with the U.S. women national team.

Alan Prampin is a former U.S. soccer forward who spent one season in the Continental Indoor Soccer League, one in the USISL and four in Major League Soccer. He also earned two caps with the U.S. national team.

Mike Gentile is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who, while drafted twice by teams in Major League Soccer, spent his seven-season career in the second division USISL. He was a member of the United States U-20 men's national soccer team at the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Scott Cannon is an American former soccer player who played three seasons in Major League Soccer, two in the American Professional Soccer League, three in the National Professional Soccer League and at least four in the USISL and USL. He was the 1999 USL Defender of the Year and a two time USL All Star.

Guillermo Jara is an American former soccer forward who played four seasons in Major League Soccer.

Brian Bates is a retired American soccer defender who spent four seasons in Major League Soccer and three in the USISL.

Jimmy Glenn is a retired American soccer forward who played two seasons in Major League Soccer as well as in the National Professional Soccer League, USISL and USL A-League.

John Jones is a retired American soccer midfielder who played professionally in the USISL and Major League Soccer.

Kevin Anderson is an American retired soccer player who played professionally in the Major League Soccer and the USL A-League. He is the head coach of the Southern Connecticut Owls men's soccer team.

References

  1. Ebrahimji, Alisha (16 May 2023). "The first known athlete with Down syndrome to play in a college football game is suing his alma mater over alleged discrimination". CNN. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  2. McWilliams, George. "SOCCER / KMOSKO OFF MUTINY'S ROSTER", The Press of Atlantic City , March 19, 2000. Accessed August 14, 2007. "Kmosko, a Southern Regional alumnus, had been picked up by the Mutiny off waivers from the Columbus Crew on March 2."
  3. Hartwick soccer statistics Archived 2006-11-28 at the Wayback Machine
  4. soccer – MLS – Several Rapids on Loan for Upcoming Action Archived 2007-08-06 at the Wayback Machine
  5. soccer – MLS – Colorado Rapids Will Return for Mini-Camp Archived 2007-08-06 at the Wayback Machine
  6. MLS Cup 1997 Archived 2008-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Professional Sports – WEDNESDAY'S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS 02/24/00
  8. Professional Sports – WEDNESDAY'S TRANSACTIONS 03/16/00
  9. Hendrix, Sheridan (12 May 2023). "Former Hocking College football player with Down syndrome sues college and its president". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 13 May 2023.