Kirk Urso

Urso was born in Downers Grove, Illinois, the younger of two sons to his parents Michael and Sandra Urso.[3] He attended Glenbard East High School and played in the Illinois Olympic Development Program (ODP) as a freshman before spending two years in the under-17 national team residency program at the IMG Soccer Academy.[4] He was named to the 2006 NSCAA/adidas Youth All-America Team and the 2007 Parade High School All-America squad.[1]

At club level, Urso spent eight years in the Chicago Sockers youth setup before joining the residency program; with the Sockers, he played alongside Michael Bradley,[4] David Meves,[5] Greg Jordan, and Andy Rose.[6] Urso committed to play college soccer for head coach Elmar Bolowich at the University of North Carolina, part of a recruiting class that also included Jordan Gafa, Billy Schuler, and Sheanon Williams.[7]

After enrolling a semester early and training with North Carolina during the spring of 2008, Urso made his collegiate debut for the Tar Heels on August 29, 2008; he started and provided an assist in a 3–0 victory against Florida International as part of the Carolina Nike Classic.[8] His first goal for North Carolina came slightly more than a week later, helping the Tar Heels earn a 1–1 draw against nationally ranked UCLA on September 7.[9] Urso missed the ACC Men's Soccer Tournament and the second round of the NCAA tournament due to a stress fracture in his shin,[1] but returned in the third round against UIC and scored North Carolina's first goal in a 3–2 victory;[10] he also scored the only goal of a 1–0 win over Northwestern that sent Carolina to the College Cup.[11] Although the Tar Heels lost to Maryland in the national championship game, Urso was named as a Soccer America Second Team Freshman All-American after tallying three goals and six assists in 19 appearances.[1]

As a sophomore, Urso tallied four goals and led the Tar Heels with six assists in 22 matches.[1] He scored twice in the season opener against UNC Asheville, helping North Carolina to a 5–0 victory.[12] He helped the Tar Heels claim a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular season title,[13] then scored a goal in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season; his strike helped North Carolina defeat Drake and secure a spot in the College Cup.[14] Following the season, Urso was honored with the Tar Heels' Nicholas Douglass Potter Coaches Award.[15] His best statistical season came as a junior, when Urso notched five goals and five assists in 24 appearances on his way to being named All-ACC Second Team; he also earned a spot on the ACC All-Tournament Team.[1] He twice tallied game-winning goals, coming through an overtime free kick against Wofford and directly off a corner kick against Virginia.[1] For a third consecutive season, Urso scored in the NCAA Tournament; this time, he tallied in regulation and scored during the penalty shootout as North Carolina advanced to the College Cup by defeating SMU.[16]

Urso was named as the team captain for his senior season;[17] he was the only player remaining on the roster who had played in each of North Carolina's previous three trips to the College Cup.[18] During the 2011 season, the Tar Heels claimed the ACC regular season and tournament titles with Urso chipping in two goals and six assists.[1] He added a goal and an assist in the NCAA Tournament, scoring in the second round against Coastal Carolina as North Carolina returned to the College Cup for the fourth year running.[19] In the College Cup semifinals against UCLA, he scored in the penalty shootout; he then played the entire national championship game as North Carolina claimed the national title with a 1–0 victory over Charlotte.[18] Urso finished his collegiate career with 15 goals and 24 assists in 91 appearances; he played more games than any player in Tar Heel history.[18][19] Following his senior season, Urso was invited to the 2012 MLS Combine.[20]

Urso (foreground) takes a free kick against New York Red Bulls.

Out of college, Urso was selected with the 10th overall pick of the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft by Columbus Crew; he joined North Carolina teammate Ben Speas in Columbus after Speas had signed with the club as a homegrown player a week earlier.[26] After taking part in preseason with the Crew, Urso signed with the club on March 1, 2012.[27] With starting defensive midfielder Danny O'Rourke sidelined by injury to begin the season, Urso made his club and professional debut in the season opener against Colorado Rapids on March 10. He played the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 defeat for Columbus.[28]

Urso tallied his first point for the Crew in just his fourth match, albeit in a 4–1 defeat against New York Red Bulls on April 7. His corner kick in the 89th minute was headed home by club captain Chad Marshall, briefly cutting the Columbus deficit to 3–1.[29] Urso started each of Columbus' first five games, but dropped out of the lineup following O'Rourke's return; he would make his sixth and final appearance for the Crew as a substitute against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on April 28.[2] Urso missed the month of May after suffering a groin injury,[30] then underwent surgery in June for what was confirmed to be right adductor tendonitis.[3]

The day before Urso's death, the Crew had suffered a 1–0 defeat on the road against D.C. United. Due to his injury, Urso had not traveled with the team to Washington, D.C. but had instead remained behind in Columbus.[31]

After rising through the ranks with the United States under-15 and under-16 national teams, Urso was admitted to the under-17 national team residency program at the IMG Soccer Academy in 2005.[32] From there, he was named as part of the American roster for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, held in South Korea.[33][34] In the Americans' final group stage game, against Belgium, Urso scored the match-winning goal in the 63rd minute, helping the United States place second in their group and advance to the knockout stages.[35] He would later be called up by the under-20s for the 2008 Milk Cup[36] and for a training camp in December of that year.[37]

Urso supported English club Arsenal and played basketball as a child before committing to soccer full-time;[38] he was a fan of the Chicago Bulls.[39] He majored in economics while at North Carolina.[1] Prior to college, Urso had trained with Spanish club Real Madrid;[6] while in school, he spent a semester in Europe training with Bolton Wanderers and Borussia Dortmund.[40]

Urso's older brother, Kyle, played college soccer at New Hampshire[41] and in the National Premier Soccer League with Seacoast United Phantoms.[42]

Early in the morning on August 5, 2012, Urso collapsed and fell unconscious at a bar in the Park Street District in Columbus. He was taken by police officers to nearby Grant Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1:51 a.m. local time at the age of 22.[43] Autopsy results revealed that Urso died from arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a preexisting heart condition that he "likely did not know he had", according to the Franklin County coroner.[44] In the immediate wake of Urso's death, tributes poured in on social media from his North Carolina and Crew teammates, fellow Major League Soccer rookies, and other members of the American soccer community.[45]

The Crew announced that Urso's number 15 jersey would hang in the locker room at Columbus Crew Stadium and that memorial patches would be worn on the club's jerseys for the remainder of the 2012 season;[44] a plaque and oak tree were dedicated to Urso outside the stadium in October.[46] Crew supporters in the Nordecke honored Urso with banners[47] and Major League Soccer held a moment of silence before league matches on August 5.[3] Black armbands with Urso's name and number on them were worn by some clubs, including LA Galaxy.[48] Some former teammates, including Stephen McCarthy[49] and Rob Lovejoy,[50] would later change their kit numbers to honor Urso.

On March 24, 2013, Columbus played their first game at D.C. United since learning of Urso's death while the club was in Washington, D.C. The Crew claimed a 2–1 victory in that game, with the winning goal being scored by Urso's college teammate Ben Speas; it marked Speas' first professional goal. He dedicated the goal to Urso, saying "This is the place we found out about Kirk, so it was pretty emotional. I thought about that yesterday and I knew my first goal was going to be to him and I wanted to get it today. It’s just special.”[51]

• North Carolina profile
• Columbus profile
• Kirk Urso at Major League Soccer