Nathan Sturgis

Nathan Radford Sturgis (born July 6, 1987) is an American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.

Nathan Sturgis
Personal information
Full name Nathan Radford Sturgis[1]
Date of birth (1987-07-06) July 6, 1987
Place of birth St. Augustine, Florida, United States
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Defender, Midfielder
Youth career
2003–2004 IMG Soccer Academy
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Clemson Tigers 42 (5)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004 Ajax Orlando Prospects 1 (0)
2006–2007 LA Galaxy 24 (0)
2007–2008 Real Salt Lake 8 (0)
2009–2010 Seattle Sounders FC 29 (1)
2011 Toronto FC 14 (0)
2012 Houston Dynamo 5 (0)
2013–2014 Colorado Rapids 31 (4)
2014 Chivas USA 16 (0)
2015 Houston Dynamo 18 (1)
2016 Seattle Sounders FC 0 (0)
2016Seattle Sounders FC 2 (loan) 5 (0)
National team
2003–2004 United States U17 6 (1)
2004 United States U18 1 (0)
2004–2007 United States U20 27 (0)
2008 United States U23 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 23, 2016
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of December 20, 2014

Career

Youth and college

Sturgis attended Nease High School, played club soccer with the First Coast KYX, and played two years of college soccer at Clemson University. In his freshman season in 2004, Sturgis scored three goals and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team. As a sophomore, Sturgis scored two goals and added seven assists in leading the Tigers to the College Cup. Sturgis was named 3rd Team All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2005. Sturgis also played one year with the Ajax Orlando Prospects in the USL Premier Development League

Professional

Sturgis signed a Generation Adidas contract with MLS, and was taken 12th overall in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft by the Los Angeles Galaxy. During Galaxy's pre-season tour of England in 2006 they competed against several high-profile clubs, including (then) English Premiership Champions Chelsea, and Sturgis was picked out by the staff at Chelsea and other English teams as the outstanding player of the tour. On June 21, 2007, Sturgis was traded, along with forward Robbie Findley, to Real Salt Lake in exchange for veteran midfielder Chris Klein.[2]

On November 26, 2008, he was selected by Seattle Sounders FC in the second round of the 2008 MLS Expansion Draft.[3] On September 18, 2010, Sturgis scored his first professional goal in a 4–0 win at Columbus against the Columbus Crew. His goal came from the penalty spot.[4]

On November 24, 2010, Sturgis was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the third round of the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft. The next day Nathan was traded by Vancouver to Toronto FC in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft.[5]

Sturgis made his debut for Toronto on March 19, 2011, vs. Vancouver in the first-ever all-Canadian MLS match-up, it ended as a 4–2 away loss for Toronto.[6]

On December 28, 2011, Sturgis was traded to Houston Dynamo in exchange for a conditional 2014 MLS SuperDraft pick.[7]

On December 22, 2012, Sturgis was once again on the move when he was traded to Colorado Rapids as part of a deal involving Omar Cummings and allocation money.[8]

After 18 months with Colorado, Sturgis was traded to Chivas USA on July 1, 2014, in exchange for Carlos Alvarez.[9] At the conclusion of the 2014 season, MLS contracted the Chivas USA franchise. Sturgis was available to other clubs in the 2014 MLS Dispersal Draft but was not selected. He then entered the 2014 MLS Re-Entry Draft and was selected by Houston Dynamo in stage two of the draft held on December 18, 2014.[10]

Sturgis returned to Seattle Sounders FC on February 23, 2016, when it was announced that he had signed with them as a free agent.[11] His option was declined on December 12, 2016, making him a free agent.[12]

International

Sturgis has played for various youth United States national teams, and was part of the Under-20 team at the 2005 World Youth Championship and the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. On July 17, 2008, he was named to the U.S. team that participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics; however, he was ruled out shortly afterwards due to a hamstring injury.[13]

Career statistics

As of December 20, 2014.
Club performance League League Cup Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
USA League Playoffs Open Cup CONCACAF Total
2004Ajax Orlando ProspectsPDL1000000010
2006Los Angeles GalaxyMajor League Soccer150000000150
20079000000090
Real Salt Lake5000000050
20083000000030
2009Seattle Sounders FC90004000130
2010201205000271
Canada League Playoffs Canadian Cup CONCACAF Total
2011Toronto FCMajor League Soccer140001000150
USA League Playoffs Open Cup CONCACAF Total
2012Houston DynamoMajor League Soccer500050
2013Colorado Rapids2541000264
201460000060
Chivas USA1600000160
Career Totals 128530100001415

Honors

Club

Seattle Sounders
Toronto FC

Personal life

Sturgis' younger brother, Caleb, is a place kicker who is currently a free agent in the National Football League.[14] His father, Smiley Sturgis, is a pastor.[15]

References

  1. "List of Players — 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-12-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "MLS announces expansion in Seattle". MLS.net. 26 November 2008. Archived from the original on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
  4. "Nkufo burns Columbus for three in thorough win". MLSsoccer. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  5. "Toronto Acquires Nathan Sturgis". Toronto FC. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  6. "Toronto Falls Short in Vancouver". Toronto FC. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2011-12-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-06-22. Retrieved 2012-12-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-08-30. Retrieved 2014-07-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "Houston Dynamo select Chandler Hoffman, Nathan Sturgis in Stage Two of MLS Re-Entry Draft". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  11. "Seattle Sounders FC signs midfielder Nathan Sturgis". Seattle Sounders FC. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  12. "SOUNDERS DECLINE 13 CONTRACT OPTIONS, EXERCISE 8".
  13. "McCarty to Replace Sturgis on Men's Olympic Roster". U.S. Soccer. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  14. Patra, Kevin (November 5, 2018). "Chargers cut Caleb Sturgis after three botched kicks". NFL.com. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  15. "Learning Legacy awards presented to former St. Johns County students". The St. Augustine Record. October 28, 2015. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
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