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Rodney Michael

Rodney Michael
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-08-10) 10 August 1999 (age 25)[1]
Place of birth Freetown, Sierra Leone
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Safa SC
Youth career
2014–2017 Santa Barbara SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2020 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 59 (23)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 South Georgia Tormenta 2 0 (0)
2021–2022 South Georgia Tormenta 16 (1)
2022 Indy Eleven 9 (0)
2023 Mornar Bar 12 (0)
2024- Safa SC
International career‡
2023– Sierra Leone 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 July 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 September 2023

Rodney Michael (born 10 August 1999) is a Sierra Leonean footballer who plays as a forward for Lebanese Premier League club Safa and the Sierra Leone national team.

Early life and education

Michael played three seasons of high school soccer at Dunn School, been named 2016-17 California Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year, and led the Earwigs to the CIF Southern Section Championship in 2015 and 2017. Michael earned All-CIF honors all three seasons after scoring 74 goals and tallying 43 assists. Michael also played club soccer for USSDA side Santa Barbara Soccer Club from 2014 to 2017, helping the club to the 2016 U18 National Championship and earned Best-XI honors.[2][3]

Michael attended the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2017 to play college soccer. Over four seasons with the Gauchos, Michael made 59 appearances, scoring 23 goals and tallying 15 assists. During his time at college, Michael earned accolades including Big West All-Freshman Team, All-Big West First Team and Big West Freshman of the Year in 2017, All-Big West First Team and All-Far West Region First Team in 2018, Top Drawer Soccer All-America Second Team and United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region First Team in 2019. He didn't play a senior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

Career

Michael was tipped to be drafted in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft but wasn't one of the 86 picks.[5] He spent time on trial with USL Championship side Pittsburgh Riverhounds in April 2021,[6] but wasn't signed by the team.

Michael spent time with amateur USL League Two side South Georgia Tormenta 2[7] before planning to play his senior college season later in 2021. However, South Georgia Tormenta's professional USL League One side opted to offer him a professional contract, and he signed with the club on 7 June 2021.[8] He made his professional debut on 19 June 2021, appearing as a 56th-minute substitute during a 3–1 win over Greenville Triumph.[9] He netted his first professional goal on 30 June 2021, scoring Tormenta's lone goal in a 2–1 loss to Toronto FC II.[10]

On 22 March 2022, Michael was transferred from Tormenta to USL Championship side Indy Eleven.[11] He left Indy Eleven following their 2022 season.[12]

Michael signed with FK Mornar of the Montenegrin First League in February 2023.[13]

International career

Rodney was called up to the Sierra Leone national team for a set of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches in September 2023.[14]

References

  1. ^ Rodney Michael at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ "Santa Barbara SC U-18 Boys begin Nationals with win over San Jose PAC".
  3. ^ "Rodney Michael". UC Santa Barbara.
  4. ^ "Rodney Michael". UC Santa Barbara.
  5. ^ "UCSB Soccer's Rodney Michael Stays Positive After Going Undrafted". www.noozhawk.com. 21 January 2021.
  6. ^ Krysinsky, John (12 April 2021). "Hounds Notebook: Preseason Week 3". Pittsburgh Soccer Now.
  7. ^ "South Georgia Tormenta FC | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  8. ^ Klan, Mike (8 June 2021). "Rodney Michael signs pro soccer contract with Tormenta FC USL 1 after outstanding UCSB career".
  9. ^ Tormenta FC Staff- (19 June 2021). "Match Recap: Tormenta FC Tops Greenville". South Georgia Tormenta FC.
  10. ^ "South Georgia Tormenta FC vs. Toronto FC II- June 30, 2021 | USLLeagueOne.com". www.uslleagueone.com.
  11. ^ "Indy Eleven Acquires Rodney Michael from League One's Tormenta FC". 22 March 2022.
  12. ^ "Indy Eleven Announces First Roster Moves in Preparation for 2023 Season".
  13. ^ "Rodney Michael Joins FK Mornar Bar in Montenegro". footballsierraleone.net. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Leone Stars' squad to face Djurtus (Wild Dogs) of Guinea Bissau on Monday the 11th September 2023 at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in the city of Bissau". www.facebook.com. Sierra Leone Football Association. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
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