The Virginia men’s soccer program is universally regarded as one of the greatest Division I soccer programs in the history of college athletics. With seven NCAA titles synonymous to the program and 34 consecutive NCCA Tournament appearances on its resume, the program has unsurprisingly launched many professional careers of both the players and coaches that have graced the Cavalier orange and blue. Currently, several former Cavaliers compete in the professional ranks experiencing success, whether in Major League Soccer or other leagues such as the North American Soccer League.
Bruce Arena: Amongst the former Cavaliers now involved in professional soccer, perhaps none is as widely known as Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena. One of the most recognizable names in Major League Soccer, Arena led Virginia to five National Championships in the late eighties and early nineties.
Recently, he has coached and managed the Galaxy since taking over the head coaching and general manager duties in 2008. In 2009, he won the MLS Coach of the Year honors en route to leading the Galaxy to the playoffs for the first time in three years.
In 2011, Arena led the Galaxy to a wildly successful season in which they won the MLS Cup and amassed 67 points, becoming only the third team in the history of the league up until that point to reach the 60-point plateau. He was once again named MLS Coach of the Year. Arena and his team backed up that championship season by repeating the following season to win back-to-back championships.
Arena has continued to build the LA Galaxy franchise, leading them to sustained success, having also led the team to a 2014 MLS Cup victory and his third championship with the franchise.
Chris Tierney: Chris Tierney, who played midfielder for the Cavaliers from 2004-2007, has experienced great success in the MLS and currently plays for the New England Revolution. He was drafted by the Revolution in 2008 as the 13th overall pick in the Supplemental Draft.
Tierney has carved out a legacy on the Revolution, currently residing as their longest tenured player and ranks amongst the top in franchise categories such as games played and started, minutes played and assists. Tierney, who played midfielder at Virginia, has made the full-time adjustment to full back.
Tierney has experienced his most success in the pro ranks as of late, having his best season in 2015. He was named an MLS All Star and finished the season with two goals and six assists.
Tony Tchani: Another former Cavalier in the MLS is Tony Tchani, who helped lead Virginia to their NCAA Title in 2009. Tchani currently plays for Columbus Crew SC of the MLS and enjoyed his finest season in the professional ranks in 2015, scoring five goals and notching six assists.
In addition, Tchani made his debut for the Cameroon National Team earlier this year in a match against South Africa, which ended in a 2-2 tie. Tchani was born in Cameroon before coming to the United States as a teenager.
Hunter Freeman: Former Cavalier star Hunter Freeman bounced around the MLS for years after being drafted as the seventh overall pick in the MLS Supplemental Draft, playing and starting for the Colorado Rapids, New York Red Bulls, Toronto FC and the Houston Dynamo before having a resurgence in the North American Soccer League, playing for the New York Cosmos.
Recently, Freeman has helped the Cosmos win two league titles in 2013 and 2015. In addition, he was named to the NASL Team of the Week four times en route to grabbing Cosmos Player of the Year honors in 2014.
The Virginia men’s soccer program has been churning out great soccer players for years now, and with their current status as one of the top programs in the country — as evident by their 2014 NCAA National Championship and recent recruiting history — there is a great chance that the number of Cavaliers heading into the professional ranks will only increase. For now, there are still plenty of big names carrying on the program’s legacy in the professional game.
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