Brandon Ward (born December 11, 1972) is a retired U.S.
soccer midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
who played one season in
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
as well as the
USISL
United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...
and
National Professional Soccer League.
Ward attended the
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
* Indiana Univers ...
, playing on the men's soccer team from 1991 to 1994. In his senior season, the Hoosiers went to the
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and determines the Division I men's national champ ...
only to lose to the
Virginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as ''Wahoos'' or ''Hoos'', are the athletic teams representing the University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers compete at the NCAA Division I level ( FBS for football), in the Atlantic ...
. Various sources place Ward with three different teams during 1995, the
Hampton Roads Mariners,
Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers is an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia. The Kickers compete as a member of USL League One (USL-1). The club was established in 1993, and began play that same year as a United States Interregional S ...
and
Indiana Blast. On February 7, 1996, the
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as on ...
selected Ward in the sixth round (fifty-first overall) of the
1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United Sta ...
. He played six games for the Crew before being released. He then joined the
St. Louis Ambush in the
National Professional Soccer League. He spent two seasons with the Ambush before being again being drafted by the Crew, this time in the first round of the
1998 MLS Supplemental Draft The 1998 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft was held on February 1, 1998, at the Airport Hilton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Format
Major League Soccer held a professional player combine in Fort Lauderdale the last week of January 1998. On Sa ...
. The Crew released him on April 1, 1998 before Ward played a game. He then signed with the
Chicago Stingers
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
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, subdivision_name ...
of the
USISL
United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...
.
July 6 1998 U.S. Open Cup
/ref>
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Brandon
Living people
1972 births
American soccer players
Chicago Sockers players
Columbus Crew players
Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer players
Major League Soccer players
National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) players
St. Louis Ambush (1992–2000) players
A-League (1995–2004) players
Columbus Crew draft picks
Association football midfielders