Chad Vandegriffe (born November 24, 1989) is an American

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

and

indoor soccer Indoor soccer or arena soccer is a form of five-a-side football, five-a-side or six-a-side version of minifootball. It is derived from association football and adapted to be played in walled hardcourt indoor arenas. It differs from the FIFA, FIFA ...

player who currently plays for the Kansas City Comets in the

Major Arena Soccer League The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a professional indoor soccer league in North America. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. The league is the highest level of arena soccer in North America. The le ...

Youth

Prior to turning pro, Vandegriffe was a standout at Chaminade College Preparatory School, where he was a four-year letter winner, team captain and Defensive Player of the Year. He helped lead the school to the Missouri Class 3 state championship in 2006. Other accolades include first-team all-Midwest, first-team all-state, first-team All-Metro Catholic Conference, and he was named to Great Midwest Classic All-Tournament Team. He also lettered in baseball and basketball. Vandegriffe played club soccer with St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club, where he helped lead his team to Missouri state championships in 2005, 2006 and 2007 prior to playing in the

U.S. Soccer Development Academy The U.S. Soccer Development Academy (DA) was an American soccer league. Formed in 2007, the league featured youth academies and youth clubs from various organizations, including Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League. The DA's mission ...

. He was a U-23 regional champion and national runner-up in 2011.

College

Vandegriffe played two years of

college soccer College soccer, called college football in some countries, is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. While it is most widespread in the United States, it is also prominent in Japan, South Kore ...

Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a Private university, private research university in Dallas, Texas, United States, with a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, ...

in 2008 and 2009, before transferring to

Saint Louis University Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Missi ...

in 2010. Vandegriffe made the

Atlantic 10 Conference The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I. The A-10's member schools are located most ...

all-tournament team in 2010 and earned honorable mention,

, in 2011.

Professional

After playing with the St. Louis Ambush in the Major Indoor Soccer League, then in the

in 2014–15, Vandegriffe signed with

United Soccer League The United Soccer League (USL) is an organizer of various professional and amateur soccer leagues in the United States league system. It currently organizes its Championship, League One, and League Two for men, its Super League and W Leag ...

expansion club

Saint Louis FC Saint Louis FC was an American professional soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri. The team was founded in May 2014, and competed in the USL Championship. The team played their matches at West Community Stadium, a venue inside the World Wide ...

on March 13, 2015. On June 16, 2015, Vandegriffe played

Sporting Kansas City Sporting Kansas City is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The ad ...

in the

Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a knockout cup competition in men's soccer in the United States. It is the country's oldest ongoing national soccer competition. The competition was first held duri ...

. Ultimately losing 1–0 on a header from

Graham Zusi Graham Jonathan Zusi (; born August 18, 1986) is an American former professional soccer player who most recently played as a midfielder or defender for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City. From 2012 to 2023, Zusi represented the Unit ...

in front of a crowd of 19,298 at

Children's Mercy Park Children's Mercy Park is a soccer-specific stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, United States, and is the team home for Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer (MLS). The stadium is located near Kansas Speedway, on the far west side of Wyandot ...

. After the USL season concluded, the Ambush announced that Vandegriffe would be returning to the team for the 2015–16 season. On December 23, 2015, Saint Louis FC announced a number of players would be returning for the 2016 season, including Vandegriffe. On October 3, 2016, the

Milwaukee Wave The Milwaukee Wave are an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that competes in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). Founded in 1984, they have been the oldest continuously operating professional indoor footbal ...

announced the signing of Vandegriffe for the 2016–17

season. On June 30, 2017, the Wave announced that he had re-signed for three seasons. Vandegriffe and the Milwaukee Wave won the 2018-19 Major Arena Soccer League Championship. The Wave defeated the

Monterrey Flash The Monterrey Flash, is a Mexican professional indoor soccer team based in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. Founded in 2011 as part of the Liga Mexicana de Futbol Rapido Profesional (LMFRPro), the team made its debut in the Professional Arena Socc ...

5–2 in front of 7,901 fans at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on May 5, 2019. Vandegriffe signed a two-year contract with

Florida Tropics SC Florida Tropics SC is a professional soccer club based in Lakeland, Florida. They are owned by Central Florida Sports Ventures, LLC, led by Dr. Panos Iakovidis, and former USL commissioner and Rochester Rhinos owner Chris Economides. The or ...

on July 23, 2020. Vandegriffe, the 2021-22

Defender of the Year re-signed with the Florida Tropics on June 29, 2022. Vandegriffe, who led the MASL in blocks last season with 54, inked a new three-year contract with the club. On July 12, 2023, the MASL announced that the Florida Tropics suspended operations. As a result of the suspension Vandegriffe's contract was voided and he became a free agent. On July 19, 2023, the Kansas City Comets signed Vandegriffe to a three-year contract.

United States Minifootball

Vandegriffe represents the

United States men's national minifootball team The United States national minifootball team represents United States in men's international minifootball competitions and it is controlled by the United States Minifootball Association, which governs minifootball in United States. The team is one ...

six-a-side Five-a-side football is a version of minifootball, in which each team fields five players (four outfield players and a goalkeeper). Other differences from association football include a smaller pitch, smaller goals, and a reduced game duration. ...

and

. Both compete in the

World Minifootball Federation The World Minifootball Federation (WMF) is the global governing body for mainly five-a-side football, 5 and six-a-side football, 6-a-side versions of minifootball (also called ''arena soccer'') in 50 (2*25) Minutes time. WMF exists to promote, su ...

. On May 8, 2023, Vandegriffe and the United States won the 2023 EMF Nations Games Championship in Galanta,

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

. The United States defeated Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary once again in the final. He also represented the United States during the 2023

WMF World Cup The WMF World Cup is an international minifootball competition among the senior men's national teams of the members of the World Minifootball Federation (WMF), the sport's global governing body. The tournament is played as six-a-side 50-minute ...

Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah (; ), often referred to its initials RAK, is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the U.A.E. The city had a population of 191,753 in 2025, and is the sixth-most populous city in UAE after Dubai, Abu ...

playing against Spain, Sudan, Romania, and Czech Republic. He scored his first international goal against

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

on October 26, 2023.

The Soccer Tournament

Vandegriffe played with Sneaky Fox FC in

The Soccer Tournament The Soccer Tournament (TST) is a seven-a-side association football tournament played in the United States, established by TBT Enterprises, creator of The Basketball Tournament (TBT). TST was announced on October 11, 2022 to feature 32 teams with ...

on June 1–4, 2023. His coaches and teammates included the likes of

Mike Magee (soccer) Michael Magee (born September 2, 1984) is an American former Association football, soccer player who last played for LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer as a Forward (association football), forward. In the 2013 season with the Chicago Fire Soccer C ...

Kyle Martino Kyle Hunter Martino (born February 19, 1981) is an American former professional soccer player who spent seven seasons with the Columbus Crew and Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer as a midfielder. He is currently a television soccer analy ...

Nick Rimando Nicholas Paul Rimando (born June 17, 1979) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake and the United States national team. He holds the Major League Soccer record ...

Alan Gordon (soccer) Alan Gordon (born October 16, 1981) is an American former professional soccer player. In the majority of his career, Gordon was mostly relied upon to make goals in game as a Super–sub. Youth and college career Gordon moved to Gilbert, Ariz ...

Jay DeMerit Jay Michael DeMerit (born December 4, 1979) is an American former soccer player who played as a center back. He played college soccer for the UIC Flames and was in the Chicago Fire Premier development squad, but after not being drafted for M ...

Brad Evans (soccer) Bradley Ray Evans (born April 20, 1985) is an American retired professional Association football, soccer player who played as a midfielder. He is now a color commentator for radio broadcasts of Seattle Sounders FC matches. Born in Phoenix, Ariz ...

Quincy Amarikwa Quincy Obinna Amarikwa ( ; born October 29, 1987) is an American former professional soccer player. Career Early career Amarikwa attended Liberty High School. He was a member of the Bakersfield Alliance club soccer team and played college soc ...

, and

Steven Lenhart Steven Lenhart (born August 28, 1986) is a former American soccer player who is currently an assistant coach with the Westmont Warriors in NCAA Division II Career College and amateur Lenhart grew up in Yorba Linda, California, and attended Es ...

. Sneaky Fox FC lost in the semi-final to Newtown Pride FC, who would go on to win the $1 million winner-take-all prize. Vandegriffe played with Tranqui10 FC in

on June 5-10, 2024.

Honors

St. Louis Ambush * Major Indoor Soccer League - All-Rookie Team: 2013-14

- Champions: 2018–19

Florida Tropics Florida Tropics SC is a professional soccer club based in Lakeland, Florida. They are owned by Central Florida Sports Ventures, LLC, led by Dr. Panos Iakovidis, and former USL commissioner and Rochester Rhinos owner Chris Economides. The orga ...

- Regular Season Champions: 2021 *

- All-Third Team: 2021 *

- “Elite Six” All-First Team: 2021-22 *

- Defender of the Year: 2021-22 *

- Finalists: 2021-22 *

- “Elite Six” All-First Team: 2022-23 United States national minifootball team *

- EMF Nations Games Champions: 2023 Kansas City Comets *

- "Honorable Mention" All-Third Team: 2023-24 *

- Finalists: 2023-24 *

- All-Star: 2025

References

External links

Saint Louis FC bio

St. Louis Ambush bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vandegriffe, Chad 1989 births Living people American men's soccer players SMU Mustangs men's soccer players Saint Louis Billikens men's soccer players St. Louis Ambush (1992–2000) players Saint Louis FC players Milwaukee Wave players Florida Tropics SC players Men's association football defenders Soccer players from St. Louis Major Indoor Soccer League (2008–2014) players Major Arena Soccer League players USL Championship players Chaminade College Preparatory School (Missouri) alumni