Mali Walton is a retired 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 ...

player who played professionally in the National Professional Soccer League and

USL A-League The USL First Division (USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the second tier of the United States league system. It was organized by the United Soccer League as its premier league for men from 1996 to 2010, above the USL Second Di ...

. He won the 1998, 2000 and 2001 USL A-League and the 1999 U.S. Open Cup championships with the

Rochester Rhinos Rochester Rhinos, formerly known as the Rochester Raging Rhinos, was an American soccer team based in Rochester, New York, United States. The club won the 1999 U.S. Open Cup, marking the only time a non-MLS team has won the U.S. Open Cup sinc ...

. Walton attended Michigan's

Oakland University Oakland University (OU or Oakland) is a public university, public research university in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson and husband ...

where he was a 1992-94 All American soccer player. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology. In 2002, Oakland University inducted Walton into its Athletic Hall of Fame. On May 31, 1995, Walton turned professional with the

Detroit Neon The Detroit Safari (founded as the Detroit Neon) was a member of the Continental Indoor Soccer League that played at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Their owners, the Palace Sports Group, were awarded a franchise on November 4, 1993. Club history Th ...

of the

Continental Indoor Soccer League The Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) was a professional indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997. History In the summer of 1989 Dr Jerry Buss, the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and California Sports, told his executive Vice ...

. In the fall of 1995, he moved to the

Tampa Bay Terror The Tampa Bay Terror is the name of an indoor soccer team based in the Tampa Bay, Florida area that competed in the defunct National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). The team existed for two seasons before folding: 1995–1996 and 1996–1997. ...

of the National Professional Soccer League. He spent two winter, indoor seasons with the Terror. In 1996, Walton began his outdoor career with the

Richmond Kickers Richmond Kickers is an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia. The Kickers compete as a member of USL League One (USL1). The club was established in 1993, and began play that same year as a United States Interregional S ...

of the

USISL Select League The USL First Division (USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the second tier of the United States league system. It was organized by the United Soccer League as its premier league for men from 1996 to 2010, above the USL Second Di ...

. In 1997, Walton moved to the

of the

. He played only six games for Rochester that season, going on loan to the

Mid Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mid-Michigan Bucks, playing in Saginaw, and began playing in 1996. In 20 ...

of the USISL PDSL for two games. Walton would go on to play six seasons with the Rhinos, winning the 1998, 2000 and 2001 league championships and the 1999 U.S. Open Cup with them. While playing outdoors with the Rhinos, Walton continued with his indoor career. From 1997 to 1999, he played for the

Philadelphia KiXX The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, USA. The team competed as an National Professional Soccer League II, NPSL expansion franchise and then played in the Major Indoor Soccer League (2008–14), Major ...

and from 1999 to 2001 with the

Buffalo Blizzard The Buffalo Blizzard was a soccer club that existed from 1992 to 2001 in Buffalo, New York. History The team was originally owned by the Knox brothers who owned the Buffalo Sabres at the time, and additionally by the Riches who owned the minor l ...

, both in the NPSL. In 2001, the Baltimore Blast acquired the rights to Walton in the NPSL Dispersal Draft. Walton refused to play for the Blast and on August 27, 2003, the Blast sent the rights to Walton's contract to the

St. Louis Steamers St. Louis Steamers has been the name of two different indoor soccer franchises based in St. Louis, Missouri: *St. Louis Steamers (1979–88); American soccer team which played in the first Major Indoor Soccer League *St. Louis Steamers (1998–2006 ...

. Walton signed with the Steamers and played for them until the team ceased operations in 2006. In 2003, Walton finished his outdoor career with the

Indiana Blast Indiana Blast was an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues, played in the USISL and A-League (1997–2004) until folding at the end of the 2004 season. The Blast played their home games at Ku ...

.Indian Blast: Christian Night
/ref> In 2008, he returned to indoor soccer with the St. Louis Illusion of the

Premier Arena Soccer League The Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL) was a professional men's and women's indoor soccer league; along with a number of amateur teams across North America. The PASL was previously known as the Federation of Sports Arenas (FSA). The PASL logo form ...

, playing a handful of games over two seasons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walton, Mali Living people 1972 births Sportspeople from Flint, Michigan Soccer players from Michigan American men's soccer players Buffalo Blizzard players Detroit Neon players Houston Hotshots players Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008) players National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) players Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's soccer players Philadelphia KiXX players Major Arena Soccer League players Richmond Kickers players Rochester Rhinos players St. Louis Steamers (2003–2006 MISL) players St. Louis Illusion players Tampa Bay Terror players USISL Select League players A-League (1995–2004) players USL League Two players Men's association football midfielders Men's association football defenders 20th-century American sportsmen