Ben Sweat
{{short description|American professional soccer player (born 1991)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ben Sweat
| image = Ben Sweat 2017 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Sweat training with New York City FC in 2017
| fullname = Benjamin Sweat
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|9|4}}
| birth_place = Palm Harbor, Florida, U.S.
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}}{{cite web |title=Ben Sweat |url=https://www.sportingkc.com/players/ben-sweat/ |publisher=Sporting Kansas City |access-date=23 August 2022}}
| position = Left-back
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| collegeyears1 = 2010–2013
| college1 = South Florida Bulls
| collegecaps1 = 78
| collegegoals1 = 3
| years1 = 2012
| clubs1 = VSI Tampa Flames
| caps1 = 13
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2013
| clubs2 = Reading United
| caps2 = 8
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2014
| clubs3 = Columbus Crew
| caps3 = 1
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2014
| clubs4 = → Dayton Dutch Lions (loan)
| caps4 = 7
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2015–2016
| clubs5 = Tampa Bay Rowdies
| caps5 = 36
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2017–2019
| clubs6 = New York City FC
| caps6 = 81
| goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2020
| clubs7 = Inter Miami
| caps7 = 23
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2021
| clubs8 = Austin FC
| caps8 = 2
| goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2022–2023
| clubs9 = Sporting Kansas City
| caps9 = 29
| goals9 = 0
| years10 = 2023
| clubs10 = New England Revolution
| caps10 = 15
| goals10 = 0
| totalcaps = 215
| totalgoals = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2010
| nationalteam1 = United States U20
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| medaltemplates =
| club-update = November 6, 2023
| nationalteam-update = October 16, 2018
| nationalyears2 = 2018
| nationalteam2 = United States
| nationalcaps2 = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
}}
Benjamin Sweat (born September 4, 1991) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a left-back.
Career
=Youth and college=
Sweat played soccer at Palm Harbor University High School and then went on to play college soccer at the University of South Florida between 2010 and 2013. Sweat still holds the record for most appearances in matches at South Florida.{{Cite news|url=http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=204990367|title=Ben Sweat Player Profile|newspaper=Gousfbulls.com |publisher=University of South Florida|access-date=May 19, 2017}} While at college, Sweat also appeared for USL PDL clubs VSI Tampa Bay and Reading United AC.{{cite web|url=http://soccerstats.us/bios/benjamin-sweat/|title=Benjamin Sweat Stats|publisher=soccerstats.us|access-date=May 19, 2017}}
=Professional=
Sweat has earned experience while training with Swedish top flight club Djurgårdens IF Fotboll (2012 & 2013 summer). He also spent a summer in Czech Republic with SK Sigma Olomouc (2013 summer).
On January 16, 2014, Sweat was drafted in the first round (14th overall) of the 2014 MLS SuperDraft by Columbus Crew.{{cite web|last=King|first=Andrew|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/01/19/columbus-crew-confident-no-14-overall-pick-ben-sweat-will-be-quality-guy-yea|title=Columbus Crew confident that No. 14 overall pick Ben Sweat will be a "quality guy for years to come"|date=January 19, 2014|work=mlssoccer.com|access-date=May 19, 2017}}
Sweat was loaned out to Columbus Crew's USL Pro affiliate club Dayton Dutch Lions in May 2014 for a few matches. Sweat was given his first professional start on June 25, 2014, in the 5th round of the US Open Cup against Chicago Fire. He also played a half against English Premier league side Crystal Palace F.C. on July 23, 2014.{{cite news|last=Schwepfinger|first=Ryan|url=http://www.thecrew.com/news/2014/05/ben-sweat-recalled-dayton|title=Ben Sweat recalled from Dayton|date=May 15, 2014|work=columbuscrewsc.com|access-date=May 19, 2017}}
After being with the first team inconsistently, Columbus Crew SC announced on February 9, 2015, that they had waived Sweat.
After being waived by Columbus, Sweat signed with NASL club Tampa Bay Rowdies on March 2, 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news/detail/uuid/3fz1nzzrpt3s1ek1r9turwwmt/rowdies-sign-usf-and-chargers-sc-alum-ben-sweat|title=ROWDIES SIGN USF AND CHARGERS SC ALUM BEN SWEAT|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304152255/http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news/detail/uuid/3fz1nzzrpt3s1ek1r9turwwmt/rowdies-sign-usf-and-chargers-sc-alum-ben-sweat|date=March 2, 2015|publisher= Rowdies Soccer|archive-date=March 4, 2015|url-status=dead}} He spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons with Tampa Bay, making 33 regular season appearances for the club before leaving at the conclusion of the 2016 season.
Sweat trialed with New York City FC during their 2017 pre-season, and was signed by the club on February 23, 2017.{{cite web|last=Booth|first=Mark|url=http://www.nycfc.com/post/2017/02/23/ben-sweat-signs-nycfc|title=Ben Sweat Signs for NYCFC|date=February 23, 2017|work=nycfc.com|access-date=May 19, 2017}}
He signed a multi-year contract extension with New York City FC at the end of the 2017 season after being labeled one of the top fullbacks in the league that season.
On November 19, 2019, Sweat was selected by Inter Miami in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/11/19/2019-expansion-draft-results-inter-miami-and-nashville-sc-picks |title=2019 Expansion Draft results: Inter Miami, Nashville SC make their picks |access-date=19 November 2019}}
On December 13, 2020, Sweat was traded to Austin FC ahead of their inaugural season.{{cite web| url = https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/12/13/austin-fc-makes-moves-build-inaugural-roster-half-day-trade-window| title = Austin FC make moves to build inaugural roster in half-day trade window {{!}} MLSSoccer.com}} Following the 2021 season, Sweat's contract option was declined by Austin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.austinfc.com/news/austin-fc-announce-roster-decisions-ahead-of-2022-season|title=Austin FC Announce Roster Decisions Ahead of 2022 Season | Austin FC|website=austinfc}}
On April 5, 2023, Sporting Kansas City announced that Ben Sweat was being waived. This allows Sweat to become a free agent and sign freely with any club in MLS.{{cite web |title=Sporting Kansas City waive defender Ben Sweat |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/sporting-kansas-city-waive-defender-ben-sweat |website=MLS Soccer |access-date=5 April 2023}}
On April 18, 2023, the New England Revolution announced they had signed Sweat through the 2023 season, with an option for 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/revolution-sign-veteran-mls-defender-ben-sweat |title=Revolution sign veteran MLS defender Ben Sweat |date=April 18, 2023 |accessdate=April 23, 2024 |website=revolutionsoccer.net}} The Revolution announced on December 1, 2023, that they would not exercise Sweat's 2024 option.{{cite web|url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/new-england-revolution-announce-year-end-roster-moves-dec-1-2023 |title=New England Revolution announce year-end roster moves |date=December 1, 2023 |accessdate=April 23, 2024}}
On March 21, 2024, Sweat announced his retirement from professional soccer.{{cite web|url=https://kcsoccerjournal.com/across-state-lines-sweat-announces-his-retirement/03/27/2024/ |title=Accross State Lines: Sweat Announces His Retirement |author=Kuhn, Mike |date=March 27, 2024 |accessdate=April 23, 2024 |website=kcsoccerjournal.com}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025}}
=International=
Sweat was called up for the USMNT for the first time in October 2018. He played in 2 games, against Colombia and Peru.
=Career statistics=
{{updated|November 21, 2020|{{Soccerway|ben-sweat/298852}}{{MLS player|ben-sweat}}}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|PlayoffsAppearances in the PDL Playoffs and MLS Cup Playoffs !colspan=2|Cup !colspan=2|Continental !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| VSI Tampa Flames
|2012 |PDL |13 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 13 | 0 | ||||
| Reading United
|2013 |PDL |8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 13 | 1 | ||
| Columbus Crew
|2014 |MLS |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 1 | 0 | ||
| Dayton Dutch Lions (loan)
|2014 |7 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 7 | 0 | |||
| rowspan=3|Tampa Bay Rowdies
|2015 |rowspan=2|NASL |26 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 27 | 0 | |||
| 2016
|7 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 2 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 9 | 0 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
!33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| rowspan=4|New York City FC
|2017 |rowspan=3|MLS |26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 29 | 1 | ||
| 2018
|28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2019
|18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2
|0 | colspan="2" |– | 20 | 0 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
!72 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 1 | |
| Inter Miami
|2020 |MLS |22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2" |– | colspan="2" |– | 23 | 0 | |||
| Austin FC
|2021 |MLS |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 2 | 0 | ||
| colspan=3|Career total
!157 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 176 | 2 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{MLS player|ben-sweat}}
- {{soccerway|ben-sweat/298852}}
{{CrewFirstPick}}
{{2014 MLS SuperDraft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sweat, Ben}}
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Columbus Crew draft picks
Category:Columbus Crew players
Category:Dayton Dutch Lions players
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:New England Revolution players
Category:North American Soccer League (2011–2017) players
Category:New York City FC players
Category:Inter Miami CF players
Category:Sportspeople from Palm Harbor, Florida
Category:Reading United AC players
Category:Soccer players from Florida
Category:South Florida Bulls men's soccer players
Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies players
Category:United States men's international soccer players
Category:USL Championship players
Category:USL League Two players
Category:VSI Tampa Bay FC (PDL) players