Matt Luzunaris
{{short description|American retired soccer player (born 1989)}}
{{lead too short|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Matt Luzunaris
| image = Matthew Luzunaris (FC Magna Wiener Neustadt).jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption =
| fullname = Matthew Luzunaris
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|03|06}}
| birth_place = Margate, Florida, United States
| height = 6 ft 1 in{{cite web|title=Matt Luzunaris|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/matt-luzunaris|website=mlssoccer.com|publisher=Major League Soccer|access-date=20 September 2015}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| collegeyears1 = 2007
| college1 = UCF Knights
| collegecaps1 = 17
| collegegoals1 = 4
| years1 = 2008
| clubs1 = Schwanenstadt
| caps1 = 9
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2008–2009
| clubs2 = Magna Wiener Neustadt
| caps2 = 1
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2009
| clubs3 = → SV Wienerberg (loan)
| caps3 = 10
| goals3 = 5
| years4 = 2009
| clubs4 = → Botafogo (loan)
| caps4 = 1
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2009–2010
| clubs5 = Rapid Wien II
| caps5 = 13
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2011
| clubs6 = San Jose Earthquakes
| caps6 = 6
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2011
| clubs7 = → Orlando City (loan)
| caps7 = 1
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2012
| clubs8 = Orlando City
| caps8 = 18
| goals8 = 9
| years9 = 2012
| clubs9 = → Carolina RailHawks (loan)
| caps9 = 2
| goals9 = 0
| years10 = 2013–2014
| clubs10 = Rochester Rhinos
| caps10 = 12
| goals10 = 1
| totalcaps = 73
| totalgoals = 17
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| club-update = January 12, 2015
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Matt Luzunaris (born March 6, 1989) is an American retired soccer player. During the 2000s and 2010s he played for clubs in Austria and the United States.
Career
=Youth and college=
Luzunaris was born on 6 March 1989 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He attended West Boca Raton High School and played youth club soccer for BRJSC - Boca Raton Juniors SC, St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri, and in the Olympic Development Program. Luzunaris had a brief stint training with Newcastle United in England, before attending and playing one year of college soccer at the University of Central Florida. Luzunaris was a member of the Boca Juniors team that won the FYSA State Cup in 2003.
=Europe=
Luzunaris turned professional after his freshman college year, and began his professional career by signing with SC Schwanenstadt in February 2008.{{cite news |first=Mario |last=Sarmento |work=Boca Raton News |url=http://www.bocaratonnews.com/news/sports/669-schulz-academy-continues-grow.php |title=Schulz Academy continues to grow |date=2008-02-29 |access-date=2008-04-22 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513094208/http://www.bocaratonnews.com/news/sports/669-schulz-academy-continues-grow.php |archive-date=2008-05-13 }} After Schwanenstadt reorganized he re-signed with the club under the Magna Wiener Neustadt moniker.[http://www.fcmagna.at/de/teams/adeg-erste-liga/kampfmannschaft/get/page/luzunaris-matthew/ Matthew Luzunaris page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313034854/http://fcmagna.at/de/teams/adeg-erste-liga/kampfmannschaft/get/page/luzunaris-matthew |date=2009-03-13 }} at Magna Wiener Neustadt official website In early 2009 he was loaned to Brazilian club Botofogo, but was unable to play for the club due to visa restrictions in Brazil;{{Cite news |first=Christopher |last=Anderson |title=Luzunaris returns to Austria after loan |url=http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=4787 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616084525/http://yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=4787 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 16, 2009 |work=Yanks-Abroad.com |date=2009-06-08 |access-date=2009-06-11}} he returned to Wiener Neustadt in June. He was then signed in July by SK Rapid Wien to a three-year contract, where he played for the second team.[http://www.skrapid.at/9608+M5a626811554.html SK Rapid Wien - News / 22 - Matt Luzunaris] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100714013704/http://www.skrapid.at/9608+M5a626811554.html |date=2010-07-14 }}.
=United States=
On March 25, 2011, Luzunaris was signed by the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer,[http://www.sjearthquakes.com/news/2011/03/earthquakes-sign-forward-matt-luzunaris Quakes Sign Forward Matt Luzunaris] and he made his debut for the team on April 9 in a 1–1 tie with Toronto FC.[http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter-recap/dawkins-rescues-point-quakes-against-reds Dawkins rescues point for Quakes against Reds] In July 2011, the Earthquakes loaned Luzunaris to Orlando City for an unspecified length[http://www.cfnews13.com/article/sports/2011/july/279726/Former-UCF-Knight-Luzunaris-Joins-Orlando-City-on-Loan Former UCF Knight Luzunaris Joins Orlando City on Loan]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} but with the right to recall. Luzunaris scored goals in his first two games playing for City against Rochester[http://www.cfnews13.com/article/sports/2011/july/280389/Orlando-City-Soccer-clinches-playoffs-with-21-win-over-Rochester Orlando City Soccer clinches playoffs with 2-1 win over Rochester].{{dead link|date=March 2012}}
Luzunaris and San Jose parted ways after the 2011 season and signed with Orlando City on December 5, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/583577.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |access-date=2011-12-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527230757/http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/583577.html |archive-date=2012-05-27 }}
Luzunaris appeared in 18 matches for the Lions scoring 9 goals and becoming the team's second leading goal scorer and USL PRO's 3rd leading goal scorer in the league. He also made USL PRO's team of the year.
Luzunaris announced his retirement on January 13, 2015.{{Cite news|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4915051|title = Luzunaris Announces Retirement| newspaper=Oursports Central |date = 13 January 2015}}
Personal life
Luzunaris was engaged to Austen Everett (1986–2012), herself a college soccer player for Miami. She died after a lengthy battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma on August 14, 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://www.topix.com/forum/city/coral-gables-fl/TN2KN2UDO1ODSB25I|title = Quizzes | Free Online Quizzes | PCHquizzes}} Luzunaris and Everett founded a foundation, the Austen Everett Foundation, to connect children challenged by life-threatening illnesses and professional, intercollegiate teams and athletes.{{cite web |url=http://www.austeneverettfoundation.org/ |title=Home |website=austeneverettfoundation.org}}
Luzunaris married Sara Luzunaris (née Deisinger) on September 3, 2016. They live in Williamson, New York with their four-year-old son and a menagerie of pets.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080603093846/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/luzunaris_matt00.html Player Bio] at University of Central Florida Knights official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luzunaris, Matt}}
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:American expatriate men's soccer players
Category:UCF Knights men's soccer players
Category:SV Wienerberg players
Category:Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas players
Category:SC Schwanenstadt players
Category:SK Rapid Wien players
Category:San Jose Earthquakes players
Category:Orlando City SC (2010–2014) players
Category:North Carolina FC players
Category:Rochester New York FC players
Category:Soccer players from Florida
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Austria
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:USL Championship players
Category:North American Soccer League (2011–2017) players