Rodney Michael
{{short description|Sierra Leonean footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Rodney Michael
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|8|10|df=y}}{{WorldFootball.net|rodney-michael}}
| birth_place = Freetown, Sierra Leone
| height = 173 cm
| currentclub = Safa SC
| clubnumber = 10
| position = Forward
| youthyears1 = 2014–2017
| youthclubs1 = Santa Barbara SC
| collegeyears1 = 2017–2020
| college1 = UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
| collegecaps1 = 59
| collegegoals1 = 23
| years1 = 2021
| clubs1 = South Georgia Tormenta 2
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021–2022
| clubs2 = South Georgia Tormenta
| caps2 = 16
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2022
| clubs3 = Indy Eleven
| caps3 = 9
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2023
| clubs4 = Mornar Bar
| caps4 = 12
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2024-
| clubs5 = Safa SC
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
| nationalyears1 = 2023–
| nationalteam1 = Sierra Leone
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 1 July 2023
| nationalteam-update = 11 September 2023
}}
Rodney Michael (born 10 August 1999) is a Sierra Leonean footballer who plays as a forward for {{Lebanese football updater|Safa}} club Safa and the Sierra Leone national team.
Early life and education
Michael played three seasons of high school soccer at Dunn School, been named 2016-17 California Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year, and led the Earwigs to the CIF Southern Section Championship in 2015 and 2017. Michael earned All-CIF honors all three seasons after scoring 74 goals and tallying 43 assists. Michael also played club soccer for USSDA side Santa Barbara Soccer Club from 2014 to 2017, helping the club to the 2016 U18 National Championship and earned Best-XI honors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccerwire.com/news/santa-barbara-sc-u18-boys-begin-nationals-with-win-over-san-jose-pac/|title=Santa Barbara SC U-18 Boys begin Nationals with win over San Jose PAC}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2019-20/bios/michael_rodney_3a8s?view=bio|title=Rodney Michael|website=UC Santa Barbara}}
Michael attended the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2017 to play college soccer. Over four seasons with the Gauchos, Michael made 59 appearances, scoring 23 goals and tallying 15 assists. During his time at college, Michael earned accolades including Big West All-Freshman Team, All-Big West First Team and Big West Freshman of the Year in 2017, All-Big West First Team and All-Far West Region First Team in 2018, Top Drawer Soccer All-America Second Team and United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region First Team in 2019. He didn't play a senior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2020-21/bios/michael_rodney_lwdj?view=bio|title=Rodney Michael|website=UC Santa Barbara}}
Career
Michael was tipped to be drafted in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft but wasn't one of the 86 picks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.noozhawk.com/article/ucsb_soccers_rodney_michael_stays_positive_after_going_undrafted|title=UCSB Soccer's Rodney Michael Stays Positive After Going Undrafted|website=www.noozhawk.com|date=21 January 2021 }} He spent time on trial with USL Championship side Pittsburgh Riverhounds in April 2021,{{Cite web|url=http://pittsburghsoccernow.com/2021/04/11/hounds-notebook-preseason-week-3/|title=Hounds Notebook: Preseason Week 3|first=John|last=Krysinsky|date=April 12, 2021|website=Pittsburgh Soccer Now}} but wasn't signed by the team.
Michael spent time with amateur USL League Two side South Georgia Tormenta 2{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/46802780?subseason=731558|title=South Georgia Tormenta FC | uslleaguetwo.com|website=www.uslleaguetwo.com}} before planning to play his senior college season later in 2021. However, South Georgia Tormenta's professional USL League One side opted to offer him a professional contract, and he signed with the club on 7 June 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://keyt.com/sports/college-sports/2021/06/07/rodney-michael-signs-pro-soccer-contract-with-tormenta-fc-usl-1-after-outstanding-ucsb-career/|title=Rodney Michael signs pro soccer contract with Tormenta FC USL 1 after outstanding UCSB career|first=Mike|last=Klan|date=June 8, 2021}} He made his professional debut on 19 June 2021, appearing as a 56th-minute substitute during a 3–1 win over Greenville Triumph.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tormentafc.com/news_article/show/1170510-match-recap-tormenta-fc-tops-greenville|title=Match Recap: Tormenta FC Tops Greenville|author=Tormenta FC Staff-|date=June 19, 2021|website=South Georgia Tormenta FC}} He netted his first professional goal on 30 June 2021, scoring Tormenta's lone goal in a 2–1 loss to Toronto FC II.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleagueone.com/southgeorgiatormentafc-torontofcii-2195068|title=South Georgia Tormenta FC vs. Toronto FC II- June 30, 2021 | USLLeagueOne.com|website=www.uslleagueone.com}}
On 22 March 2022, Michael was transferred from Tormenta to USL Championship side Indy Eleven.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1217288|title=Indy Eleven Acquires Rodney Michael from League One's Tormenta FC|date=22 March 2022}} He left Indy Eleven following their 2022 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indyeleven.com/news/2022/11/10/indy-eleven-announces-first-roster-moves-in-preparation-for-2023-season/|title=Indy Eleven Announces First Roster Moves in Preparation for 2023 Season}}
Michael signed with FK Mornar of the Montenegrin First League in February 2023.{{Cite web |url=https://footballsierraleone.net/2023/02/07/rodney-michael-joins-fk-mornar-bar-in-montenegro/ |title=Rodney Michael Joins FK Mornar Bar in Montenegro |date=7 February 2023 |website=footballsierraleone.net |access-date=6 March 2023}}
=International career=
Rodney was called up to the Sierra Leone national team for a set of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches in September 2023.{{Cite web |date=7 September 2023 |title=Leone Stars' squad to face Djurtus (Wild Dogs) of Guinea Bissau on Monday the 11th September 2023 at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in the city of Bissau. |url=https://www.facebook.com/SierraLeoneFootballAssociation/posts/pfbid02GNNRw4HF6MNbK1c7qT84SqJxdGBq88AScXyLB9iGp96n8CkqkmjNLnfCt4qptQEQl |access-date=7 September 2023 |website=www.facebook.com |publisher=Sierra Leone Football Association}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|rodney-michael/726999}}
- {{WorldFootball.net|rodney-michael}}
- [https://www.ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2020-21/bios/michael_rodney_lwdj?view=bio Rodney Michael] at UCSB Athletics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Michael, Rodney}}
Category:Footballers from Freetown
Category:Sierra Leonean men's footballers
Category:Sierra Leone men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:Sierra Leonean emigrants to the United States
Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate men's footballers
Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer players