Sam Raben

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Sam Raben

| image =

| fullname = Sam Raben

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|5|11}}

| birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama, United States

| height = 6 ft 6 in

| position = Defender

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2010–2013

| youthclubs1 = Colorado Storm

| youthyears2 = 2014–2015

| youthclubs2 = Colorado Rapids

| collegeyears1 = 2015–2018

| college1 = Wake Forest Demon Deacons

| collegecaps1 = 91

| collegegoals1 = 0

| years1 = 2017–2018

| clubs1 = Colorado Rapids U-23

| caps1 = 15

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2019

| clubs2 = Colorado Rapids

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2019

| clubs3 = → Colorado Springs Switchbacks (loan)

| caps3 = 8

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2020

| clubs4 = Sporting Kansas City II

| caps4 = 7

| goals4 = 1

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| club-update = October 6, 2020

| nationalteam-update =

}}

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }}

Sam Raben (born May 11, 1997) is an American soccer player who plays as a defender. He won a gold medal with Team USA in the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel. Before turning pro, he played two seasons in the Premier Development League with Colorado Rapids U-23. In January 2019 the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer signed Raben to a guaranteed contract.

Early life

Raben was born in Birmingham, Alabama, to David and Carrie Raben, and is Jewish.{{cite web|url=https://godeacs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/sam-raben/4791 |title=Sam Raben - Men's Soccer - Wake Forest University Athletics |publisher=Godeacs.com |date= |accessdate=2020-01-30}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sjlmag.com/2017/06/world-maccabiah-preview-after-2013-gold.html |title=Southern Jewish Life Magazine - covering the Jewish communities of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and NW Florida |publisher=Sjlmag.com |date=2017-06-19 |accessdate=2020-01-30 |archive-date=October 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023162538/http://www.sjlmag.com/2017/06/world-maccabiah-preview-after-2013-gold.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/sam-raben |title=Sam Raben |publisher=MLSsoccer.com |date= |accessdate=2020-01-30}} His father is an oncologist at the University of Colorado. His sister Lizzy played soccer for Duke University.{{cite web|author=Lizzy Raben |url=https://goduke.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/lizzy-raben/9007 |title=Lizzy Raben - 2016 - Women's Soccer - Duke University |publisher=Goduke.com |date= |accessdate=2020-01-30}} His hometown is Greenwood Village, Colorado.{{cite web|url=https://www.maccabiusa.com/maccabi-usa-announces-the-open-mens-soccer-team-for-the-20th-world-maccabiah-games/ |title=Announces The Open Men's Soccer Team For The 20th World Maccabiah Games |publisher=Maccabi USA |date=2017-04-25 |accessdate=2020-01-30}}

Soccer career

Raben plays soccer as a defender.{{Soccerway|sam-raben/363049|accessdate=March 31, 2019}} He attended Cherry Creek High School. He was second team All-State and All-Conference in 2012.

He played for Wake Forest University.{{cite web|author=By rapidsrabbi@soccer_rabbi Jan 12, 2018 |url=https://www.burgundywave.com/2018/1/12/16880716/in-the-pipeline-the-colorado-rapids-development-academy |title=In the pipeline: The Colorado Rapids Development Academy |publisher=Burgundy Wave |date=January 12, 2018 |accessdate=January 30, 2020}} Raben made 91 starts for Wake Forest, tied for third-most in school history. In 2018, he was named third team All-ACC and third team All-South Region by United Soccer Coaches.

Raben played center back in soccer for Team USA in the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel, winning a gold medal.{{cite web|author=Preston Goldfarb |url=http://pgoldfarb47.blogspot.com/2017/07/well-end-of-my-career-has-finally-come.html |title=Coach Goldfarb 2017 World Maccabiah |publisher=Pgoldfarb47 |date=2017-07-16 |accessdate=2020-01-30}} He was on the Jewish Sports Review 2017 Division 1 Men's Soccer All-America Team, along with Jake Rozhansky and Harry Swartz.{{cite web |url=http://jewishsportsreview.com/Div1_soccer_2017.html |title=Division 1 Men's Soccer All-America Team 2017 |work=Jewish Sports Review |date= |accessdate=January 30, 2020 |archive-date=February 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225205429/http://jewishsportsreview.com/Div1_soccer_2017.html |url-status=dead }}

Before turning pro, Raben played two seasons in the Premier Development League with Colorado Rapids U-23.{{cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/18390636|title=Sam Raben – 2017 Rapids U-23 statistics|website=USLLeagueTwo.com|publisher=Premier Development League|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/24857765|title= Sam Raben – 2018 Rapids U-23 statistics|website=USLLeagueTwo.com|publisher=Premier Development League|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}

In January 2019, the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer signed Raben to a guaranteed contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerwire.com/news/colorado-rapids-sign-matt-hundley-sam-raben-as-homegrown-players/|title=Colorado Rapids sign Matt Hundley, Sam Raben as Homegrown Players|website=soccerwire.com|publisher=Hummer Sport|date=January 15, 2019|accessdate=June 4, 2020}}

On February 26, 2020, Raben signed with USL Championship side Sporting Kansas City II after going on trial with them in the preseason.{{Cite web|last=Bergabo|first=Patrik|date=February 26, 2020|title=Sporting Kansas City II signs trialists Fredinho Mompremier, Enoch Mushagalusa and Sam Raben|url=https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/02/26/sporting-kansas-city-ii-signs-trialists-fredinho-mompremier-enoch-mushagalusa-and|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 5, 2020|website=Sporting KC}} Raben was released by Sporting Kansas City on November 30, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/11/30/sporting-kc-ii-announces-roster-moves-ahead-2021-season|title = Sporting KC II announces roster moves ahead of 2021 season}}