Sola Abolaji
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Oluwanisola Abolaji | ||
| Date of birth | March 27, 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Carbondale, Illinois, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender/Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003 | Barton Cougars | ||
| 2004 | Northern Oklahoma Mavericks | ||
| 2005–2006 | Buffalo Bulls | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2006 | Boulder Rapids Reserve | 30 | (0) |
| 2007 | Carolina RailHawks | 17 | (0) |
| 2007 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 10 | (0) |
| 2008 | Colorado Rapids U23's | 18 | (0) |
| 2009– | Thunder Bay Chill | 25 | (0) |
| 2010 | Enkoping Sk | ||
| 2011 | Ullensaker/Kisa IL | ||
| 2013 | LFK Lammhult | ||
| 2014 | Myresjö/Vetlanda FK | ||
| 2015 | Ventura County Fusion | ||
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 June 2009. | |||
Oluwanisola "Sola" Abolaji (born March 27, 1985) is an American soccer player who last played for the Ventura County Fusion, most notably in their 2015 U.S. Open Cup victory over the L.A. Galaxy-II.
Career
College and Amateur
Abolaji attended Eaglecrest High School in Aurora, Colorado[1] and played college soccer at Barton County Community College in Kansas, where he was named to the NJCAA Region VI All-Region second team in 2003. He transferred to Northern Oklahoma College in 2004, where he was named the team's defensive MVP and helped lead the Mavericks to the NJCAA Region II championship. He then transferred again, to the University at Buffalo, where he spent his junior and senior years. He played 18 games for the Bulls his senior year, scoring two goals and one assist, the helper coming on the game-winning goal in the Bulls' upset win over 19th-ranked Northern Illinois.
While in college, Abolaji also played for Colorado Rapids U23's in the USL Premier Development League.
Professional
Abolaji was the first overall selection in the 2007 USL-1 Draft by the Carolina RailHawks,[2] making him the first athlete from the University of Buffalo to be drafted first overall in any professional sports draft. Having played just 10 games for the RailHawks, Abolaji was traded to the Vancouver Whitecaps in exchange for Joel John Bailey on July 29, 2007,[3] but later left the team after a coaching change.
After a few years playing in the lower tiers of the American soccer pyramid, he transitioned to Scandinavia where he played with several teams. In 2015 he returned to the United States and was a long-term trialist with the Chicago Fire and the Sacremento Republic, featuring in games against the San Jose Earthquakes. He joined the Ventura County Fusion, where he featured prominently in their 2nd Round U.S. Open Cup win over the L.A. Galaxy.[4] In January 2016 he returned to Scandinavia.
Personal
His parents are of Nigerian origin.[5] His name "Oluwanisola" means "God creates Wealth" in Yoruba.[6]
References
- ↑ http://www.barton.cc.ks.us/sports/menssoccer/ms03-04/athletes03.htm
- ↑ RailHawks Select Abolaji, Donald in USL Draft
- ↑ Featured Player: Sola Abolaji
- ↑ "LA Galaxy II lose U.S. Open Cup match to Ventura County Fusion in Stoppage Time". L.A. Galaxy. L.A. Galaxy. May 20, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Featured Player: Sola Abolaji". September 10, 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
- ↑ "Oluwanisola". Nigerian Name. Retrieved December 13, 2014.