Playing position Parents Joe Carenza, Sr. Role Soccer player | Name Chris Carenza Years Team Position Defender | |
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Full name Christopher James Carenza Date of birth (1952-03-03) March 3, 1952 (age 63) Place of birth St. Louis, Missouri, United States 1971-1974 SIU Edwardsville Cougars Education St. Mary's High School, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | ||
Christopher James "Chris" or "CJ" Carenza is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League.
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College
Carenza, son of Hall of Famer Joe Carenza, Sr. and brother of John Carenza, graduated from St. Mary’s High School in St. Louis, Missouri in 1970. He attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1971 to 1974. In 1972, he led the team in scoring and scored the winning goal in the NCAA Men's Division II Soccer Championship. He was also a 1974 Honorable Mention All American. In 2005, SIUE inducted Carenza into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame in 2004.
Professional
In 1975, Carenza signed with the San Antonio Thunder of the North American Soccer League. In 1977, the Thunder moved to Hawaii to become Team Hawaii. Carenza played that season, then left the league.
Carenza spent a few months beginning in October 1978 with London Football League side Leyton Orient. In December 1978, after seven reserve outings and an appearance against Sweden's IFK Goteborg in a friendly he was offered a professional contract. However, he tore his groin in a training session, and had to return home. Once recovered he signed for Team Hawaii in 1978, but retired from the game soon after and went into coaching.
In later year years he became the Assistant Attorney General in Missouri and in March 2012 he was appointed the Executive Director of the Vehicle Protection Association, a position he still held in July 2013.