Full name Rusty Curtis Pierce Role Soccer player Playing position Height 1.78 m | Years Team Position Defender Name Rusty Pierce | |
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Date of birth (1979-07-24) July 24, 1979 (age 36) Place of birth The Woodlands, Texas, United States 1997–1999 UNC Greensboro Spartans Education University of North Carolina at Greensboro | ||
Rusty Pierce (born July 24, 1979 in The Woodlands, Texas) is a former American soccer player who spent eight seasons in Major League Soccer.
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College
Pierce played college soccer at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro from 1997 to 1999, appearing in 51 games during his time there. Following his junior season, Pierce signed a Project-40 contract with Major League Soccer, entering the 2000 MLS SuperDraft, where he was selected 14th overall by the New England Revolution.
Professional
As a rookie, Pierce quickly earned a place in the Revolution starting lineup with his tenacious defending, and finished the season second on the team in minutes played, having started in 29 of the team's 32 games. Pierce remained a constant in the New England backline for the next four years when healthy, although injuries limited his playing time in the 2002 and 2004 seasons.
Following the 2004 season, Pierce's impending free agency led the Revolution to leave him unprotected for the 2004 MLS Expansion Draft, where he was selected in the eighth round by Real Salt Lake. After the 2005 season, his rights were traded to the Columbus Crew, where he played 2 years
Following a year out of soccer, during which Pierce founded a financial investment company and worked as a real estate broker in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Pierce returned to the game in 2009 to play for the Wilmington Hammerheads in the USL Second Division.
International
Pierce has played for United States national team at a number of youth levels, but is uncapped at the senior level.