Conor Casey

Previous Club: Toronto FC
College: University of Portland
Hometown: Denver, Colorado

Acquired: Acquired in a trade from Toronto FC on April 19, 2007 in exchange for a third round pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, allocation money, and the MLS rights to Riley O’Neill.

MLS CAREER

2011

• Appeared in 14 games (11 starts) before suffering a season ending injury, a torn achilles tendon, on July 16 at Seattle Sounders FC. Scored six goals in seven games and added one assist before being injured.
• Became the Rapids’ all-time leading penalty kick scorer with 10 on June 4 at Philadelphia Union.

2010

• Appeared in 27 games, 26 as a starter and scored 13 goals (T-6th in MLS) and added a career-high 6 assists.
• Recognized as the Rapids all-time leading scorer with his 11th of the season in the 36th minute at RSL (9/25). Passed Paul Bravo with 40 career goals as a Rapids player.
• Had a huge game vs. Houston (8/28) racking up a goal and single-game career-high two assists against the Dynamo.
• Named to the 2010 MLS All-Star Inactive Roster.
• Tallied the game tying goal in the 91st minute and added an assist at Chicago (6/9). Was the first time in 73 career MLS games that Casey registered a goal and assist in the same match.
• Playoffs: Scored first career postseason goal in second leg at Columbus (11/6) and converted PK in shootout. Named MLS Cup MVP after scoring tying goal in the 57th minute vs. FC Dallas (11/21).

2009

• Registered one of the best seasons in Rapids history.
• Started 24 games, playing in 2,087 minutes and led the team with 16 goals. Also added an assist.
• Set a new Rapids single season scoring record with 16 goals (2nd in MLS in scoring).
• Named to MLS Best XI for the first time of his career.
• Named MLS Player of the Week for Week 3, Week 11 and Week 21.
• Won MLS Player of the Month for May.
• Voted 2009 MLS All-Star First XI for the first time of his career
• Played all 90 minutes in first-career MLS All-Star game and recorded an assist and scored on PK attempt in shootout.
• Scored the second fastest goal in MLS history recording his first goal of a hat trick in 16 seconds at LA (4/4).

2008

• Despite entering the season rehabbing an off-season ACL injury missing the team’s first nine games while on the disabled list, produced his best MLS season finishing as the Rapids team leader with 11 goals (sixth best in MLS)-the highest by a Rapids player since 2005.
• Added two assists and finished the year playing in 21 games with 16 starts.
• Crowning moment on the season came in the Rapids’ 5-4 win over New York (9/27), in which he recorded a hat-trick that included a 90th minute game winning goal, earning him his first MLS Player of the Week honor.
• His scoring touch was not limited to the regular season, though, as he added a goal in a Rapids Reserve match, a goal in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in match, and a goal in the Rapids' exhibition match vs. Everton FC.

2007

• Toronto FC used their top allocation to bring Casey over from club FSV Mainz 05 of the German Bundesliga.
• During his brief stint with Toronto FC, Casey came on as a substitute in both of the club’s games and played a total of 58 minutes for the Canadian side before joining the Rapids.
• Acquired in a trade from TFC on April 19, 2007 in exchange for a third round pick in the 2008 MLS Super-Draft, allocation money, and the MLS rights to Riley O’Neill.
• Made his Rapids debut at Dallas (4/22).
• Recorded his first career MLS assist at Toronto (6/2).
• Scored his first career MLS goal vs. LA (8/26).
• Rapids 2007 Comeback Player of the Year.

NATIONAL TEAM

• Conor Casey has 20 caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team and has two career international goals.

2010

• Participated in the National Team’s January training camp.
• Played 30 minutes against Honduras (1/23).
• Started and played 45 minutes against El Salvador (2/24).

2009

• After sitting out the opening match against Italy, he appeared in the next four matches-Brazil (6/18), Egypt (6/21), Spain (6/24) and Brazil (6/28)-in the Confederations Cup in South Africa, including the final.
• Started in the 2-1 win in qualifying against Honduras (6/6) in Chicago.
• Scored his first two international goals in the U.S.’s 2010 World Cup qualifying win against Honduras (10/10) that clinched a trip to South Africa for the Americans. Casey is the only player in U.S. soccer history to score two goals in a road qualifier in Central America.
• Earned ussoccer.com Man of the Match honors for his efforts in San Pedro Sula.
• Nominated for U.S. Soccer’s 2009 Best Performance and Best Clutch Moment for efforts against Honduras on October 10.
• Started in friendly against Slovakia (11/14)

2008

• Returned to the squad after nearly three years, playing the final 14 minutes in the 2-0 semifinal round qualifying win against Guatemala (11/19), in front of his hometown fans in Colorado at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
• Participated in training camp with the U.S. Men’s National team in November.

2005

• Appeared in two matches before an injury ended his year.
• Started in the 4-1 win against Cuba to open the USA’s championship run in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, suffering a torn ACL in the match.
• Came on as a sub in the 2-1 loss to England (5/28) in Chicago.

2004

• Made four straight starts, beginning with the 1-0 win in Poland (3/31) earning him his first-ever cap.
• Started three qualifiers, including the 3-0 win against Grenada (6/13), to open 2006 World Cup qualifying.
• Also started in the 2-0 win against El Salvador (9/4) and the 1-1 draw in Panama (9/8).

2001

• Member of the squad that advanced to the knockout phase of the Under-20 World Youth Championships in Argentina.
• Helped the U.S. qualify for the summer tournament, scoring in the opening game against Guatemala.

2000

• Played in three of four Olympic qualifying games in, starting two.
• Was on the U.S. Olympic team that finished in fourth place in Sydney, starting all six games.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

• Played in ten games with FSV Mainz (2005-06) after suffering a knee injury while playing with the U.S. National team. Underwent surgery in June 2006 to remove growths in his knee
• 2004-05: Joined Bundesliga club FSV Mainz in a transfer from German Second Division side Karlsruher SC. In his first season he played in 28 games and scored two goals. FSV Mainz broke their previous transfer fee record when he signed. Was hampered by injuries and restricted to play in just four games in 2002-03 season scoring one goal.
• Was loaned out to Hannover 96 during the 2001-02 season. He was part of the team’s rise back to the Bundesliga. Scored seven goals in 19 matches.
• Played his first season in Germany in 2000-01 with Dortmund in the Regionalliga Nord, scoring two goals in 10 games.

COLLEGE

• Casey spent two years (1999-2000) at the University of Portland before heading to Germany.
• Named West Coast Conference co-Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in 1999 after leading the team, league and country in scoring (53 points) with 23 goals and seven assists.
•  His 53 points rank him second on Portland's single-season list and his 23 goals rank second on single-season list.
• Scored a school and conference-record five goals in 5-2 win at Gonzaga (11/13/1999).

PERSONAL

• Born in New Hampshire, but moved to Colorado as at age 5, and considers Denver his hometown.
• Played his high school soccer at Denver’s South High School and attended Steele Elementary and Merrill Middle School in Denver.
• Earned several top awards as a senior, including 1998-99 Colorado Player of the Year, first-team Colorado All-State, and All-American.
• Played club soccer with Colorado Rush.
• Enjoys reading, card games, chess, and playing the guitar.
• Was a 2010 finalist for the Harry Glickman Professional Athlete of the Year honor at the annual Oregon Sports Awards.
• Named 2010-2011 Denver Athletic Club Colorado Athlete of the Year.