| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Anthony J. Wood | ||
| Date of birth | (1973-08-17)August 17, 1973 (age 51) | ||
| Place of birth | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1994 | Virginia Cavaliers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–1997 | MetroStars | 36 | (7) |
| 1997 | Columbus Crew | 19 | (4) |
| 1998–2001 | D.C. United | 74 | (14) |
| 1998 | →MLS Pro 40 (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| United States U16 | |||
| 1994–1996 | United States U23 | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Anthony "A. J." Wood (born August 17, 1973, inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American former professionalsoccer player who played as aforward. Wood played six seasons inMajor League Soccer. He was a member of theUnited States U-16 men's national soccer team at the1989 FIFA U-16 World Championship and also played for the U.S. at the1996 Summer Olympics
Wood grew up in theWashington, D.C. area where he attended high school at the parochialGeorgetown Preparatory School. He was aforward on the boys soccer team and was the city high school player of the year in 1990. In 1991, he entered theUniversity of Virginia where he played as a forward on the men's soccer team until 1994. Although never selected as a first or second team All American, he was named the 1994SoccerAmerica Player of the Year. The Cavaliers won theNCAA championship each of the four years Wood played. He also holds the NCAA tournament record of 13 goals.[1]
In 1989, he was a member of the U.S. U-16 national team at theU-16 World Cup. While the U.S. went 1–1–1 and failed to make the second round, it did defeat Brazil, making it the first U.S. team to do so. Beginning in 1994, Wood became a regular on theUnited States U-23 men's national soccer team as it prepared for the1996 Summer Olympics. In 1995, he was a member of the U.S. team which went 0–3 at thePan American Games. Then in 1996, Wood was part of theU.S. Olympic team and saw time in all three games as the U.S. went 1–1–1 and failed to make the second round.
In 1996, theMetroStars ofMajor League Soccer (MLS) selected Wood in the 5th round (49th overall) of the1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. This was the league's first draft and the team's began their first season of operation in 1996. Wood spent the 1996 season and thirteen games in 1997 with the MetroStars before being traded to theColumbus Crew forBrian Bliss. At the end of the season, MLS expanded to two cities, Miami and Chicago. In order to build the new teams, MLS held an expansion draft. The Crew did not protect Wood and as a result, on November 6, 1997, theChicago Fire took him with the 21st selection of the1997 MLS Expansion Draft. However, Wood never played for the Fire as of January 6, 1998, the team traded him toD.C. United forJesse Marsch and an exchange of draft picks. On February 5, 2001, Wood was traded to theKansas City Wizards for a third round draft pick, but was acquired back on May 9 after being waived.[2] On January 16, 2002, Wood retired from playing professional soccer.[3] Since his retirement, he has become active in coaching youth soccer and holds a position withD.C. United as a youth development coach.
