| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nelson Ndukwe Akwari | ||
| Date of birth | (1982-02-04)February 4, 1982 (age 43) | ||
| Place of birth | Houston, Texas,United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Bradenton Academy | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2002 | UCLA Bruins | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002 | MetroStars | 7 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Columbus Crew | 30 | (0) |
| 2003 | →Cincinnati Riverhawks (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Real Salt Lake | 41 | (0) |
| 2007 | Charlotte Eagles | 20 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Charleston Battery | 59 | (0) |
| 2010 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 23 | (1) |
| 2011 | Los Angeles Blues | 22 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 1999 | United States U17 | 6 | (0) |
| 2001 | United States U20 | 4 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of August 13, 2011 ‡ National team caps and goals as of April 2, 2010 | |||
Nelson Ndukwe Akwari (born February 4, 1982) is an American formersoccer player. He began his career with the United States national team youth academy inBradenton, Florida, and played for several professional clubs in various U.S. leagues.
Akwari attendedStrake Jesuit College Preparatory, a private school inHouston, before attendingUSSF'sBradenton Academy, where he trained with other Under-17national teamers likeLandon Donovan,DaMarcus Beasley, andBobby Convey.
Although he considered turning pro, Akwari instead went toUCLA to playcollege soccer. He stayed at UCLA two years, starting every game as a freshman in 2000, and being named second-team All-Pac-10 as a sophomore.
He returned to UCLA after completion of his soccer career and earned Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees in engineering.[citation needed]
Akwari left college after his sophomore year to pursue opportunities in Europe, but when nothing came of them, he signed aProject-40 contract with MLS late in the 2002 season. Akwari was put into a lottery, which theMetroStars won; Akwari appeared in seven games and was traded during the offseason to theColumbus Crew. Akwari saw little playing time in 2003, appearing in 11 games but starting only five for the Crew, while spending a lot of time on loan toA-League'sCincinnati Riverhawks. In his third year in the league, Akwari began to show much more of the promise that he had as a youth national teamer - he took possession of the starting right back position midseason, and remained there for the rest of the year, ending the season with 16 starts as the Crew won theMLS Supporters' Shield.
After the 2004 season, Akwari was selected tenth overall byReal Salt Lake in theExpansion Draft, reuniting him with old coachJohn Ellinger. Akwari played 41 games over the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
Akwari signed forUSL Second Division sideCharlotte Eagles in April 2007, and scored on his debut againstCrystal Palace Baltimore on April 20, 2007. He then signed forCharleston Battery in 2008, spending two seasons with the club including a run to the final of the2008 US Open Cup.
Akwari signed on 26 January 2010 for the Canadian clubVancouver Whitecaps a one-year contract.[1] He scored his first professional goal for Vancouver on April 29, 2010, in a game against thePortland Timbers.[2] On October 19, 2010, the Vancouver Whitecaps released Akwari. Akwari joined the expansionLos Angeles Blues in theUSL Pro league for the 2011 season.[3]
Akwari retired following the 2011 season and settled in Charleston, where he works as a senior engineering director forBoeing and is a frequent commentator on Battery game broadcasts.
Akwari has represented the United States at the U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels, playing at the1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship inNew Zealand, and the2001 FIFA World Youth Championship inArgentina.