Blair Gavin (born January 8, 1989) is a former American soccer player who is now an assistant coach for MLS club Columbus Crew. He will take over as head coach of USL Championship side FC Tulsa in 2023.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Blair Gavin | ||
| Date of birth | (1989-01-08) January 8, 1989 (age 33) | ||
| Place of birth | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2006 | IMG Soccer Academy | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2009 | Akron Zips | 68 | (7) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2009 | Bradenton Academics | 38 | (4) |
| 2010–2012 | Chivas USA | 43 | (3) |
| 2012 | New England Revolution | 2 | (0) |
| 2013 | IMG Academy Bradenton | 7 | (0) |
| 2013 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 | (0) |
| 2014 | Atlanta Silverbacks | 18 | (1) |
| 2015 | Portland Timbers 2 | 23 | (4) |
| 2016–2017 | Phoenix Rising | 45 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006–2007 | United States U18 | 5 | (0) |
| 2008 | United States U20 | 1 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2018–2020 | Phoenix Rising (assistant) | ||
| 2022 | Columbus Crew (assistant) | ||
| 2023– | FC Tulsa | ||
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:36, 3 November 2017 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of August 5, 2012 | |||
Gavin grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, played club soccer for the Sereno soccer club which was ranked No. 1 in the nation and won the Arizona state cup four years in a row, and attended the famed IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, before playing college soccer at the University of Akron. While at Akron, Gavin was named to the Great Lakes Region (GLR) third team and was an All-Mid-American Conference (All-MAC) first team honoree as a sophomore in 2008, while in 2009 he was named to the All-MAC First Team and the All-GLR First Team, and recorded the game-winning penalty kick in a shootout against the University of North Carolina to help his team to the 2009 NCAA Division I championship game.
During his college years Gavin also played three seasons for Bradenton Academics in the USL Premier Development League.
Gavin was drafted in the first round (10th overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by Chivas USA.[2] He made his professional debut on April 1, 2010, in a game against Los Angeles Galaxy, and scored his first professional goal - a 20-yard strike from outside the penalty area - in a 4-0 victory over New England Revolution on May 5, 2010.
On August 1, 2012, Gavin, along with a second round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft and allocation money, was traded to New England Revolution in exchange for Shalrie Joseph.[3] Gavin remained with New England through the 2012 season. After the conclusion of the 2012 season, New England declined the 2013 option on Gavin's contract and he entered the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Draft. He became a free agent after going undrafted in both rounds of the draft.
On August 21, 2013, Gavin signed with Seattle Sounders FC after training with the team for several weeks.[4][5]
Gavin has traveled to tournaments in Slovakia, Spain, Portugal and Mexico with the U-18 squad, and was one of 20 players called into the U-18 training camp in January 2007 as the squad prepared for the 14th Copa Chivas Tournament in Mexico.
Blair is the younger brother of former Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Michael Gavin.
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2010 MLS SuperDraft first-round selections | |
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