Andrei Gotsmanov
Encyclopedia
Andrei Gotsmanov is a Belarus
sian footballer currently playing for NSC Minnesota Stars
in the North American Soccer League.
and played college soccer at Creighton University
, with whom he earned the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Award and was named MVC Tournament MVP. Moreover, Gotsmanov was also awarded a first-team selection on the 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's Division I All-America Team, as well as a Hermann Trophy
semi-finalist.
by New England Revolution
, but opted to finish college before turning pro.
After graduating Gotsmanov attempted to re-join Revolution, but was unsuccessful as the Revolution would have had to drop a player from their squad in order to sign him. As a result, Gotsmanov went on trial with Sweden's Mjällby AIF
. Despite scoring twice in a friendly for Mjällby, he was not offered a contract.
Upon his return from Sweden, Gotsmanov played with the Nebraska-based amateur team 402 FC
which qualified for the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
; he scored in the team's 3-2 first round loss to Minnesota Thunder
, but impressed Thunder's coaches with his performance. He signed Thunder in July 2009, and made his debut for them on 11 July 2009, in a 3-0 win over Montreal Impact
. On 17 February 2010 signed with new founded NSC Minnesota Stars
of the USSF Division 2. He re-signed with the club, now playing in the North American Soccer League
, on 22 March 2011.
, a four-time Belarusian Footballer of the Year
who played for the Soviet Union at the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship. He was born in Minsk
, then part of the Soviet Union
, but came to the United States with his family in 1996 when his father signed to play for Minnesota Thunder
. He also has an older brother, Sasha
, who played for the Colorado Rapids
and the former professional club Minnesota Thunder
.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
sian footballer currently playing for NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in the North American Soccer League.
College
Gotsmanov grew up in Woodbury, MinnesotaWoodbury, Minnesota
Woodbury is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States, and is a suburb of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. It is situated east of Saint Paul along Interstate 94...
and played college soccer at Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
, with whom he earned the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Award and was named MVC Tournament MVP. Moreover, Gotsmanov was also awarded a first-team selection on the 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's Division I All-America Team, as well as a Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
semi-finalist.
Professional
Gotsmanov was drafted in the second round (24th overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft2009 MLS SuperDraft
The 2009 MLS SuperDraft took place on January 15, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the tenth annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The first selection was owned by the expansion Seattle Sounders FC...
by New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
, but opted to finish college before turning pro.
After graduating Gotsmanov attempted to re-join Revolution, but was unsuccessful as the Revolution would have had to drop a player from their squad in order to sign him. As a result, Gotsmanov went on trial with Sweden's Mjällby AIF
Mjällby AIF
Mjällby AIF is a Swedish football club located in Mjällby. The club, formed in 1939, won the title of Sweden's second-level of football Superettan in the 2009 season and thus gained promotion to the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan...
. Despite scoring twice in a friendly for Mjällby, he was not offered a contract.
Upon his return from Sweden, Gotsmanov played with the Nebraska-based amateur team 402 FC
402 FC
402 FC is an American amateur soccer team based in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded in 2008, the team plays in Region II of the United States Adult Soccer Association a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
which qualified for the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 96th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early September.The tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
; he scored in the team's 3-2 first round loss to Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby...
, but impressed Thunder's coaches with his performance. He signed Thunder in July 2009, and made his debut for them on 11 July 2009, in a 3-0 win over Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
. On 17 February 2010 signed with new founded NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
of the USSF Division 2. He re-signed with the club, now playing in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League (2010)
The North American Soccer League is a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began league play on April 9, 2011. It has been provisionally sanctioned as the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer in the...
, on 22 March 2011.
Personal
Andrei is the son of former professional footballer Sergey GotsmanovSergey Gotsmanov
Sergey Anatolyevich Gotsmanov is a former Belarusian footballer who played for the USSR in the 1980s.-Dinamo Minsk:...
, a four-time Belarusian Footballer of the Year
Belarusian Footballer of the Year
Belarusian Player of the Year is a football award given annually since 1983 to the most outstanding Belarusian footballer. From 1983 to 1990 the voting was arranged by the newspaper Физкультурник Белоруссии . Since 1991 the voting is held by Belarusian newspaper Прессбол...
who played for the Soviet Union at the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship. He was born in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
, then part of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, but came to the United States with his family in 1996 when his father signed to play for Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby...
. He also has an older brother, Sasha
Sasha Gotsmanov
Sasha Gotsmanov is an American-Belarusian soccer player, who spent one season in the MLS and two in the USL First Division....
, who played for the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
and the former professional club Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby...
.