Lazo Alavanja
Encyclopedia
Lazo Alavanja is an American soccer midfielder
who last played for the Charleston Battery
of the USL First Division
and the Chicago Storm
of the Xtreme Soccer League
. He played professionally both in traditional and indoor soccer
, often concurrently.
. In 1997, he played on the U.S. soccer team at the 1997 World University Games.
. He spent most of the 1999 season on loan with the Project 40 team. On May 10, 2001, the Burn sent Alavanja to the Miami Fusion
in exchange for Miami’s 2002 and 2003 second round SuperDraft picks. On January 11, 2002, D.C. United
took him as the third pick in the 2002 MLS Dispersal Draft
. He played the 2002 season with United. On May 9, 2003, the Indiana Blast
of the USL A-League signed Alavanja. The Blast released him on June 9, 2003. On October 14, 2004, the expansion Chicago Storm
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
signed Alavanja. He spent two seasons with the Storm, being named to the 2004-2005 MISL All Rookie Team. He did not play indoors during the 2006-2007 season and on June 5, 2007, the Storm traded his rights to the New Jersey Ironmen
in exchange for a second round pick in the 2007 expansion draft. He played twenty-eight games with the Ironmen during the 2007-2008 indoor season. In addition to playing the winter indoor seasons, Alavanja signed with the Charleston Battery
of the outdoor USL First Division
in 2005. In the fall of 2008, he returned to the Chicago Storm
, now playing in the Xtreme Soccer League
.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who last played for the Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
and the Chicago Storm
Chicago Storm
The Chicago Storm is a team in the Ultimate Soccer League that began play in the 2004-2005 season as a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League.-History:The Storm played home games during its first two seasons at the UIC Pavilion on the west side of Chicago...
of the Xtreme Soccer League
Xtreme Soccer League
The Xtreme Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that began play in December 2008. Four teams from the former Major Indoor Soccer League participated in the first XSL season--- the Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition, Milwaukee Wave, and New Jersey Ironmen...
. He played professionally both in traditional and indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
, often concurrently.
Youth
Alavanja attended Indiana University, playing on the men’s soccer team from 1995 to 1998. He was a 1996 and 1997 second team All American and a 1998 first team All AmericanDivision I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
. In 1997, he played on the U.S. soccer team at the 1997 World University Games.
Professional
In February 1999, the Dallas Burn selected Alavanja with the fourth pick in the 1999 MLS College Draft1999 MLS College Draft
The 1999 Major League Soccer College Draft.Major League Soccer held its fourth annual college draft on February 6 and 7, 1999 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The first round of the draft took place on Saturday with the second and third rounds on Sunday morning. The College Draft was followed by the...
. He spent most of the 1999 season on loan with the Project 40 team. On May 10, 2001, the Burn sent Alavanja to the Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
in exchange for Miami’s 2002 and 2003 second round SuperDraft picks. On January 11, 2002, D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. 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 since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
took him as the third pick in the 2002 MLS Dispersal Draft
2002 MLS Dispersal Draft
The 2002 MLS Dispersal Draft was held by Major League Soccer on January 11, 2002, following the contraction of the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny to distribute the two teams' players that were not selected in the 2002 MLS Allocation Draft.-Round 1:...
. He played the 2002 season with United. On May 9, 2003, the Indiana Blast
Indiana Blast
Indiana Blast were an American soccer team, founded in 1997. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues, and played in the D-3 Pro League, the A-League and the USL Premier Development League, until folding at the end of the 2004 season....
of the USL A-League signed Alavanja. The Blast released him on June 9, 2003. On October 14, 2004, the expansion Chicago Storm
Chicago Storm
The Chicago Storm is a team in the Ultimate Soccer League that began play in the 2004-2005 season as a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League.-History:The Storm played home games during its first two seasons at the UIC Pavilion on the west side of Chicago...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
signed Alavanja. He spent two seasons with the Storm, being named to the 2004-2005 MISL All Rookie Team. He did not play indoors during the 2006-2007 season and on June 5, 2007, the Storm traded his rights to the New Jersey Ironmen
New Jersey Ironmen
The New Jersey Ironmen were an American indoor soccer team. They originally joined the Major Indoor Soccer League for the 2007–08 season. When the MISL ceased operations a year later, they joined the Xtreme Soccer League. The team played at the Prudential Center, sharing the facility with the...
in exchange for a second round pick in the 2007 expansion draft. He played twenty-eight games with the Ironmen during the 2007-2008 indoor season. In addition to playing the winter indoor seasons, Alavanja signed with the Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the outdoor USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
in 2005. In the fall of 2008, he returned to the Chicago Storm
Chicago Storm
The Chicago Storm is a team in the Ultimate Soccer League that began play in the 2004-2005 season as a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League.-History:The Storm played home games during its first two seasons at the UIC Pavilion on the west side of Chicago...
, now playing in the Xtreme Soccer League
Xtreme Soccer League
The Xtreme Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that began play in December 2008. Four teams from the former Major Indoor Soccer League participated in the first XSL season--- the Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition, Milwaukee Wave, and New Jersey Ironmen...
.