Mark Semioli
Encyclopedia
Mark Semioli is a retired American soccer defender
who played six seasons in Major Soccer League
, four in American Professional Soccer League
and three in USISL. He won the 1994 U.S. Open Cup
with the San Francisco Greek-Americans.
, playing on the men’s soccer team from 1986 to 1989. He was a 1987 Third Team All American.
of the Western Soccer League
during the collegiate off season. Following the completion of his collegiate eligibility in the fall of 1989, Semioli signed a professional contract with the Blackhawks. In 1990, the WSL merged with the American Soccer League
to form the American Professional Soccer League
(APSL). The Blackhawks won the 1991 APSL championship. Despite its success, the team lost money and in 1993 moved to the lower division USISL. Semioli moved to the Palo Alto Firebirds of USISL that year. The Firebirds were sold and moved to San Jose, California
, becoming the Silicon Valley Firebirds for the 1994 USISL season. Semioli was the team captain and a first team All Star. He also spent part of the season with the San Francisco Greek-Americans, winning the U.S. Open Cup with them. In 1995, Semioli left the Firebirds and moved to the Monterey Bay Jaguars. In addition to playing for the Jaguars, Semioli also coached the Jaguars for part of the season. He was the USISL Western Division Defender of the Year as the Jaguars went won the Western Division Conference. In February 1996, the Los Angeles Galaxy
picked Semioli in the fifth round (44th overall) in the Inaugural MLS Draft
. He played twenty-eight games that season, then began the 1997 season in Los Angeles before being traded to the MetroStars
on June 17, 1997 in exchange for a second round pick in the 1998 MLS Supplemental Draft
. The Galaxy made this move to make room to sign Paul Caligiuri
. Semioli remained with the MetroStars until November 17, 2001, when the team waived him. He subsequently retired from playing professionally. Semioli continues to play, and coach, in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League
with the New York Athletic Club.
Since his retirement, Semioli has been working as a middle school World Cultures and History teacher for 6th and 7th graders in New Jersey. He is married, and has two kids
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who played six seasons in Major Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
, four in American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
and three in USISL. He won the 1994 U.S. Open Cup
1994 U.S. Open Cup
-Final:...
with the San Francisco Greek-Americans.
College
Semioli attended Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, playing on the men’s soccer team from 1986 to 1989. He was a 1987 Third Team All American.
Professional
In 1989, Semioli played as an amateur with the professional San Francisco Bay BlackhawksSan Francisco Bay Blackhawks
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks was a professional soccer team which came into existence in 1989 as a team in the Western Soccer League . The Blackhawks spent time in the American Professional Soccer League and the United States Interregional Soccer League...
of the Western Soccer League
Western Soccer League
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance...
during the collegiate off season. Following the completion of his collegiate eligibility in the fall of 1989, Semioli signed a professional contract with the Blackhawks. In 1990, the WSL merged with the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
to form the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
(APSL). The Blackhawks won the 1991 APSL championship. Despite its success, the team lost money and in 1993 moved to the lower division USISL. Semioli moved to the Palo Alto Firebirds of USISL that year. The Firebirds were sold and moved to San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, becoming the Silicon Valley Firebirds for the 1994 USISL season. Semioli was the team captain and a first team All Star. He also spent part of the season with the San Francisco Greek-Americans, winning the U.S. Open Cup with them. In 1995, Semioli left the Firebirds and moved to the Monterey Bay Jaguars. In addition to playing for the Jaguars, Semioli also coached the Jaguars for part of the season. He was the USISL Western Division Defender of the Year as the Jaguars went won the Western Division Conference. In February 1996, the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, 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, and the league's second...
picked Semioli in the fifth round (44th overall) in the Inaugural MLS Draft
1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer's initial 1996 season, distributed players who had already graduated from college to the league's ten inaugural teams. The draft occurred on February 6 and 7, 1996...
. He played twenty-eight games that season, then began the 1997 season in Los Angeles before being traded to the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
on June 17, 1997 in exchange for a second round pick in the 1998 MLS Supplemental Draft
1998 MLS Supplemental Draft
The three-round 1998 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft was held on February 1, 1998 at the Airport Hilton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.-Format:Major League Soccer held a professional player combine in Fort Lauderdale the last week of January 1998. On Saturday, January 31, 1998, the league held...
. The Galaxy made this move to make room to sign Paul Caligiuri
Paul Caligiuri
Paul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team...
. Semioli remained with the MetroStars until November 17, 2001, when the team waived him. He subsequently retired from playing professionally. Semioli continues to play, and coach, in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League
Cosmopolitan Soccer League
The Cosmopolitan Soccer League is an amateur soccer league consisting of clubs based in and around New York City. Established in 1923, it is one of the oldest soccer leagues in the United States and has contributed greatly to the nation's soccer history...
with the New York Athletic Club.
Since his retirement, Semioli has been working as a middle school World Cultures and History teacher for 6th and 7th graders in New Jersey. He is married, and has two kids