Steve Armas
Encyclopedia
Anibal “Steve” Armas is a retired U.S. soccer midfielder
who spent one season in Major League Soccer
and several seasons in the United Soccer Leagues
. He was a member of the United States U-17 men's national soccer team
at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship
and is currently an assistant coach at Campbell University
.
, playing on the men’s soccer team from 1995 to 1998. He scored 11 goals and added 17 during his four seasons as a Terrapin. He left school before finishing his degree, but returned and graduated in 2003 with a bachelors degree in Spanish Language and Literature.
in the USL A-League. He began the 2000 season with the Raleigh Capital Express, playing four games, but in June 2000, the Columbus Crew
signed Armas as a Discovery Player. He played four regular season games with the Crew. He also played on 2000 Open Cup game for the Crew, coming on for John DeBrito
in the 66th minute. The crew waived him at the end of the season. In January 2001, the Tampa Bay Mutiny
claimed Armas off waivers, but released him before the season. In 2001, John Dugan, who had coached the Express in 2000, became the new head coach of the Atlanta Silverbacks
. He promptly signed Armas. On June 12, 2001, half way through the season, the Silverbacks traded Armas to the Minnesota Thunder
in a three-way trade which sent Andrew Restrepo
from the Rochester Rhinos to Atlanta and Stoian Mladenov
to the Rhinos from Minnesota. In 2002, Armas played three games with the Cincinnati Riverhawks
. In 2003, he played seventeen games for the Carolina Dynamo
, scoring five goals and adding 16 assists as the Dynamo took the league title. Armas was selected as a first team All Star. He then moved to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
for the 2004 USL Second Division
season and was back with Carolina for the 2005 season.
. Armas played all four U.S. games in the tournament.
. While at Greensboro College, Armas helped to guide the men's program to a 2005 USA South Conference tournament championship and a second round NCAA tournament appearance. Armas was hired as an assistant coach by Campbell University
in July 2006. Since Armas' arrival in 2006, the Fighting Camels have compiled a 45-29-6 overall record (.600), including a 25-4-5 mark (.809) in the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season. The Camels finished ranked among the top-10 in the final South Region poll in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and earned the school's first year-end national ranking (No. 25) in 2008 at the Division I level.He was named head coach of the Fighting Camels in January, 2010 after the departure of then head coach Doug Hess to Drexel University Philadelphia, Pa.
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 spent one season in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
and several seasons in the United Soccer Leagues
United Soccer Leagues
The United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
. He was a member of the United States U-17 men's national soccer team
United States U-17 men's national soccer team
The United States U-17 men's national soccer team is the national under-17 association football team of the United States and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation...
at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship
1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship
The 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship was held in the cities of Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya, and Gifu City in Japan between 21 August and 4 September 1993...
and is currently an assistant coach at Campbell University
Campbell University
Campbell University is a coeducational, church-related university in rural North Carolina, USA. Its main campus is located in the community of Buies Creek; its law school moved from Buies Creek to a new campus in the state capital of Raleigh in 2009. Campbell has an approximately equal number of...
.
Youth
Armas grew up in Maryland where he was an NSCAA and Parade Magazine High School All American soccer player at the Bullis School. He is a member of the Bullis School’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Armas attended the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, playing on the men’s soccer team from 1995 to 1998. He scored 11 goals and added 17 during his four seasons as a Terrapin. He left school before finishing his degree, but returned and graduated in 2003 with a bachelors degree in Spanish Language and Literature.
Professional
In 1999, Armas signed for the Maryland ManiaMaryland Mania
Maryland Mania was a soccer club based in Baltimore Maryland that competed in the A-League for one year, in 1999.-Year-by-year:-Coach:Justin Fashanu was hired to coach the Mania, but fled the United States during the pre-season when he was accused of sexually assaulting an underage boy. He was...
in the USL A-League. He began the 2000 season with the Raleigh Capital Express, playing four games, but in June 2000, the Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
signed Armas as a Discovery Player. He played four regular season games with the Crew. He also played on 2000 Open Cup game for the Crew, coming on for John DeBrito
John DeBrito
John DeBrito is a former U.S.-Cape Verde soccer player. He was an All American at Southern Connecticut State University, spent at least one season playing indoor soccer, then played eight seasons outdoor, including six season in Major League Soccer. He earned six caps with the U.S...
in the 66th minute. The crew waived him at the end of the season. In January 2001, the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
claimed Armas off waivers, but released him before the season. In 2001, John Dugan, who had coached the Express in 2000, became the new head coach of the Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks is an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having previously sat out the 2009 and 2010 seasons while the ownership...
. He promptly signed Armas. On June 12, 2001, half way through the season, the Silverbacks traded Armas to the 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...
in a three-way trade which sent Andrew Restrepo
Andrew Restrepo
Andrew Restrepo is a retired U.S. soccer defender who played one season with the MetroStars in Major League Soccer....
from the Rochester Rhinos to Atlanta and Stoian Mladenov
Stoian Mladenov
Stoian Mladenov is a retired Bulgarian football midfielder who played professionally in Europe and the United States.In 1993, Mladenov began his career with Lokomotiv Ruse before moving to Rakovski Ruse in 1994 and F.C. Etar in 1995. Mladenov left Bulgaria for Malta in 1996, signing with Nadur...
to the Rhinos from Minnesota. In 2002, Armas played three games with the Cincinnati Riverhawks
Cincinnati Riverhawks
The Cincinnati Riverhawks were a professional soccer team that debuted in the USISL Premier Development League in 1997 and joined the A-League from 1998 to 2003...
. In 2003, he played seventeen games for the Carolina Dynamo
Carolina Dynamo
Carolina Dynamo is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the South Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home...
, scoring five goals and adding 16 assists as the Dynamo took the league title. Armas was selected as a first team All Star. He then moved to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
for the 2004 USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
season and was back with Carolina for the 2005 season.
National team
In 1993, Armas was a member of the U.S. U-17 national team which went to the second round of the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship
The 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship was held in the cities of Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya, and Gifu City in Japan between 21 August and 4 September 1993...
. Armas played all four U.S. games in the tournament.
Coach
In 2004, Armas became an assistant coach with the Carolina Dynamo. That fall he added to his responsibilities when he became an assistant coach at Greensboro CollegeGreensboro College
Greensboro College is a four-year, independent, coeducational liberal-arts college, also offering four master's degrees, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1838...
. While at Greensboro College, Armas helped to guide the men's program to a 2005 USA South Conference tournament championship and a second round NCAA tournament appearance. Armas was hired as an assistant coach by Campbell University
Campbell University
Campbell University is a coeducational, church-related university in rural North Carolina, USA. Its main campus is located in the community of Buies Creek; its law school moved from Buies Creek to a new campus in the state capital of Raleigh in 2009. Campbell has an approximately equal number of...
in July 2006. Since Armas' arrival in 2006, the Fighting Camels have compiled a 45-29-6 overall record (.600), including a 25-4-5 mark (.809) in the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season. The Camels finished ranked among the top-10 in the final South Region poll in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and earned the school's first year-end national ranking (No. 25) in 2008 at the Division I level.He was named head coach of the Fighting Camels in January, 2010 after the departure of then head coach Doug Hess to Drexel University Philadelphia, Pa.