Former Clemson Defenders Make Professional Impact

This past Sunday, former Tiger Manolo Sanchez and his New York Red Bulls II squad visited the Charleston Battery and former Clemson player Austin Savage. The two clubs played a 1-1 draw, NYRBII’s first ever road point. 

C-l-e-m-s-o-n #FACuponFOX Arsenal vs Reading https://t.co/1mVPVBEKlV

— Stuart Holden (@stuholden) April 18, 2015

Phanuel Kavita, one of Clemson’s captains last season, is playing with the Real Monarchs in Real Salt Lake’s Youth System after signing a homegrown deal with RSL in January. The Monarchs, 4-3-3 on the season, started Kavita in the club’s first ever home match in the club’s inaugural season in the USL. 

Amadou Dia, another former member of Clemson’s backline last season, subbed in for Sporting KC this past weekend against the LA Galaxy. Dia played the final 15 minutes of a 2-1 Galaxy win.

Oguchi Onyewu, a Clemson player from 2000-01 and former member of the U.S. Men’s National Team, is currently with Charlton Athletic F.C. (Greenwich, London), playing center back.   Onyewu was a mainstay on the national team during the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup cycles. His first international goal came in the 2005 Gold Cup semifinal against Honduras. Additionally, he started all three matches for the United States in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and one in the 2010 World Cup. In his professional career, Onyewu has played with professional clubs in Belgium, France, England, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal. 

Always great to meet up with my American boys in Londontown!! @stuholden euanholden #goodtimes… http://t.co/zybeo9bLxZ

— Oguchi Onyewu (@OguchiOnyewu5) November 15, 2014

Also this week, in former Tigers going pro in something other than soccer, Ara Amirikhanian formally accepted the ACC Postgraduate Scholarship at a luncheon in Greensboro, N.C. Amirkhanian, who scored the game-winner against Louisville in the ACC Championship match in the 104th minute, plans to put the scholarship towards medical school.