Nikolas Besagno

Nikolas Besagno

Personal information
Full name	Nikolas Besagno
Date of birth	November 15, 1988 (1988-11-15) (age 23)
Place of birth	Maple Valley, Washington, United States
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current club	Kitsap Pumas
Number	19
Youth career
2004–2005	IMG Soccer Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2008	Real Salt Lake	8	(0)
2008	→ Seattle Sounders (loan)	10	(0)
2009	Tacoma Tide	15	(2)
2010–	Kitsap Pumas	21	(3)
National team‡
2005–2006	United States U-17	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 8, 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of May 13, 2009

Nikolas Besagno (born November 15, 1988 in Maple Valley, Washington) is an American soccer player currently playing for Kitsap Pumas in the USL Premier Development League.

Career

Professional

One of the most touted young players in the country, Besagno became the first overall pick of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft when he was drafted by his former United States Under-17 coach and then Salt Lake boss John Ellinger. At the age of 16, Besagno, who signed a Generation Adidas contract with MLS, became the second-youngest player in league history to be drafted, behind 2004's number one overall choice, 14-year-old Freddy Adu. In June 2008, Real Salt Lake loaned Besagno for ninety days to the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division.^[1] His older brother Jacob Besagno had previously spent two seasons with Seattle.

On November 24, 2008, Besagno was released by Real Salt Lake. Besagno started 2009 in camp with Seattle Sounders FC, but was cut toward the end of January. Having been unable to secure a professional contract, Besagno signed with Tacoma Tide of the USL Premier Development League for the 2009 season.^[2] Besagno is currently playing for PDL rival Kitsap Pumas.

International

Besagno, a graduate of the Bradenton Academy, was a regular for the Under-17 United States national team, and later moved up to the Under-20 squad. In 2005, he played two games for the USA U-17 team at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship.^[3]

References

1. ^ RSL Loans Besagno To Seattle "RSL Loans Besagno To Seattle". Soccer365. 2008-06-11. http://www.soccer365.com/us_news/story_11608190305.php RSL Loans Besagno To Seattle. Retrieved 2009-03-13. 
2. ^ 2009 Tacoma Tide roster
3. ^ FIFA player profile

Persondata
Name	Besagno, Nikolas
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	November 15, 1988
Place of birth	Maple Valley, Washington, United States
Date of death
Place of death