Riley Grant

Riley Neal Grant (born January 27, 1995) is an American soccer player who plays as a defender. Previously, he played professionally for Seattle Sounders FC 2, and also appeared for AFC Cleveland and Cleveland SC, where he was used as a forward.

Riley Grant
Personal information
Full name Riley Neal Grant
Date of birth (1995-01-27) January 27, 1995
Place of birth Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
2005–2009 Ohio Select FC
2009–2012 Everest SC
2012–2013 Internationals SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 Akron Zips 11 (0)
2014–2016 Penn State Nittany Lions 53 (2)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 AFC Cleveland 7 (3)
2017 Seattle Sounders FC 2 12 (1)
2018 Cleveland SC 7 (1)
2018 Enosis Neon Paralimni 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 December 2018

Youth and college

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Grant was a three-year letterwinner at Copley High School, playing with the Indians through his junior year. Although a steady contributor his first two years, he broke out as a junior, notching 16 goals and eight assists. Grant was named second-team All-Ohio, as well as all-Suburban League and all-Northeast Region.[1] He did not play with Copley as a senior, instead choosing to play club soccer with Internationals SC in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Grant was rated as a four-star recruit, according to Top Drawer Soccer, and committed to play for the Akron Zips and new head coach Jared Embick.[2]

Grant found playing time hard to come by in what turned out to be his lone season at Akron, appearing in only half of the Zips' games on the year. His 11 appearances did include playing in both games at the MAC Tournament, but he did not make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament as the Zips were eliminated in the second round.[3] Following his freshman year, Grant announced his departure from Akron and transferred to Penn State.[4] In his inaugural season with the Nittany Lions, he appeared 18 times and scored his first collegiate goal, coming in a 6–2 victory over Penn on September 24, 2014.[5] Grant also added the game-winning assist in a victory over his former team, Akron, on November 5.[6] As a junior, he started all 18 matches for the Nittany Lions, moving into a more attacking role than what he had seen as a sophomore. Grant scored what would be his final collegiate goal on October 3, 2015, helping Penn State to a 2–0 victory over Rutgers.[7] He finished out his Penn State career with 17 appearances as a senior, ending his time with the Nittany Lions with two goals and five assists from 53 appearances.

AFC Cleveland

Following his junior year at Penn State, Grant played in the NPSL with his hometown club, AFC Cleveland. He officially signed with the Royals on May 3, 2016, just eight days before the start of the season.[8] Grant went on to make eight appearances in all competitions for Cleveland, tallying three goals.[9] Although he did not make an appearance during the playoffs, the Royals went on to win the NPSL championship, topping Sonoma County Sol in the championship match.[10]

Club career

Seattle Sounders FC 2

On March 22, 2017, Grant signed his first professional contract, joining USL club Seattle Sounders FC 2.[11] He was one of seven players signed on the day by S2, becoming the club's tenth player, and fourth defender, under contract for the year. Grant made his professional and club debut four days later, starting in the season-opening 2–1 defeat against Sacramento Republic.[12] He notched his only goal for the club on June 10, a header two minutes into first half stoppage time against Rio Grande Valley FC Toros, although S2 would go on to lose the match 3–1.[13] In late July, Grant was released by S2 after falling out of the rotation in the defense. He departed the club with one goal in 12 appearances.[14]

Cleveland SC

Grant returned to his hometown of Cleveland for the 2018 season, dropping out of the professional game by signing with NPSL expansion club Cleveland SC. He was initially announced as part of the club's preliminary roster on April 11, 2018,[15] then was confirmed as part of the official roster on April 24.[16] Grant was set to be one of two former professional players to join the club for its first season, alongside Bradley Ruhaak, but Ruhaak left the club before the start of the season and instead joined Michigan Bucks. Grant made his Cleveland debut on June 3, starting away to FC Buffalo in a scoreless draw.[17] On June 24, he scored his first goal for the club, providing the third strike in a 4–0 takedown of Syracuse FC.[18] Grant did not appear during the playoffs as Cleveland was eliminated in the Midwest semifinals; he finished the season having scored once in seven appearances for CSC.

Career statistics
As of September 2, 2018[19]
Club Season League Playoffs Cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
AFC Cleveland 2016 NPSL 730010–83
Seattle Sounders FC 2 2017 USL 121–––121
Cleveland SC 2018 NPSL 7100––71
Enosis Neon Paralimni 2018–19 Cypriot First Division 10–00–10
Career total 275001000285
  1. Appearance in the U.S. Open Cup

Honors
AFC Cleveland

References
  1. "Riley Grant Development Academy bio". USSoccerDA.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. "Commitments: Hartford recruit has high hopes". TopDrawerSoccer.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018. Riley Grant, a forward from Internationals (Ohio), committed to Akron for the class of 2013.
  3. "Riley Grant Akron bio". GoZips.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  4. "MEN'S SOCCER WELCOMES EIGHT NEWCOMERS". GoPSUSports.com. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  5. "NO. 7 PENN STATE POUNCES ON PENN, 6-2". GoPSUSports.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  6. "MINUTILLO'S HEADER PUTS NO. 23 PENN STATE PAST AKRON, 1-0". GoPSUSports.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  7. "Penn State 2–0 Rutgers". GoPSUSports.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  8. "FORWARD RILEY GRANT TO RETURN FOR 2016 SEASON". AFCCleveland.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  9. "Riley Grant AFC Cleveland bio". AFCCleveland.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  10. "AFC CLEVELAND CROWNED 2016 NPSL CHAMPIONS". GoalNation.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  11. "Sounders FC 2 signs seven players ahead of March 26 season-opener against Sacramento Republic FC". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  12. "Sounders FC 2 falls 2-1 to Sacramento Republic FC in season-opening match". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  13. "Rio Grande Valley FC defeats Seattle Sounders FC 2 in USL Western Conference clash". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  14. "Sounders FC 2 mutually terminates contract with Irvin Parra". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018. ...the second S2 player to depart this season, joining defender Riley Grant. Grant was released last month after making 12 appearances on the backline.
  15. "2018 Preliminary Roster Released". ClevelandSC.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  16. "Cleveland SC Announces 2018 Roster Loaded with Local Talent". ClevelandSC.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  17. "Cleveland SC Earn Road Point in 0-0 Draw with FC Buffalo". ClevelandSC.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  18. "Cleveland SC 4–0 Syracuse FC". NPSL.com. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  19. Riley Grant at Soccerway
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