Connor Maloney

Connor Austin Maloney (born May 18, 1995) is an American soccer player who plays as a full-back for USL Championship club San Antonio FC. His senior career includes stints with four different American clubs and experience in Major League Soccer. Playing collegiately at Penn State, Maloney was the 2014 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.

Not to be confused with Conor Maloney.

Connor Maloney
Maloney with Columbus in 2017
Personal information
Full name Connor Austin Maloney[1]
Date of birth (1995-05-18) May 18, 1995
Place of birth Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[2]
Position(s) Full-back
Team information
Current team
 San Antonio FC
Number 31
Youth career
0000–2012 Pennsylvania Classics
2011–2012 Philadelphia Union
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2016 Penn State Nittany Lions 75 (27)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014 Reading United 1 (0)
2017–2019 Columbus Crew 13 (0)
2017 → Pittsburgh Riverhounds (loan) 2 (0)
2018 → Pittsburgh Riverhounds (loan) 2 (0)
2020– San Antonio FC 96 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 24, 2023

A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Maloney graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School, where he was a two-sport athlete and set multiple school and state records. He played collegiately at Pennsylvania State University, where he was a two-time captain for the Nittany Lions and a three-time All-Big Ten First Team honoree. Maloney was drafted in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by Columbus Crew. He played his first three professional seasons as a backup in Columbus, spending time on loan during two of those years with Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Maloney signed for USL Championship club San Antonio FC in 2020.

Early life

Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Maloney attended Bishop McDevitt High School, where he played soccer and American football. He was a three-year captain of the varsity soccer team, twice earning all-PIAA honors. As a senior, Maloney was named as an NSCAA High School All-American after scoring 45 goals, including nine hat tricks.[3] He scored 110 goals with the Crusaders, a school and conference record, and set a school record with 68 assists.[4] He was also the Bishop McDevitt placekicker for four years, debatably setting a state record by scoring 328 points.[5][6][note 1]

At club level, Maloney played for Pennsylvania Classics in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.[9] While in high school, he spent two summers with the Philadelphia Union Academy, winning the Generation Adidas Cup in 2012.[10] He was ranked as the no. 21 recruit in the country, and the third-best player in Pennsylvania, by TopDrawerSoccer.com and committed to play collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions and coach Bob Warming.[11]

College and amateur

Maloney was officially announced as a member of the Nittany Lions on April 5, 2013, one of ten recruits that Penn State brought in ahead of the season.[12] He went on to start every game he played across his four years in University Park. Maloney scored his first collegiate goal in a 2–1 loss to Akron on November 6 and scored his first postseason goal in a 1–0 victory over UC Santa Barbara in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.[13][14] He finished the season with two goals and a team-high seven assists from 21 appearances, good enough to earn a spot on the All-Big Ten Freshman team as a unanimous selection.[15] Maloney put up his best statistical season as a sophomore: a career-high ten goals, as well as three assists, from 20 appearances. Five of his goals were match-winners, including in each of the first two games on the year.[16] He was named as the 2014 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten First Team.[17]

Prior to his junior season, Maloney was called up to the United States U23 national team, taking part in a college identification training camp ahead of the 2015 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship.[18] After returning to Penn State, he was named as a team captain for the Nittany Lions; Maloney responded by leading the team in shots, shots on goal, and goals. He tallied seven goals and two assists on the year, including a pair of two-goal performances in midseason.[1] Although Penn State failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years, Maloney was named to the All-Big Ten First Team for the second consecutive season.[19] As a senior, he was again named as a captain and led the team with eight goals, five assists, and 25 shots on goal. Maloney capped the season by being named to the All-Big Ten First Team, the third consecutive year he was honored as such,[20] and was named to the All-Great Lakes Region Second Team by the NSCAA.[21] He finished his Penn State career with 27 goals from 75 appearances.[1]

Reading United

Following his freshman season with the Nittany Lions, Maloney spent time with Reading United of the Premier Development League.[22] He made just one appearance, playing for six minutes, during his brief stint with the club.[23]

Club career

Columbus Crew

"His attitude and his mindset are fantastic. He’s a guy that, if you have 25 Connor Maloneys on your team, you know exactly what you are getting on your group. Your group will be hard working, it will be fighting every day and giving 100 percent all the time."

—Columbus head coach Gregg Berhalter, speaking about Maloney in April 2018.[24]

2017–2018: Loans to Pittsburgh

Maloney was selected 49th overall in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by Columbus Crew.[25] Although he played as a forward in college, he changed positions as a professional to become a defender, capable of playing at either outside back position.[2] After taking part in preseason camp, Maloney officially signed with the club on February 20.[26] He made his professional debut less than a month later, in a match against Houston Dynamo on March 11. With Columbus trailing at halftime, he entered in place of Harrison Afful and played the final 45 minutes of a 3–1 defeat for the Crew.[27] On May 19, Maloney was sent on loan to Pittsburgh Riverhounds, the Crew's United Soccer League affiliate. The loan was on a match-by-match basis, with Maloney able to be recalled by Columbus at any time.[28] He made his debut for the Hounds the next day, starting and playing 61 minutes in a 1–0 defeat to Louisville City.[29] Maloney played just once more while on loan and returned to Columbus after those two appearances.[30] He appeared in one more game after being recalled by the Crew, making his first professional start and tallying an assist against Real Salt Lake in late July.[31] His season ended after undergoing a meniscectomy on his left knee on October 24, just two days before the club's first playoff game.[32] On December 1, Maloney had his contract option picked up by the Crew.[33]

After being unable to find the field in Columbus in early 2018, Maloney was again sent on loan to Pittsburgh on May 25, 2018.[34] He made his second debut for the Riverhounds the next day, starting and playing 86 minutes of a scoreless draw against Penn FC.[35] After again making just one more appearance for Pittsburgh, Maloney was recalled by the Crew.[30] He went on to make two appearances in Columbus over the remainder of the season. In his one league appearance, he replaced Milton Valenzuela in the 62nd minute of a game against Portland Timbers on September 19 and provided his second career assist on a Niko Hansen goal three minutes into stoppage time.[36] On November 19, Maloney was named as the recipient of the Kirk Urso Heart Award as "the player that best exemplified the qualities in a teammate and became 'the heart'" in the club's locker room.[37] The club exercised the option on Maloney's contract on November 26.[38]

2019: Playing time in Columbus

Under new head coach Caleb Porter, Maloney began the 2019 season as the fourth-choice outside back, sitting behind Harrison Afful, Waylon Francis, and Hector Jiménez on the depth chart. He played just 15 minutes in one substitute appearance through the first five months of the season, but jumped into the lineup in August with multiple players out injured.[39] Playing as a left back for the first time in his career, Maloney went on to start the Crew's final nine matches of the season. He was praised by Porter for his work rate and for "punching above his weight".[40] Maloney finished the year with 11 appearances in all competitions, after he had played just eight total professional matches across his first two pro seasons.[41] At the roster decision deadline ahead of the 2020 season, the Crew declined the option on Maloney's contract, ending his time with the club after three seasons.[42] He went unselected in the 2019 MLS Re-Entry Draft.[43]

San Antonio FC

Following his release from Columbus, Maloney joined USL Championship club San Antonio FC on January 6, 2020.[44] He scored a goal in a preseason loss against FC Dallas before making his club debut in a 1–0 victory over Real Monarchs on March 7.[45][46] Maloney appeared in 16 matches on the year, keeping his starting spot after the season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then resumed in July.[47] He tallied two assists, both coming in September, in victories against Rio Grande Valley FC Toros and OKC Energy.[48][49] Although San Antonio qualified for the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs, they were eliminated in the conference quarterfinals by New Mexico United. Maloney was substituted in the 68th minute.[50] His contract with the club expired at the end of the season, but Maloney re-signed with San Antonio on January 7, 2021.[51]

As he returned for his second season in San Antonio, Maloney was "projected to reprise [a] prominent role" by the San Antonio Express-News.[52] However, he suffered a lower body injury, missed the first 12 games of the year, and did not return to the field until mid-July.[53] Maloney then settled into a utility player role, appearing at five different positions while starting all but one of his 23 total games played.[54] During the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs, he provided two assists and, in the conference final against Orange County SC, scored his attempt during the penalty shoot-out.[55] Maloney re-signed with San Antonio for a third season on January 21, 2022.[56]

During the 2022 USL Championship Playoffs, Maloney scored the game-winner in the Western Conference final against Colorado Springs Switchbacks on November 6.[57]

Personal life

Maloney graduated from Penn State with a degree in kinesiology.[1] His older sister, Kelsie, played four years of college soccer at West Virginia; one brother, Austin, also played soccer at Penn State;[58] and another brother, Ryan, played soccer at Bishop McDevitt. All three of the brothers were coached by their father, Terence, while in high school.[59]

Career statistics
As of November 24, 2022[2][30]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Reading United 2014[23] PDL 1000—0010
Columbus Crew 2017 Major League Soccer 2000—0020
2018 1010—0020
2019 10010——110
Total 130200000150
Pittsburgh Riverhounds (loan) 2017 USL 2000——20
Pittsburgh Riverhounds (loan) 2018 USL 2000—0020
San Antonio FC 2020 USL Championship 150——1[lower-alpha 2]0160
2021[54] 200——3[lower-alpha 2]0230
2022 33031—3[lower-alpha 2]1392
2023 0000—0000
Total 680310071782
Career total 860510071982
  1. All appearances in the U.S. Open Cup
  2. Appearance(s) in the USL Championship playoffs

Honors

Philadelphia Union

Penn State

San Antonio FC

Individual

See also

Notes
  1. Some sources attribute the record to Connor Raupach, who scored 320 points during his career at Berlin Brothersvalley High School.[7][8]

References
  1. "Connor Maloney – Penn State profile". Penn State Nittany Lions. Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  2. Connor Maloney at Major League Soccer
  3. Bullock, Michael (December 24, 2012). "Two local players named to NSCAA's Youth All-American soccer team". The Patriot-News. Advance Publications. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  4. Bullock, Michael (October 30, 2012). "Boys soccer: McDevitt's Connor Maloney tagged Mid-Penn Conference player of the year". The Patriot-News. Advance Publications. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  5. Heckman, Brandilyn (October 17, 2014). "Soccer Star Connor Maloney Is On His Way To Greatness". Onward State. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  6. Ralph, Matthew (February 1, 2017). "Soccer player turned kicker not just a Joey Julius phenomenon". Brotherly Game. SB Nation. Retrieved November 26, 2020. Connor Maloney, who was a teammate of Julius' on that title-winning Generation adidas Cup team, set a state record as a kicker for Bishop McDevitt with 328 points over the course of his high school career.
  7. Mastovich, Mike (December 10, 2017). "Record-breaking Berlin kicker hopes to continue getting his kicks". The Tribune-Democrat. CNHI. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  8. Ripple, Adam (December 18, 2017). "Raupach kicks way onto Class AA all-state football team". Daily American. Schurz Communications. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  9. Bullock, Michael (February 12, 2012). "Boys soccer: McDevitt's Connor Maloney issues verbal commitment to Penn State". The Patriot-News. Advance Publications. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  10. Ralph, Matthew (August 2, 2017). "Even as a defender, Connor Maloney gets on score sheet in first MLS start". Brotherly Game. SB Nation. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  11. Erickson, Andrew (March 22, 2017). "Jerseys mark progress of rookie Connor Maloney". The Columbus Dispatch. GateHouse Media. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  12. "Penn State Welcomes Ten New Faces for 2013". Penn State Nittany Lions. Pennsylvania State University. April 5, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  13. "No. 11 Nittany Lions Fall at No. 9 Akron, 2–1". Penn State Nittany Lions. Pennsylvania State University. November 6, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  14. Bullock, Michael (November 25, 2013). "Connor Maloney's finish pushes Penn State past UCSB 1–0 late Sunday, into round of 16". The Patriot-News. Advance Publications. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  15. "Hoosiers Earn B1G Honors". Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana University Bloomington. November 14, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  16. Kantor, Jacqueline (September 5, 2014). "Bishop McDevitt grad Connor Maloney off to high scoring start for Penn State soccer". The Patriot-News. Advance Publications. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  17. BTN.com staff (November 12, 2014). "BTN Soccer Report: 2014 All-Big Ten Teams Announced". Big Ten Conference. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
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  20. Connelly, Steve (November 4, 2016). "Men's Soccer Earns Four Individual Big Ten Honors". Onward State. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  21. "Maloney Earns NSCAA All-Region Honors". Penn State Nittany Lions. Pennsylvania State University. November 13, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  22. Doyle, Sean (December 15, 2016). "Seven United alums earn MLS Combine invites". Reading United AC. Premier Development League. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  23. "Premier Development League 2014 Statistics". Premier Development League. United Soccer League. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  24. Torres, Guilherme (April 11, 2018). "Connor Maloney is ready for whatever Crew SC needs him". Massive Report. SB Nation. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  25. Crew SC Communications (January 17, 2017). "Crew SC selects Maloney & Ketterer 2017 MLS SuperDraft on Tuesday". Columbus Crew. Major League Soccer. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  26. Panny, Stephanie (February 21, 2017). "Former Penn State midfielder Connor Maloney signs with Columbus Crew". Daily Collegian. Collegian Inc. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  27. Geigerman, Adam (March 11, 2017). "Recap: Crew SC, Houston battle in Texas". Columbus Crew. Major League Soccer. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
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  30. Connor Maloney at Soccerway
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  33. Crew SC Communications (December 1, 2017). "Options exercised on 9 players ahead of 2018 season". Columbus Crew. Major League Soccer. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
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  48. "Second-half effort not enough as Toros fall to SAFC". KVEO-TV. Nexstar Media Group. September 6, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  49. San Antonio FC Communications (September 19, 2020). "San Antonio FC completes unbeaten home record in regular season with 2–0 win over OKC". San Antonio FC. United Soccer League. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  50. Cely, Andrew (October 11, 2020). "San Antonio FC's season ends in controversial loss to New Mexico United". KSAT-TV. Graham Media Group. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  51. San Antonio FC Communications (January 7, 2021). "San Antonio FC re-signs defender Connor Maloney". San Antonio FC. United Soccer League. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  52. Luca, Greg (April 30, 2021). "San Antonio FC opens new season with focus on identity". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Communications. Retrieved April 6, 2022. ...though returning defender Connor Maloney and midfielder Jose Gallegos also are projected to reprise prominent roles.
  53. Luca, Greg (July 2, 2021). "San Antonio FC aims to end winless skid through focus on final actions". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Communications. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  54. "Connor Maloney 2021 match logs". FBRef.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  55. Luca, Greg (November 21, 2021). "San Antonio FC loses to Orange County SC on penalty kicks in Western Conference final". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Communications. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  56. USLChampionship.com Staff (January 20, 2022). "San Antonio Re-Signs Defensive Stalwart Connor Maloney". USL Championship. United Soccer League. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
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  58. Connelly, Steve (September 21, 2016). "Connor Maloney Ready For His Final Men's Soccer Campaign". Onward State. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  59. Van Scyoc, Roger (November 5, 2015). "A Futbol Family: Maloney brothers make an impact for Penn State men's soccer". Daily Collegian. Collegian Inc. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  60. "No. 13 Lions Capture Big Ten Title Behind Tyler's Brace". Penn State Nittany Lions. Pennsylvania State University. October 27, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
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