RICHMOND, VA - (Tuesday, June 9, 2009) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the return of former Major League Soccer midfielder Chris Carrieri for the remainder of the 2009 season.  A member of the Kickers organization in 2005 and 2006, Carrieri spent the 2007 season with the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division before retiring from professional soccer prior to the 2008 season.

The native of Stafford, VA was a member of the Kickers USL-2 Finalists squad in 2005 and USL-2 Championship team in 2006, making 55 appearances over two seasons.  Notching eight goals and 11 assists overall, he led the Kickers and the USL-2 in assists in 2006 and garnered USL-2 All-League Second Team honors that season.  Following the USL-2 Championship, Carrieri signed with the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division where he made 28 appearances and contributed three assists.  Carrieri re-joins the Kickers roster in time for tonight’s U.S. Open Cup First Round match against his former team in Cary, N.C. 

The number one overall draft pick in the 2001 MLS Super Draft, Carrieri spent three seasons with the Colorado Rapids before signing with the Rochester Rhinos of the USL First Division prior to the 2004 season.  With the Rhinos, he logged 2,249 minutes and totaled eight goals and eight assists for 24 points.   

A University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill standout, Carrieri was named the 2000 ACC Player of the Year where he led the conference in nearly every offensive category and was a NSCAA/adidas Division 1 All-America First team selection.  The 1998 ACC Rookie of the Year finished his third and final year at UNC with back-to-back All-ACC First Team honors, named ACC Player of the Week three times and Soccer America Team of the Week four times, more than any other player in the nation. 

Chris Carrieri                 Midfielder             Ht: 5’8”             Wt: 150           Stafford, VA
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