Jefferson "Jeff" Caldwell (born February 20, 1996) is an American professional
soccer player who plays as a
goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...
for
USL Championship
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...
club
Colorado Springs Switchbacks
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC is a professional soccer team based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 2014, the team is a member of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. The franchise is owned by Martin E ...
.
College and amateur
Caldwell played four years of
college soccer
College soccer is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. It is very prominent in United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and as well as in South Africa and the Philippines. The United K ...
at the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
between 2014 and 2017, making 61 appearances.
While at college, Caldwell appeared for
USL PDL
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...
sides
Seattle Sounders FC U-23 and
Colorado Rapids U-23.
Professional career
New York City FC
On January 19, 2018, Caldwell was selected 19th overall in the
2018 MLS SuperDraft
The 2018 MLS SuperDraft was the nineteenth SuperDraft conducted by Major League Soccer. As customary, the SuperDraft was held in conjunction with the annual United Soccer Coaches convention. The 2018 UCS was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania bet ...
by
New York City FC
New York City Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in New York City that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of American soccer, as a member of the league's Eastern Conference. The club is co-owned b ...
. He signed with the club on February 28, 2018.
Loan to Memphis 901
On March 5, 2019, Caldwell was loaned to
USL Championship
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...
side
Memphis 901 FC
Memphis 901 FC is an American professional soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 2018, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019.
Stadium
The club currently plays on the grounds of AutoZone Park, a baseball stadiu ...
for their 2019 season.
New England Revolution
Caldwell was released by New York City on November 20, 2019. He was selected by
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), in the Eastern Conference of the league. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having compe ...
in the MLS Waiver Draft on November 25, 2019. He was the third-choice keeper behind
Matt Turner and
Brad Knighton, and did not make an appearance in the 2020 season with the Revolution.
Hartford Athletic
On January 27, 2021 Caldwell signed with
USL Championship
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...
team
Hartford Athletic
Hartford Athletic is an American professional soccer team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The club was founded in 2018 and started play in the USL Championship in 2019. It is the only pro soccer team in Connecticut.
History
On June 8, 2021, Ha ...
for the 2021 season.
He made his competitive debut with the team on April 30, 2021 against
New York Red Bulls II
New York Red Bulls II is an American professional soccer team based in Montclair, New Jersey. They are the reserve team of the New York Red Bulls and play in MLS Next Pro, the third tier in the American soccer pyramid.
History
Red Bull New Yor ...
. Caldwell finished the year second in saves for the
USL Championship
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...
and tied for 3rd in clean sheets at nine.
Loan to Miami FC
On November 5, 2021, Caldwell was sent to USL Championship side
Miami FC
The Miami FC is an American professional soccer team based in Miami, Florida that competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid.
The club began play in the North American Soccer League (NASL) in the 2016 se ...
as an emergency loan ahead of the
2021 USL Championship Playoffs
The 2021 USL Championship Playoffs (branded as the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs presented by TwinSpires for sponsorship reasons) was the post-season championship of the 2021 USL Championship. It was the eleventh edition of the USL Championship ...
. He started for Miami in the team's 1–0 loss to
Louisville City FC
Louisville City Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Louisville, Kentucky. The team plays in the USL Championship, known through the 2018 season as the United Soccer League (USL), which is currently the second tier of th ...
in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks
On December 7, 2021, it was announced Caldwell would join USL Championship side
Colorado Springs Switchbacks
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC is a professional soccer team based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 2014, the team is a member of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. The franchise is owned by Martin E ...
ahead of their 2022 season.
International
Caldwell played in one game with the
United States Under-20 Men's National Team in 2015, and also featured for the
U-17 and
U-18 national teams. He was a member of the
United States’ 2013 Concacaf U-17 Championship squad, and was also named to roster for the
2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the twentieth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup since its inception in 1977 as the FIFA World Youth Championship. The competition took place for the first time in New Zealand, the third time on Oceanian soil after ...
, but did not see game action.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Caldwell, Jeff
1996 births
Living people
American men's soccer players
Men's association football goalkeepers
Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer players
Seattle Sounders FC U-23 players
Colorado Rapids U-23 players
New York City FC draft picks
New York City FC players
Memphis 901 FC players
New England Revolution players
Hartford Athletic players
Miami FC players
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC players
USL Championship players
USL League Two players
People from Ashe County, North Carolina
Soccer players from North Carolina
United States men's under-20 international soccer players
United States men's youth international soccer players