Neal Kitson (born January 6, 1986, in Queens, New York) is an American soccer player.

Career

College and amateur

Kitson attended

Benjamin N. Cardozo High School Benjamin N. Cardozo High School is a state school, public secondary education in the United States, high school in the Bayside, Queens, Bayside neighborhood of Queens, New York City. The school was named for Benjamin N. Cardozo, who served as List ...

, where he won the PSAL Heisman Wingate Award and was selected to the Newsday All-City first team in 2003, before beginning his

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 ...

career at

Dowling College Dowling College was a private college on Long Island, New York. It was established in 1968 and had its main campus located in Oakdale, New York on the site of William K. Vanderbilt's mansion Idle Hour. Dowling also included a campus in Shirley, ...

. He transferred to St. John's University as a sophomore, redshirting his first season with the team, but went on to become the team's first choice goalkeeper after his junior year in 2007. In his senior campaign he set a school record by recording 15 shutouts in 24 starts, and was instrumental in helping the Red Storm to a No.4 ranking in the 2008 NSCAA/Adidas polls, winning the Big East regular season title, and qualifying for the NCAA College Cup for only the fourth time in the school's history. During his college years he also played for

Newark Ironbound Express Jersey Express was an American soccer team based in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey, Springfield, New Jersey. Founded in 2007, the team played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, ...

in the

USL Premier Development League 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 syst ...

Professional

Kitson was drafted in the third round (42nd overall) of the

2009 MLS SuperDraft The 2009 MLS SuperDraft took place on January 15, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the tenth annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The first selection was owned by the expansion Seattle Sounders FC. Unlike previous years, the SuperDraft w ...

by Kansas City Wizards but was not offered a professional contract by the team after doctors in Kansas diagnosed him with a

sports hernia Athletic pubalgia, also called sports hernia, core injury, hockey hernia, hockey groin, Gilmore's groin, or groin disruption is a medical condition of the Pubic symphysis, pubic joint affecting athletes. It is a syndrome characterized by chronic ...

, a fractured pelvis, and a torn labrum in his hip. After spending much of 2009 recuperating, Kitson signed his first professional contract in 2010 when he signed with

Rochester Rhinos Rochester New York FC, formerly known as the Rochester Rhinos, are an American professional soccer team based in Rochester, New York, United States. Founded in 1996, as the Rochester Raging Rhinos, they changed their name to Rochester Rhinos t ...

. He made his professional debut on April 28, 2010, in a game against

NSC Minnesota Stars NSC may refer to: Sport and competition * NSC United, an American soccer team * National Scholastics Championship, an American quiz bowl competition * National Scrabble Championship, now known as the Scrabble Players Championship * National Sho ...

. Kitson became of the few goalkeepers to score a goal when he netted a 90th-minute equalizer for the Rhinos in a 2–2 tie with

Antigua Barracuda FC Antigua Barracuda were an Antiguan professional football team based in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. Founded in 2010, the team played in USL Pro, the third tier of the United States soccer league system from 2011 to 2013. The team played it ...

on June 5, 2011. Rochester re-signed Kitson for the 2012 season on November 3, 2011. However, in late January 2012 he exercised an escape clause in his contract and signed with

Northampton Town Northampton Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Northampton, England. The team plays in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1897, the club competed in the Midland ...

of the English

Football League Two The English Football League Two (often referred to as League Two for short or Sky Bet League Two for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League Two from 2004 until 2016) is the third and lowest division of the English Football Lea ...

on a free transfer. He made his debut on 31 March against

Crewe Alexandra Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Crewe, Cheshire, that competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed 'The Railwaymen' because of ...

, and with the scores tied at one each, saved a stoppage time penalty to secure a draw. In his second match on 6 April, Kitson again saved a penalty during Northampton's 2–1 win over

Oxford United Oxford United Football Club is a professional football club in the city of Oxford, England. The team plays in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. The chairman is Grant Ferguson, the manager is Karl Robinson and t ...

. He had his contract with the club terminated and returned home for personal family reasons in August 2012.

Honors

Rochester Rhinos

USSF Division 2 Pro League The USSF Division 2 Professional League (D2 Pro League) was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) for the 2010 season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding Un ...

Regular Season Champions (1): 2010

References

External links

St. Johns bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitson, Neal 1986 births Living people American men's soccer players American expatriate men's soccer players Men's association football goalkeepers English Football League players Expatriate men's footballers in England Jersey Express S.C. players Northampton Town F.C. players Phoenix FC players Rochester New York FC players Sporting Kansas City draft picks Soccer players from Queens, New York St. John's Red Storm men's soccer players USL Championship players USL League Two players USSF Division 2 Professional League players Benjamin N. Cardozo High School alumni