Cameron Knowles (born 11 October 1982 in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

) is a New Zealand football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of

MLS Next Pro MLS Next Pro is a men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that is affiliated with Major League Soccer. It launched in 2022 with 21 teams and will expand to 28 in 2023. The league comprises 27 reserve sides for MLS club ...

side Minnesota United 2.

Playing career

College and Amateur

Knowles played

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 Philippines, the Philippines. Th ...

for the

University of Akron The University of Akron is a public research university in Akron, Ohio. It is part of the University System of Ohio. As a STEM-focused institution, it focuses on industries such as polymers, advanced materials, and engineering. It is classified ...

, captaining the team his senior year. Knowles anchored an Akron defence that allowed only three goals in league play and recorded 13 shutouts in 2004. Knowles, a two-time All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) first-team selection led Akron to two MAC titles in 2002 and 2004 and helped Akron make four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. He was selected to the All-MAC second team his freshman and sophomore seasons and voted Akron's Newcomer of the Year in 2001. In addition, Knowles was a College Soccer News All-Freshman Team honourable mention. A testament to his durability, Knowles played in 49 straight games during his career at Akron. Knowles also played 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 sy ...

for

Chicago Fire Premier Chicago Fire U-23 was an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team last played in the PDL, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They last played in 2016, choosing to leave the PDL. The ...

making 14 appearances and scoring two goals in league play. In addition, Knowles scored 3 goals during the Fire's 2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign.

Professional

Knowles was drafted by

Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in ...

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...

in the fourth round of the

2005 MLS Supplemental Draft Following the signature of the first MLS players' union contract, the MLS Superdraft was limited to four rounds. As a result, the Supplemental Draft was re-incarnated to hold the additional rounds. The 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft, held on February 4 ...

, becoming the first Akron Zip to be drafted by a

team. He made his professional debut on 22 June 2007 against the

Los Angeles Galaxy LA Galaxy, also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy, are an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Galaxy competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), as a member of the Western Conference. The club began pla ...

and totalled 346 minutes in four matches his rookie season in MLS, but did not make an appearance at all in 2006 and was released at the end of the year. Knowles signed with the

Portland Timbers The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at ...

of the

USL First Division The USL First Division (usually referred to as USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada from 2005 to 2010. During its existence, it formed the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer league system ...

in 2007, and played in all 28 regular-season matches in his debut season for the team, scoring two goals and being named as one of three finalists for the USL First Division Defender of the Year award. He started 29 of 30 matches for the Timbers in 2008 was named to the USL First Division All-League second team. In August 2009 Knowles sustained a serious leg injury in Montreal that sidelined him for the rest of the season and part of 2010. Knowles was picked up on 26 July 2011, by the Montreal Impact. Knowles made 8 appearances for the Impact before retiring at the end of 2011. He was released by Montreal on 12 October 2011.

International

Knowles was selected in the New Zealand under 17 squad for the FIFA World Championships but did not participate in the tournament has he suffered a broken leg three weeks prior to the opening match.

Coaching career

On 26 January 2012, the

announced the addition of Knowles to the coaching staff as an assistant under Head Coach John Spencer.

Honors

Portland Timbers

Commissioner's Cup (1):

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

References

External links

Portland Timbers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knowles, Cameron 1982 births Living people Akron Zips men's soccer players Chicago Fire U-23 players Real Salt Lake players Portland Timbers (2001–2010) players Montreal Impact (1992–2011) players Expatriate soccer players in Canada Expatriate soccer players in the United States Association football defenders New Zealand expatriate association footballers New Zealand association footballers Association footballers from Auckland USL League Two players Major League Soccer players USL First Division players USSF Division 2 Professional League players North American Soccer League players Real Salt Lake draft picks Portland Timbers non-playing staff Portland Timbers 2 coaches New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in the United States New Zealand association football coaches