Connor Rutz

Connor Rutz
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-04-09) April 9, 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Commerce Township, Michigan, United States
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Detroit City
Number 11
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Schoolcraft Ocelots 34 (13)
2017–2019 SVSU Cardinals 39 (17)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Cincinnati Dutch Lions 26 (3)
2020– Detroit City 115 (15)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 26, 2024

Connor Rutz (born April 9, 1997) is an American soccer player who plays for Detroit City in the USL Championship.

Career

Early career

Rutz played soccer at Walled Lake Northern High School before attending Schoolcraft College in 2016. Rutz scored five goals in 19 appearances in his single season with the Ocelots,[1] before transferring to Saginaw Valley State University in 2017. With the Cardinals, Rutz scored 17 goals and tallied eight assists in 39 appearances, missing the entire 2018 season. In 2017, he was named All-GLIAC First Team midfielder, earned United Soccer Coaches First Team and D2CCA All-Midwest Region Second Team honors. In his senior year, Rutz was earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year and All-GLIAC First-Team honors, D2CCA All-Midwest Region Second-Team honors, was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region First-Team, and the United Soccer Coaches All-America Second-Team.[2]

In 2018 and 2019, Rutz also appeared for USL League Two side Cincinnati Dutch Lions, making 26 appearances and scoring three goals.[3][4]

Detroit City

Rutz joined National Independent Soccer Association club Detroit City FC for their 2020 season, scoring two goals in seven games, helping the team to become the Great Lakes Region champions. He stayed with the club in 2021, where the team was Great Lakes Champions, regular season champions and won the Legends Cup.[5] He continued with the team in 2022 as the club made the move to the USL Championship, helping the team make the playoffs in both the '22 and '23 seasons and being recognized as a "City Centurion", along with teammates Nate Steinwascher, Maxi Rodriguez, and captain Stephen Carroll.[6][7] Ahead of the 2024 season, it was announced that Connor Rutz was resigning with DCFC.[8]

Honors

Team

National Independent Soccer Association

  • Season Championship
  • Fall Championship
  • Legends Cup
  • NISA Independent Cup
    • Great Lakes Region

Individual

National Independent Soccer Association

  • NISA All-League first team: 2021

References

  1. ^ "Connor Rutz | #25 | MID | Schoolcraft College - Michigan Community College Athletic Association". mccaa.prestosports.com. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  2. ^ "Connor Rutz - Saginaw Valley State". svsucardinals.com. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  3. ^ "Cincinnati Dutch Lions - 2018 Regular Season - Roster - #8 - Connor Rutz - M". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  4. ^ "Cincinnati Dutch Lions - 2019 Regular Season - Roster - #8 - Connor Rutz - M". www.cdlfc.com.
  5. ^ "Player Details | National Independent Soccer Association". www.nisasoccer.com.
  6. ^ Bianchi, Nolan (13 October 2023). "Detroit City FC to honor 4 players as first-ever City Centurions on Saturday". wxyz.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Detroit Brings Aboard Midfielder Abdoulaye Diop". USL Championship. January 12, 2022.
  8. ^ "2024 USL CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER UPDATES". detcityfc.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.