Joe Zupo

Joe Zupo
Zupo in 2015
Personal information
Full name Joseph Saverio Zupo[1]
Date of birth (1992-09-20) September 20, 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre-Back
Youth career
2000–2010 Wexford SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Queen's Golden Gaels 63
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Kingston FC 32 (?)
2015 Durham United FC 22 (2)
2016 Devonport City 21 (2)
2017 Durham United FA 20 (2)
2018 Cairns FC 21 (1)
2018 Hawke's Bay United 7 (1)
2019 Darby FC 14 (2)
2022–2023 Nautsa’mawt FC[a] 26 (4)
2024 Burnaby FC 10 (1)
Managerial career
2022– UBC Thunderbirds (assistant)
2024– Burnaby FC
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 20, 2024

Joseph Saverio Zupo (born September 20, 1992) is a Canadian soccer coach and former player, who serves as co-head coach of Burnaby FC in League1 British Columbia and as an assistant coach with the University of British Columbia men's soccer program.

Early life

Zupo began playing youth soccer with Wexford SC when he was eight years old, winning the Ontario Cup at U17 level.[3] He also played at the high school level with Senator O'Connor College School where he helped their soccer team secure a bronze medal at the high school OFSAA AAA championship in 2009 and was named team MVP.[4]

University career

In 2010, Zupo committed to attend Queen's University to play for men's soccer program.[5] After being an unused sub in the first match of the season, he entered the second match of the season as a substitute following an injury to the starting centre-back 30 minutes into the match, and subseqiently played every minute for the team for the next four years.[6] In the final game of his rookie season, on October 24, Zupo scored two goals against the Laurentian Voyageurs,[7] followed by scoring the winning goal in the first round of the playoffs, three days later, also against Laurentian, advancing to the next round.[8] Queen's would ultimately be eliminated in the quarter-finals by the Toronto Varsity Blues, where Zupo contributed the team's lone goal.[9] At the end of the season, he was named an OUA Second Team-All Star.[10]

Ahead of his second season, he was named the team captain.[11] At the end of his second season, Zupo was named an OUA First Team All-Star.[12] At the end of his third season, he was again named an OUA First-Team All-Star.[13] In his final season in 2013, he tied for the team lead in goals with four, and was again named an OUA First Team All-Star.[14]

Club career

Canadian Soccer League

In the summer of 2013, he signed with Canadian Soccer League with Kingston FC.[15][16] He scored his first goal on July 13, in a 2-2, draw against the Windsor Stars.[17] Zupo would help the club secure the first-division regular season title and helped them reach the championship final, where they were ultimately defeated by SC Waterloo Region.[18] After a successful season in the Canadian circuit, he ventured abroad to England for a tryout session with EFL League Two side Exeter City.[19][20] Following his English trial, he returned to Kingston for the 2014 season,[21] being named named the co-captain alongside Cătălin Lichioiu.[22]

League1 Ontario, Australia, and New Zealand

In 2015, Zupo joined Durham United in League1 Ontario, where he was named a League First Team All-Star at the end of the season.[23]

In 2016, he joined Devonport City FC in the NPL Tasmania,[24] the second tier of football in Australia, helping to lead the team to the league championship and Milan Lakoseljac Cup championship and was named to the NPL Tasmania Team of the Year.[25] He was also awarded Devonport's Best and Fairest recipient that season.[26]

After a year in Australia, Zupo returned to Canada and re-joined Durham United.[27] He was once again named to the league First Team All-Star team at the end of the season.[28]

In February 2018, Zupo returned to Australia, signing with Cairns FC in the NPL Queensland.[29][30][31] He suffered an injury in the 2018 FFA Cup Round of 16 match in a 2-1 loss to defending A-League champions Sydney FC, ending his season (his team was winning 1-0 at the time of his injury).[32][33]

Afterwards, he moved to New Zealand, signing with Hawke's Bay United FC of the ISPS Handa Premiership, the top division of soccer in New Zealand. He scored his first goal in a top division against Waitakere United.[34] His tenure with Hawke's Bay was short-lived as he left the club midway through the season.[35][36]

He once again returned to Canada in 2019, joining Darby FC in League1 Ontario. He was named to the league First Team All-Star team for the third time.[37] In 2020, League1 Ontario named him to their All-time Best XI.[38]

League1 British Columbia

In 2020, he went to the Vancouver area, to play with local side FC Tigers Vancouver, in local divisions.[39]

For the 2022 season, he played in League1 British Columbia with Varsity FC.[40] He remained with the club for the 2023 season, with the club changing their name to Nautsaʼmawt FC.[41]

In 2024, he joined Burnaby FC in League1 British Columbia.[42]

Coaching career

In 2022, he became an assistant coach with the men's soccer team at the University of British Columbia.[43] In December 2024, he was named as a co-head coach alongside Adriano Clemente of Burnaby FC of League1 British Columbia ahead of the 2025 season.[44]

Personal

Zupo has Italian ancestry and is a certified teacher in Canada.[45]

Career statistics

As of October 18, 2024
Club Season League Playoffs[A] Domestic Cup League Cup Total
League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kingston FC 2013 Canadian Soccer League 14 ? ? 0 — — 14 ?
2014 18 ? 2 1 — — 20 ?
Durham United FC 2015 League1 Ontario 22 2 — — 4 1 26 3
Devonport City 2016 NPL Tasmania 21 2 4 0 6 0 — 31 2
Durham United FA 2017[46] League1 Ontario 20 2 — — 3 0 23 2
Cairns FC 2018 NPL Queensland 21 1 — 2 0 — 23 1
Hawke's Bay United FC 2018–19[47] New Zealand Football Championship 7 1 0 0 — — 7 1
Darby FC 2019[48] League1 Ontario 14 2 — — — 14 2
Nautsa’mawt FC[a] 2022 League1 British Columbia 12 2 1 0 — — 13 2
2023[41] 14 0 — — — 14 0
Burnaby FC 2024[49] League1 British Columbia 10 1 — — — 10 1
Career totals 176 13 7 1 8 0 7 1 198 15
  1. ^ Includes other competitive competitions such as NPL Playoff Finals, CSL Playoffs, and L1BC Playoffs

Honours

Club

Kingston FC

Devonport City

Individual

Notes

  1. ^ a b Varsity FC changed its name to Nautsa’mawt FC in 2023

References

  1. ^ https://easternsuburbsafc.blogtown.co.nz/2018/10
  2. ^ "Joseph Zupo Queen's profile". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  3. ^ "Athletes of the Week". The Queen's Journal. November 5, 2010.
  4. ^ Bascom, Kate (May 18, 2010). "Summer brings change to Gaels". The Queen's Journal.
  5. ^ Howieson, Jamie (April 20, 2010). "Zupo commits to men's soccer team for 2010-11". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  6. ^ Shokker, Taya (June 28, 2023). "The Taya Shokker Column: A cup of coffee with Nautsa'mawt and UBC's Joe Zupo". Away from the Numbers.
  7. ^ Homewood, Caleb (October 24, 2010). "Zupo nets two as Gaels defeat Voyageurs 4-0 in final regular season match". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  8. ^ Howieson, Jamie (October 27, 2010). "OUA Playoffs: Zupo sends Gaels through to OUA Quarter-finals". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  9. ^ Homewood, Caleb (October 30, 2010). "Gaels season ends with 2-1 loss to No. 6 Blues". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  10. ^ Howieson, Jamie (November 4, 2010). "Men's Soccer garners three all-star selections". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  11. ^ Sutherland, Sean (September 13, 2013). "Playing the long ball". The Queen's Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  12. ^ MacDonald, Shawn (December 12, 2011). "Season in Review: Men's Soccer". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  13. ^ Edwards, John (October 31, 2012). "Gaels' Gencarelli named OUA East Coach of the Year, five Gaels earn All-Star nods". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  14. ^ "Zupo named first-team OUA all-star; Maxwell, Tom, Bloemen, Hong receive second-team honours". Queen's Golden Gaels. October 30, 2013.
  15. ^ Graham, Doug (April 25, 2013). "Kingston FC to put emphasis on 'Kingston'". Kingston Whig Standard.
  16. ^ Smith, Adrian (March 1, 2013). "Local reinforcements". The Queen's Journal.
  17. ^ Zheng, Jerry (July 29, 2013). "Revival on the pitch". The Queen's Journal.
  18. ^ "Waterloo ends Kingston FC's run". Kingston Whig Standard. November 4, 2013.
  19. ^ Faris, Nick (January 31, 2014). "English expedition". The Queen's Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  20. ^ MacDonald, Shawn (January 28, 2014). "Joe Zupo given pro tryout with Exeter City Football Club". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  21. ^ MacAlpine, Iain (March 14, 2014). "Kingston FC eager to start new season". Kingston Whig Standard.
  22. ^ "In Brief - FC names captains". Kingston Whig Standard. May 30, 2014. pp. C1.
  23. ^ "2015 League1 Ontario Men's All-Stars". League1 Ontario. November 17, 2015. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018.
  24. ^ Slessor, Camron (March 14, 2016). "Canadian duo out to bolster Strikers". The Advocate.
  25. ^ McManus, Shawn (August 26, 2016). "Devonport Strikers dominate team of the year". The Mercury.
  26. ^ MacDonald, Shawn (June 4, 2018). "Pro Soccer Takes Zupo Around the Globe". Queen's Golden Gaels.
  27. ^ Lamberti, Adriano (November 8, 2017). "Durham United FA 2017 Year in Review". Northern Starting XI. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018.
  28. ^ "League1 Ontario Announces 2017 Men's First, Second and Third Team All-Stars". League1 Ontario. November 7, 2017. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023.
  29. ^ Grams, Jacob (February 7, 2018). "Zupo Star". The Cairns Post.
  30. ^ Grams, Jacob (February 6, 2018). "Cairns FC signing Joe Zupo set to leave strikers in his wake". The Cairns Post. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024.
  31. ^ Grams, Jacob (April 25, 2018). "Cairns FC need pride in defence ahead of Magpies Crusaders Anzac Day NPL clash at Edmonton". The Cairns Post. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024.
  32. ^ Greco, John (August 17, 2018). "'It's the biggest game of our lives': Cairns defender eyes Sky Blue boilover". FFA Cup.
  33. ^ Falvo, Andrea; Gerrans, Jordan (August 22, 2018). "Cairns FC not willing to go down without fight in FFA Cup clash at Barlow Park". Cairns Post.
  34. ^ Singh, Anendra (November 28, 2019). "Football: Hawke's Bay United break hoodoo on home ground after flogging Waitakere United". NZ Herald.
  35. ^ "Bay United claim vital three points against Southern". NZ Herald. December 8, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  36. ^ "Hawke's Bay United 'never found right defensive formula'". NZ Herald. March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  37. ^ "Men's And Women's 2019 First, Second And Third Team All-Stars". League1 Ontario. September 30, 2019. Archived from the original on February 11, 2024.
  38. ^ Thompson, Marty (May 27, 2020). "Reviewing L1O Men's All-Time Best XI". League1 Ontario. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022.
  39. ^ "BB5 United CCB win back-to-back BC Provincial A Cup titles after hard fought victory over FC Tigers". Away from the Numbers. May 17, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  40. ^ "Varsity FC proud to be part of League1 BC and what they hope will be a "massive revolution" for soccer in the province". Away from the Numbers. June 4, 2022.
  41. ^ a b "Joe Zupo 2023 L1BC Stats". League1 British Columbia.
  42. ^ "BurnabyFC League1 2024 Mens Roster". Burnaby Football Club. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  43. ^ "Joe Zupo - Men's Soccer Coach". UBC Thunderbirds. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  44. ^ "Burnaby FC is excited to announce the appointment of Adriano Clemente and Joe Zupo as Co-Head Coaches for the club's 2025 League1 BC Men's team". Burnaby FC. Facebook. December 9, 2024.
  45. ^ "Football: Hawke's Bay United defender Joe Zupo says good time to break home-ground hoodoo". NZ Herald. November 24, 2018.
  46. ^ "Joseph Zupo 2017 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  47. ^ Joe Zupo at Soccerway
  48. ^ "Joseph Zupo 2019 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  49. ^ "Joe Zupo 2024 L1BC Stats". League1 British Columbia.