Tony Rocha

Tony Rocha

Rocha playing for Orlando City in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Antonio Rocha
Date of birth	(1993-08-21) 21 August 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Spring, Texas, U.S.
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2014	Tulsa Golden Hurricane	76	(7)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2013	Austin Aztex	7	(3)
2014	Tulsa Athletic	4	(2)
2015	Austin Aztex	25	(1)
2016	Orlando City B	19	(1)
2016–2018	Orlando City	23	(0)
2017	→ Orlando City B	14	(0)
2018	→ Saint Louis FC (loan)	2	(0)
2019–2021	New York City	33	(1)
2022	Orange County SC	20	(0)
International career^‡
2019–2022	Belize	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:43, 23 October 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:14, 3 June 2022 (UTC)

Antonio Rocha (born 21 August 1993) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in the United States, he represented Belize at international level.

Career

College

Rocha played college soccer at the University of Tulsa from 2011 to 2014. For the 2011 season, Rocha was named as the Conference USA Men's Soccer Freshman of the Year.[1] He was selected to the All-Conference USA Third-Team in 2011, 2012, and 2013.[1][2][3] In 2014, Rocha was a captain of the University of Tulsa men's soccer team and helped lead the team to a conference championship.[4] Rocha was named to the All-Tournament Team for the 2014 American Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Tournament.[5]

Professional

Rocha was selected by Sporting Kansas City in the fourth round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.[6] They cut him prior to the start of the season. On 9 March 2015, Rocha signed with Austin Aztex for the 2015 USL season.[7] This would be the team's final season before dissolving and Rocha was forced to find a new club.

On 15 October 2015, Rocha became one of the first three players to sign with newly formed USL team Orlando City B along with Mikey Ambrose and Kyle Callan-McFadden.[8]

Rocha signed a short-term agreement with Orlando City on 15 June 2016 for a 2016 U.S. Open Cup match.[9]

On 3 August 2016, Orlando City acquired Rocha's MLS rights from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft[10] and he was signed to an MLS contract the day after.

Rocha was loaned to Saint Louis FC on 6 April 2018.[11] He returned to Orlando a week later having played twice. At the end of the season the club announced they had not picked up his contract option.[12]

On 12 December 2018, Rocha had his rights acquired by New York City FC in exchange for a 2019 MLS SuperDraft fourth round pick.[13] Rocha scored his first and only goal for the club on 25 October 2020 in a 3–1 win over Montreal Impact.[14] Following the 2021 season, New York City opted to decline their contract option on Rocha.[15]

On 18 February 2022, Rocha signed with USL Championship side Orange County SC.[16]

International

In September 2019, Rocha was called into the Belize national football team for its CONCACAF Nations League matches against French Guiana and Grenada.[17] He made his international debut on 8 September 2019 in Belize's 2–1 loss to Grenada.[18]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 November 2020[19]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Domestic Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Austin Aztex	2012[20]	PDL	7	3	0	0	–		–		7	3
Tulsa Athletic	2014	NPSL	4	2	–		–		–		4	2
Austin Aztex	2015	USL	25	1	1	0	–		–		26	1
	Total		32	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	33	4
Orlando City	2016	MLS	8	0	2	0	–		–		10	0
	2017		3	0	0	0	–		–		3	0
	2018		12	0	1	0	–		–		13	0
	Total		23	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	26	0
Orlando City B	2016	USL	19	1	–		–		–		19	1
	2017		14	0	–		–		–		14	0
	Total		33	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	33	1
Saint Louis FC (loan)	2018	USL	2	0	–		–		–		2	0
New York City	2019	MLS	17	1	1	0	–		0	0	18	1
	2020		11	0	–		1[a]	0	1[b]	0	13	0
	Total		28	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	31	1
Career total			122	8	5	0	1	0	1	0	129	8

1. Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League
2. Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs

International

As of match played 13 October 2019[21]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Belize	2019	3	0
2022	1	0
Total		4	0

Honors

New York City FC

• MLS Cup: 2021[22]

References

1. "Tony Rocha Named C-USA Men's Soccer Freshman of the Year – University of Tulsa". University of Tulsa.
2. "Cristian Mata Named as C-USA Men's Soccer Freshman of the Year – University of Tulsa". University of Tulsa.
3. "Five Tulsa Men's Soccer Players Named to All-Conference USA Teams – University of Tulsa". University of Tulsa.
4. "Tony Rocha - Men's Soccer - University of Tulsa Athletics". Tulsa Hurricane.
5. "Tulsa Men's Soccer Team Claims The American Championship on Penalty Kicks – University of Tulsa". University of Tulsa.
6. "Tulsa's Tony Rocha Selected in MLS SuperDraft by Sporting KC – University of Tulsa". University of Tulsa.
7. "Tony Rocha Returns To Austin Aztex – Austin Aztex". austinaztex.com.
8. "Orlando City Announces Orlando City B, Signs Defenders Mikey Ambrose, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Midfielder Tony Rocha". 15 October 2015.
9. "Orlando City SC Signs Tony Rocha to Short Term Agreement". 15 June 2016.
10. "Orlando City Acquires Rights to OCB Midfielder Tony Rocha From Sporting Kansas City". 3 August 2016.
11. "Orlando City SC Loans Tony Rocha to Saint Louis FC". 6 April 2018.
12. "Orlando City declines options for eight players after tough 2018 season | Pro Soccer USA". www.prosoccerusa.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
13. "New York City FC Acquires Midfielder Tony Rocha | New York City FC".
14. "GOAL Tony Rocha, NYCFC - 86th minute". MLSsoccer.com. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
15. FC, New York City. "New York City FC Announces Roster Moves For 2022". New York City FC.
16. "Orange County Inks Veteran Midfielder Tony Rocha". 18 February 2022.
17. "Internationals - Seven Players Called Up in September". New York City FC. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
18. "Game Detail". www.concacafnationsleague.com.
19. Tony Rocha at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
20. "Tony Rocha | SoccerStats.us". soccerstats.us. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
21. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Tony Rocha". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
22. "2021 MLS Cup". mlssoccer.com. Retrieved 6 July 2022.

External links

• Tulsa Golden Hurricane bio
• Tony Rocha at Soccerway