Nate Boyden
Personal information
Full name	Nathaniel Bostwick Boyden
Date of birth	November 27, 1982 (1982-11-27) (age 27)
Place of birth	Woodland, California, United States
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Rostocker FC
Number	6
Youth career
1997–2001 2001–2005	Davis High School UC Santa Barbara
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2006–2007	Seattle Sounders	013 0(0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 03:13, 2 June 2008 (PDT). * Appearances (Goals)

Nathaniel "Nate" Boyden (born 27 November 1982, in Woodland, California) is an American soccer midfielder who last played for Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division. He previously played for the University of California, Santa Barbara's Men's Soccer team as well.

Contents 1 Amateur career 1.1 Pre-UCSB 1.2 At UCSB 2 Professional career 3 Moving On 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Amateur career

[edit] Pre-UCSB

Nate Boyden attended Davis High School, where the team compiled an overall record of 80 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw including two undefeated seasons with his play. The outstanding play by both Boyden and the team led to three consecutive sectional titles. Boyden accumulated numerous awards for his play including being a two-time All-Delta/Capital Athletic League and All-San Joaquin Section First Team. He was also the league and section most valuable player following his senior year in which he scored 21 goals and 15 assists. He was honored as a Navy High School All-American in 2000.

In addition to his high school team, Nate was a member of the Nor-Cal and State ODP Regional squads.

[edit] At UCSB

Nate Boyden was recruited to play collegiate soccer for the University of California, Santa Barbara by coach Tim Vom Steeg. Boyden made an immediate impact with the team, playing in 17 games and scoring 4 goals for 8 points. He tied now-professional Tony Lochhead for 4th on the team in scoring.

As a sophomore, Boyden saw an increase in playing time and appeared in 21 games, but only registering 1 point through an assist. However, Boyden led the team to their first ever NCAA playoff appearance.

Nate had to redshirt 2003 due to rehabilitating an injury. For his junior year in 2004, Boyden went straight back into the first team. He appeared in 24 games, starting all of them. He also netted 1 goal, assisted on 4 others for 6 points on the season. With Boyden anchoring the midfield, UCSB soared to new heights and marched unseeded to the 2004 Division I Men's College Cup in Carson, California. Unfortunately, UCSB lost in penalties to Indiana University in the championship game.

2005 marked Nate's final season with the Gauchos. He appeared and started in 20 games while scoring 1 goal and assisting on two more for a final point total of 4. After reaching such great heights last year, 2005 paled in comparison. UCSB bowed out of the NCAA playoffs in the 2nd round to Big West Conference rivals Cal State Northridge. Just like UCSB's season, Nate Boyden's collegiate career ended on Matador Field.

[edit] Professional career

Nate made him self eligible for the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft^[1], but was passed over while fellow teammate Ivan Becerra was drafted. The 2006 USL First Division College Draft came and went as well, leaving Boyden without a team for the first time in years.

It wasn't long before teams came calling for his services. USL First Division side Seattle Sounders, the 2005 USL Champions, soon came calling and invited Boyden to training came. He earned a contract and signed with the Sounders as a free agent on 10 April 2006.^[2] He was eventually released after playing 1 game in 2007.

[edit] Moving On

Following the 2007 season Nate retired from competitive soccer. He plans to go back to school to pursue his PhD in the biological sciences. Nate was a psychology major and sports management minor at UCSB. He wishes to build upon a budding interrest in ecology, anthropology, and evolution. He is looking at opportunities to study both stateside and abroad.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Seattle Sounders Bio
• UC Santa Barbara Bio