Peter Vagenas

Personal information
Full name	Panayiotis Alexiou Vagenas
Date of birth	February 6, 1978 (1978-02-06) (age 31)
Place of birth	Pasadena, California, United States
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Seattle Sounders FC
Number	8
Youth career
1996–1999	UCLA Bruins
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2008	Los Angeles Galaxy	183	(14)
2009–	Seattle Sounders FC	14	(0)
National team‡
2000	United States	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 November, 2009. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 October, 2009

Panayiotis Alexiou "Peter" Vagenas (born February 6, 1978 in Pasadena, California) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.

[edit] Career

[edit] High School and College

Vagenas graduated from Saint Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge, class of 1996, where he captained the team to a CIF Southern Section Championship his senior year, as well as being named CIF SS divisional player of the year. Vagenas played club soccer for Afshin Ghotbi. He played college soccer at UCLA from 1996 to 1999, leading them to the NCAA title in 1997, and finished his career there with 15 goals and 30 assists in 82 games. He was elected team MVP during his campaign at UCLA.

[edit] Professional

Vagenas was drafted by Los Angeles Galaxy in the second round of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft, and subsequently spent nine years with the team, winning the US Open Cup in 2001 and 2005, and the MLS Cup in 2002 and 2005, captaining the team to the 2005 double. Vagenas missed the most part of his last two seasons due to injury, but during his time with Galaxy he scored 14 goals and 12 assists in 183 league appearances, plus added two goals and two assists in the playoffs. He was a fan favorite with the Galaxy due to his energetic play and local roots (earning him the nickname "Pasadena Pete").

On November 26, 2008, Vagenas was selected by Seattle Sounders FC in the 2008 MLS Expansion Draft.^[1]

[edit] International

Vagenas played for the United States in the 2000 Summer Olympics, scoring three goals, all on penalty kicks. He earned his first cap for the senior national team on October 25, 2000 against Mexico, but injuries have curtailed his appearances at the international level. He has earned three caps to date. He was also the captain and leading scorer in the Pan American games in Canada for the USA national team.

[edit] Personal life

Vagenas was born and raised in Pasadena. His parents are Alex and Tashiz Vagenas and he has three siblings, George, Theoni and Dino. Vagenas is married to his wife Mindy.^[2]

[edit] Honors

[edit] Los Angeles Galaxy

• CONCACAF Champions' Cup (1): 2000
• Major League Soccer MLS Cup (2): 2002, 2005
• Major League Soccer Supporters Shield (1): 2002
• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2): 2001, 2005

[edit] Seattle Sounders FC

• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (1): 2009

[edit] See also

• List of current MLS players

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• MLS player profile

v • d • e United States squad – 2000 Summer Olympics 1 Friedel • 2 Dunseth • 3 McCarty • 4 Agoos • 5 O'Brien • 6 Hejduk • 7 DiGiamarino • 8 Califf • 9 Olsen • 10 Vagenas • 11 Albright • 12 Corrales • 13 Donovan • 14 Victorine • 15 Whitfield • 16 Wolff • 17 Casey • 18 Howard • Coach: Charles