Ned Grabavoy

Youth and college

Grabavoy played his youth soccer with the Chicago Magic Soccer Club under coach Mike Matkovich from U12 through U19. Grabavoy's U16 Chicago Magic team was credited with winning the Chicago Magic Soccer Clubs first National Youth Soccer Club Association Championship in 1999. Grabavoy attended Lincoln-Way Central High School where Grabavoy received in 1998 and 1999 an All-American Award by the National Soccer Coaches Association and led the Knights to two straight Illinois State Class AA Championship games. Grabavoy was the recipient of the Gatorade 2000-01 National High School Player of the Year Awarded and named the NHSCA National Senior Athlete of the Year award. Grabavoy played three years of college soccer for Indiana University Hoosiers men's soccer under legendary coach Jerry Yeagley. Grabavoy was a unanimous All Big-10 and US All-American selection as a sophomore and was voted an NCAA First Team All-American as a junior. Grabavoy led Indiana University to a 2003 Men's NCAA Championship title his third year.

Professional

Grabavoy played for coach Mike Matkovich with the Chicago Fire Reserves in the Premier Development League and signed a Project-40 contract with MLS, and was subsequently selected 14th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by the Los Angeles Galaxy and Coach Sigi Schmid. In his first year with the Galaxy, Grabavoy played 928 minutes, registering a goal and three assists. He added three assists in his second season,…