Jace Kotsopoulos
Personal information
Full name Jace Dayton Kotsopoulos
Date of birth (1997-12-01) December 1, 1997
Place of birth Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Burlington SC
Youth career
Oakville SC
Dixie SC
Burlington SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2019 Guelph Gryphons 61 (58)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Vaughan Azzurri 1 (3)
2019 Forge FC 3 (2)
2020 York9 FC 1 (0)
2021–2022 Guelph United 24 (20)
2022 FC Berlin 1 (0)
2023– Burlington SC 18 (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of August 23, 2023

Jace Dayton Kotsopoulos (born December 1, 1997) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays for Burlington SC in League1 Ontario.

Early life

Kotsopoulos first played youth soccer with Oakville SC and Dixie SC.[1] He joined Burlington SC at U13 level, playing until 2015 at the U19 level.[2][3] When he was 16, he trained with the Spanish club Real Sociedad youth academy.[1]

University career

Kotsopoulous attended the University of Guelph playing for the men's soccer team for five years, where he set the school's all-time goal scoring record with 58 goals, beating the previous mark by nine goals.[4] In his first season, he led the team with 11 goals, being named an OUA Second Team All-Star.[5][6] In his second year, he led the OUA with 17 goals, being named to the OUA West Second Team All Star for the second year in a row, as Guelph won the OUA title and a national bronze medal.[5][7] During his third year, he missed part of the season due to a meniscus tear and missed most of his fifth and final season due to a sprained ankle.[4] In his third season, despite an injury, he was named an OUA West First Team All-Star and a U Sports Second Team All Canadian after scoring ten goals in nine games.[8][9] In his fourth year, he led the Ontario University Athletics with 15 goals in 17 games, being named the U Sports men’s soccer player of the year as well as the OUA male athlete of the year,[4] named OUA West MVP and an OUA First Team All-Star,[10] and he was also named the U Sports soccer player of the year,[11] and was nominated for the U Sports Male Athlete of the Year.[12][13][14][15] In his final season in 2019, he struggled with injuries, but returned in the quarter-finals to score two goals to help Guelph to the OUA Final Four.[16]

Club career

In 2018, Kotsopoulos played one league match for League1 Ontario side Vaughan Azzurri and scored a hat-trick.[17] He also played in three league cup matches, scoring three goals, including both of his team's goals in a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC III in the final.[18]

On November 12, 2018, Kotsopoulos was drafted 3rd overall by Forge FC in the 2018 CPL–U Sports Draft.[19] On May 16, 2019, he signed a developmental contract with Forge.[20] On June 12, 2019, Kotsopoulos made his debut as a substitute in the Canadian Championship against Cavalry FC.[21] He made his league debut as a substitute the following weekend, scoring the tying goal in a 2–1 come-from-behind win against Valour FC, which qualified Forge for the 2019 CONCACAF League, and made him one of the youngest goalscorers in league history.[22][23] In August 2019, Kotsopoulos opted to return to the University of Guelph to finish his final semester.[24] He finished the season with two goals in five substitute appearances, including an appearance in the CONCACAF League.[23][25]

On August 9, 2020, York9 announced the signing of Kotsopolous.[26][27] He made his debut on August 22 against Valour FC,[28] which was his only appearance in the short 2020 season.

On March 13, 2021, Kotsopoulos became the first ever player to sign with League1 Ontario expansion side Guelph United.[29] In his debut on July 30, he scored a hat trick against FC London.[30] He led the league in scoring in 2021 with 15 goals in the regular season,[31] and helped the team win the league championship, scoring twice in Guelph's 3-1 victory over Blue Devils FC in the championship final.[32] For the 2021 season, he was named West Division MVP, a West Division All-Star, and won the league Golden Boot.[33][34]

In October 2022, he signed with FC Berlin in the United Premier Soccer League.[35]

In January 2023, he joined Burlington SC, his former youth club, in League1 Ontario.[36]

Career statistics

As of August 23, 2023[37]
Club Season League Playoffs Domestic Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vaughan Azzurri 2018[38] League1 Ontario 1300–33–46
Forge FC 2019 Canadian Premier League 320010–1052
York9 FC 2020 Canadian Premier League 10––––10
Guelph United FC 2021[39] League1 Ontario 121523–––1418
2022[40] League1 Ontario 125–10––135
FC Berlin 2022[41] United Premier Soccer League 10––––10
Burlington SC 2023[42] League1 Ontario 18610–––196
Career total 4831332033105737

References

  1. 1 2 "Jace Kotsopoulos profile". Force Academy. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Player's Spotlight – Jace Kotsopoulos". Burlington SC. April 23, 2019.
  3. ↑ "The Boys are Back" (PDF). Burlington SC. January 27, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Massey, Rob (October 7, 2021). "Striking gold: Guelph United's Kotsopoulos filling the net". Guelph Today.
  5. 1 2 "Athlete Spotlight: Jace Kotsopolous, Men's Soccer". Guelph Gryphons.
  6. ↑ "MSCR: Springer, Danielli & Kotsopoulos Named OUA West Division All-Stars". Guelph Gryphons. November 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Burlington players help Guelph win first men's soccer title since 1990". Burlington Post. November 7, 2016.
  8. ↑ "MSCR: OUA Announces Men's Soccer All-Stars". Guelph Gryphons. November 2, 2017.
  9. ↑ "MSCR: Jace Kotsopoulos Named U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian". Guelph Gryphons. November 9, 2017.
  10. ↑ "MSCR: Jace Kotsopoulos Named OUA West MVP, Five Gryphons Named OUA All-Stars". Guelph Gryphons. November 1, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Guelph's Kotsopoulos headlines U SPORTS men's soccer major award winners". U Sports. November 8, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Gryphons men's soccer star Jace Kotsopoulos announced as finalist for 2018-19 U SPORTS Male Athlete of the Year". Guelph Gryphons. April 23, 2018.
  13. ↑ Garbutt, Herb (May 1, 2019). "Honours continue to roll in for Burlington soccer star". Burlington Post.
  14. ↑ Jacques, John (April 23, 2019). "CPL-U SPORTS Draft Pick Kotsopoulos Up For U SPORTS Award". Northern Tribune.
  15. ↑ Carter Smith, Cecelia (May 10, 2019). "Gryphon soccer star OUA nominee for top prize in country". Hamilton Spectator.
  16. ↑ "MSCR Recap: Kotsopoulos Returns; Leads Gryphons to OUA Final Four". Guelph Gryphons. October 27, 2019.
  17. ↑ Ghaffaribarzi, Mahdi (July 16, 2018). "First Half Scoring Bonanza As Vaughan Beats Alliance 4-2". League1 Ontario.
  18. ↑ Cheng, Jonathan (August 5, 2018). "Kotsopolous Brace Earns Vaughan L1 Cup 2018 Championship Over TFC III". League1 Ontario.
  19. ↑ "Forge FC nabs U SPORTS star Jace Kotsopoulos in 1st round of inaugural CPL-U SPORTS Draft". Canadian Premier League. November 13, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Forge FC signs Jace Kotsopoulos to U SPORTS development contract". Canadian Premier League. May 16, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Nine Stripes snap up Jace Kotsopoulos". York9 FC. August 9, 2020.
  22. ↑ Milton, Steve (June 19, 2019). "Burlington's Jace Kotsopoulos is making sudden impact on Forge FC fortunes". The Hamilton Spectator.
  23. 1 2 Jacques, John (August 17, 2019). "Jace Kotsopoulos Returns To Guelph University". Northern Tribune.
  24. ↑ Bedakian, Armen. "Forge's Jace Kotsopoulos returns to Guelph University". Canadian Premier League.
  25. ↑ Jacques, John (August 6, 2020). "Jace Kotsopoulos Set To Make CPL Return". Northern Tribune.
  26. ↑ "York9 replaces Nicholas Hamilton with Jace Kotsopoulos for The Island Games". Canadian Premier League. August 9, 2020.
  27. ↑ Jacques, John (August 9, 2020). "Breaking: Jace Kotsopoulos Joins York9 FC". Northern Tribune.
  28. ↑ Jacques, John (August 22, 2021). "York9 Battles Valour To Hotly Contested Draw". Northern Tribune.
  29. ↑ Jacques, John (March 14, 2021). "Guelph United Makes Inaugural Signing In Jace Kotsopoulos". Northern Tribune.
  30. ↑ Jacques, John (August 1, 2021). "Canadian Premier League Athletes To Watch In League1 Ontario". Northern Tribune.
  31. ↑ Hodges, Mike (October 29, 2021). "Guelph United F.C. hosts first playoff game this weekend". Global News.
  32. ↑ Cheng, Jonathan (November 7, 2021). "Guelph United downs Blue Devils 3-1 to win 2021 L1O Men's title, qualify for CanChamp". League1 Ontario.
  33. ↑ Thompson, Marty (December 22, 2021). "2021 L1O Men's Premier Division Awards: Guelph sweeps West; Phillip & Kotsopoulos take MVP". League1 Ontario.
  34. ↑ Jacques, John (December 23, 2021). "Six Former CPL Talents Named In League1 Ontario Awards". Northern Tribune.
  35. ↑ Almada, Gabriel (14 October 2022). "FC Berlin announces its transfer deadline additions". FC Berlin.
  36. ↑ Jacques, John (January 27, 2023). "Burlington SC Signs Hometown Striker Jace Kotsopoulos". Northern Tribune.
  37. ↑ Jace Kotsopoulos at Soccerway
  38. ↑ "Jace Dayton Kotsopoulos 2018 Stats". League1 Ontario.
  39. ↑ "Jace Kotsopoulos 2021 Stats". League1 Ontario.
  40. ↑ "Jace Kotsopoulos 2022 Stats". League1 Ontario.
  41. ↑ "FC Berlin Stats 2022". United Premier Soccer League.
  42. ↑ "Jace Kotsopoulos 2023 Stats". League1 Ontario.
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