NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Mariners Sign Roy Lassiter

November 13, 2002 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Virginia Beach Mariners News Release


Virginia Beach – The Virginia Beach Mariners signed Roy Lassiter for the 2003 A-League season shortly after he was waived by DC United. During his seven-year professional career, Lassiter has scored 88 goals in 179 regular-season games, which makes him the all-time leading scorer in the history of Major League Soccer (MLS). In addition to being the league’s all-time scorer, Lassiter holds the MLS record for most goals scored in a single season (27 in 1996). With 13 goals in 21 post-season appearances, the thirty-three year old also holds the all-time record for most goals scored in MLS playoff games.

Team owner Mike Field said “Roy Lassiter has been the best scorer in MLS since the league started in 1996, and remains a consummate box player with great instincts and tremendous physical talents.” “There are many brilliant technical players in both MLS and the A-League who we could have signed, but Lassiter scores goals and goals win games,” Field added.

Lassiter started his MLS career in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny. After playing 60 games and scoring 37 goals (including seven game-winners) for Tampa Bay, Lassiter was traded to DC United for Roy Wegerle in April 1998. Lassiter jump-started DC United's attack and ended the 1998 season as the club's leading scorer with 18 goals in 25 games. The following year, Lassiter returned as the teamÂ’s leading scorer in the regular season, and then moved into the playoffs to score three goals and register the assist that won DC United the 1999 MLS championship.

Lassiter moved to the Miami Fusion for the 2000 season, where he made eight goals and nine assists in 27 games. In February 2001, Miami traded Lassiter to the Kansas City Wizards in exchange for Chris Henderson. When he scored the WizardsÂ’ game-winning goal against Tampa Bay on June 2, 2001, Lassiter became the first MLS player to pass the 200-point plateau. In June 2002, the Wizards waived Lassiter to make room in their salary cap for a new international player, Igor Simutenkov. Lassiter returned for a second tour of duty with DC United and played 12 games before the end of the 2002 season.

Lassiter has also made 29 appearances with the U.S. National Team. He played three seasons at North Carolina State, where he was named All-American and All-ACC after scoring 22 goals as a senior, and led the ACC in goals (18) and points (40) as a junior.

• Discuss this story on the USL First Division message board...

USL First Division Stories from November 13, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Virginia Beach Mariners Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central