Striker Josh Wolff Rejoins Wizards
Wolff played most recently in 34 games over the last two seasons (2 goals) with 1860 Munich in the German Second Bundesliga and currently has 52 caps and 9 goals for the U.S. National Team.
"Josh Wolff is a player we know well and we are very excited to bring him back to the Kansas City Wizards," Technical Director Peter Vermes said. "We are glad to have the opportunity to do this and we told him when he left that we had always valued him as a person and player. He has great speed and ability to stretch out the field."
The Wizards first obtained Wolff in a trade with the Chicago Fire on January 7, 2003 in exchange for a first round selection (#3 overall) in the 2003 SuperDraft. Wolff played five years with the Fire (1998-2002) before his four-year stint in Kansas City. Wolff won two Team MVP and Golden Boot trophies (2004 and 2005) and played a key part in the 2004 season where the Wizards played in the MLS Cup and won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship. The Stone Mountain, Georgia native has played with 11 current Wizards teammates and is set to rejoin the club in the middle of next week and will be able to play in MLS games after the transfer window July 15th.
"I am very excited to be back in Kansas City," Wolff said. "My family and I obviously have great ties here and it was a difficult decision to leave the first time, but it was something that we had to do. In coming back to the United States and MLS, Kansas City was first and foremost in our minds. It is a new organization, new management and new staff and all I have heard are great things. KC is a tremendous city and the fans have always been wonderful."
Overall in Major League Soccer, the two-time all-star (2002 and 2004) has netted 59 goals and garnered 35 assists in 164 games. He has won four championships (two MLS Cups and two U.S. Open Cups), to go along with playing in the 2000 Olympics and 2002 World Cup. The 5'9", 160 pound forward attended the University of South Carolina, where he scored 21 goals and added eight assists helping the Gamecocks to two straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
"Josh (Wolff) is a player that we attempted to sign when (Technical Director) Peter Vermes and I first took over," Head Coach Curt Onalfo said. "He's a guy we've always wanted. He's a national team player and an extremely good attacking player. We look forward to getting him incorporated into the team as quickly as possible. I coached him on the U.S. National Team and look forward to coaching him for the Kansas City Wizards."
Josh Wolff
Position: Forward
Height: 5-9
Weight: 160
Born: February 25, 1977
Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA
College: University of South Carolina
Last Club: 1860 Munich (Second Bundesliga)
Family: Married to Angela; two sons, Tyler and Owen
Highlights:
• Led U.S. Pro-40 Select and was among the A-League's leading scorers in 1998, scoring 12 goals in 25 games ... Scored the first hat trick in U.S. Pro-40 Select history on July 11 vs. the Jacksonville Cyclones ... Made 14 MLS appearances in his first season with the Fire, appearing in 12 straight at the end of the season ... Helped the Fire on their way to winning the rare "double" in his and the club's inaugural season, as they took the league championship (MLS Cup '98) and the open national championship (1998 U.S. Open Cup) ...Allocated to the Chicago Fire as a Project-40 player in 1998.
• Tallied 18 goals and five assists for 41 points in 42 regular season games during his first two seasons for the Chicago Fire (1998 & 1999).
• Helped the Chicago Fire to an appearance in MLS Cup 2000 (Kansas City Wizards beat Chicago Fire 1-0) and a victory in the 2000 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in October.
• Starred on the 2000 U.S. Olympic team. Wolff scored 2 goals and had 2 assists in 6 matches, leading the Americans to a 4th-place finish.
• Enjoyed a career year in 2004, setting career highs for games started (25), minutes played (2,252), assists (7) and points (27) ... His 10 goals also matched a career high ... Named a 2004 MLS All-Star, his second such honor (2002 & 2004) ... Led the team in scoring with 27 points (10g, 7a) and tied for fourth in MLS ... Scored one playoff goal and assist in helping the Wizards to the MLS Cup final...Was named Wizards Team MVP.
• In 2005 Wolff continued his solid attacking form in league play, equaling his 2004 total of 10 goals while adding a career best 10 assists...Led his team in scoring for the second consecutive year en route to be named the Wizards Most Valuable Player.
• Wolff has 27 goals and 20 assists in only 80 games for the Wizards and 59 goals and 35 assists in his MLS career.
• He was also an important member of the U.S. team that reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan. The forward recorded the game-winning assist on Brian McBride's goal in the 8th minute of the United States' dramatic 2-0 win over Mexico in the "Round of 16", helping them to advance to the World Cup Quarterfinals. Wolff has played in 52 games for the U.S. National teams and has scored nine goals.
TRANSACTION: The Kansas City Wizards sign forward Josh Wolff. Per League and team policies, financial details are not disclosed. The Wizards retained his MLS rights during his tenure at 1860 Munich.
