Brian Maisonneuve

Brian Maisonneuve (born June 28, 1973) is an American retired soccer player and current coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. He spent his entire professional career as a defensive midfielder with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. He was a member of the U.S. soccer teams at both the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 1998 FIFA World Cup, earning a total of thirteen caps with the U.S. national team.

Brian Maisonneuve

Maisonneuve in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth	(1973-06-28) June 28, 1973 (age 52)
Place of birth	Warren, Michigan, United States
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1983–1989	Carpathia Kickers
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1994	Indiana Hoosiers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2004	Columbus Crew	172	(23)
International career
1997–2002	United States	13	(0)
Managerial career
2005–2008	United States U-17 (assistant)
2008–2010	Louisville Cardinals (assistant)
2010–2017	Indiana Hoosiers (assistant)
2018–	Ohio State Buckeyes
Medal record Representing  United States Winner CONCACAF Gold Cup 2002 Men's Soccer
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Youth and college

Maisonneuve was born in Warren, Michigan. He played for the Carpathia Kickers in Metro Detroit as a child and teen.^{[citation needed]} He played his high school soccer at De La Salle Collegiate High School of Warren, Michigan.^[1] He played college soccer at Indiana University from 1991 to 1994, winning the Hermann Trophy his senior season, as well as finishing his career as the Big Ten's all-time top goalscorer with 44, and helping Indiana to the NCAA Championship game, losing 1–2 to Virginia.^[1][2]

Club career

Maisonneuve was allocated to the Columbus Crew for the 1996 MLS season, becoming one of two players without any pro experience on the league's initial allocation list; the other was Damian Silvera.^{[citation needed]} He scored the first hat-trick in Columbus Crew history in a match versus the Kansas City Wiz.^[3] Maisonneuve would quickly earn a starting spot with the Crew, and would hold on to it for the next 8 years.^{[citation needed]} He started 83 games for the Crew between 1996 and 1999.^[4]

Before the 2000 season, he suffered a series of devastating ankle injuries, forcing him to sit out the season and threatening his career.^[2][3] Maisonneuve returned in 2001, however, and slotted right back into his starting role,^[2][4] scoring a career-high eight goals in that season. He would remain there for the next three years, before finally losing his spot when the Crew acquired Simon Elliott prior to the 2004 season;^{[citation needed]} Maisonneuve would go on to play only nine games in 2004.^[4]

By Major League Soccer's ninth year, Maisonneuve was one of only two players to have played for a single club throughout that period, and when he retired after the season, he left Cobi Jones as the lone player with that distinction.^{[citation needed]} Maisonneuve scored 25 goals and 41 assists across all competitions for the Columbus Crew.^[3]

International career

After graduating from Indiana University, Maisonneuve spent 1995 training with the U.S. Olympic Team; he later played in the 1996 Summer Olympics.^[1] During his professional career, Maisonneuve was a fringe player for the United States national team, totaling just 13 caps with the team.^[1] Despite his limited playing time, Maisonneuve did play all three of the United States' games at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.^[1]

Coaching career

Following his retirement in 2004, Maisonneuve joined the United States U-17 team as an assistant coach, spending four years there.^[5] In 2008, he joined the Louisville Cardinals men's soccer team coaching staff as an assistant coach.^[5] He would stay with the team for two years, during which time they had a 24–11–4 record.^[6] In 2010 Maisonneuve joined the Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer team coaching staff as an assistant coach. During his tenure, he helped the team to an NCAA Division I Championship in 2012, a regular season championship in 2010, a Big Ten Tournament Championship in 2013, and an overall record of 102–42–34.^[6] On April 23, 2018, Maisonneuve was announced as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes men's soccer team.^[6]

Style of play

Described as a "versatile midfielder," Maisonneuve has been noted for his passing, teamwork, and slide-tackling ability.^[3]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Open Cup		North America		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Columbus Crew	1996	Major League Soccer	15	5			–	–
	1997		32	3			–	–
	1998		13	3			–	–
	1999		29	2			–	–
	2000		0	0			–	–
	2001		25	8			–	–
	2002		26	1			–	–
	2003		23	1
	2004		9	5			–	–
Career total			172	23

Honors

Columbus Crew

• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: 2002^[1]
• MLS Supporters' Shield: 2004^[7]

Ohio State

• Big Ten regular season champion: 2024
• Big Ten tournament champion: 2024

Individual

• Hermann Trophy: 1994^[1]
• MLS All-Star: 1999,^[8] 2002^[3]
• Big Ten Coach of the Year
• 2024 United Soccer Coaches College Coach of the Year