Ned Grabavoy is an American professional soccer player who currently plays as a midfielder for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.
Education
Grabavoy played his youth soccer with the Chicago Magic Soccer Club under coach Mark Powell. Grabavoy attended Lincoln-Way Central High School, a large suburban Chicago school, where he played under coach Brian Papa. He led the Knights to two straight Illinois State Class Associate of Arts Championship games, and as a senior, was named the 2000-2001 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year.
Grabavoy played three years of college soccer for the Indiana University Hoosiers.
Grabavoy was a unanimous All Big-10 selection as a sophomore, and was voted an National Collegiate Athletic Association First Team All-American as a junior. Grabavoy led Indiana University to an National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship his third year.
Career
Youth and College Professional Following his junior season, Grabavoy played for coach Mike Matkovich with the Chicago Fire Reserves in the Premier Development League, and signed a Project-40 contract with Master of Library Science, and was subsequently selected 14th overall in the 2004 Master of Library Science SuperDraft by the Los Angeles Galaxy. In his first year with the Galaxy, Grabavoy played 928 minutes, registering a goal and three assists. In May 2006, Grabavoy was traded to the Crew in a four-player deal.
Grabavoy was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2007 Master of Library Science Expansion Draft.
He was waived by the club on March 3, 2009, but was picked up by Real Salt Lake in the Waiver Draft later that same day. Grabavoy scored the winning penalty kick on November 14, 2009 at Chicago Fire to give Real Salt Lake their first conference championship and first trip to the Master of Library Science Cup final.
Real Salt Lake beat Los Angeles Galaxy in the final for it first championship. He scored his first Real Salt Lake goal on May 29, 2010 against the Kansas City Wizards at Rio Tinto Stadium, the fourth goal in a 4-1 RSL victory.
In January 2012, RSL signed Grabavoy to a contract extension through the 2013 season.
The following month the contract was extended an additional year through 2014. On December 10, 2014, Grabavoy was selected second overall by New York City Football Club in the 2014 Master of Library Science Expansion Draft (following the selection of 2013 Goaltender of the Year Donovan Ricketts by Orlando City South Carolina). After his release from New York City, Grabavoy signed with Portland Timbers on January 12, 2016.
International Grabavoy has also had a significant role with United States national youth teams, including the U-20 team, which he played for in the Fédération internationale de football association World Youth Championship, and more recently the U-23 team
Los Angeles Galaxy Real Salt Lake.