Aaron Molloy
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 11 January 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Dublin,Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Charleston Battery | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2014–2015 | Bohemians | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016 | Keiser Seahawks | 15 | (4) |
| 2017–2019 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 50 | (14) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016 | Drogheda United | 13 | (2) |
| 2016–2018 | Reading United | 26 | (12) |
| 2020 | Portland Timbers 2 | 15 | (1) |
| 2021 | Forward Madison | 27 | (4) |
| 2022–2023 | Memphis 901 | 66 | (10) |
| 2024– | Charleston Battery | 3 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2023 | |||
Aaron Molloy(born 11 January 1997) is an Irish professionalfootballerwho plays as amidfielderfor theCharleston Batteryin theUSL Championship.
Youth and college
[edit]Molloy played for theBohemiansacademy for the 2014–15 season, as well as a short season in 2015 where he served as captain. He received the Bohemians U19 player of the year award for the 2014–15 season.[1]
College
[edit]After a season withDrogheda Unitedin Ireland, Molloy decided to move to the United States to playcollege soccer.[2]He played and started in 15 matches as a freshman atKeiser University,recording his first appearance againstTexas Wesleyanon 9 September 2016 and scoring his first goal atSt. Thomason 19 October. Molloy earned Sun Conference Freshman of the Year and second-team All-Conference honors.[3]
In his first season atPenn State,Molloy appeared in 16 matches. He made his Nittany Lions debut againstHofstraon 25 August 2017 and scored his first goal atUC Irvineon 1 September. In his junior season, Molloy was a team captain and appeared in 15 matches.[4]He earnedBig Tenpreseason honors, All-Big Ten second team andUnited Soccer CoachesAll-North Region third-team. In his senior season, Molloy was again a team captain and appeared in 19 matches.[5]
Club career
[edit]The first senior appearance for Molloy was for Irish clubDrogheda United,where in 2016 he played in 13 matches and scored two goals. After the season, Molloy paused his professional career and went to the United States to playcollege soccerforKeiser UniversityandPenn State University.Molloy began playing with thePhiladelphia Union’sPremier Development LeagueaffiliateReading United ACin 2016, appearing with the club for three seasons. He was named the PDL Young Player of the Year in 2017.[6]
Molloy was invited to the 2020MLS Combine,and was subsequently drafted byPortland Timberswith the 16th pick of the2020 MLS SuperDraft.Molloy signed withPortland Timbers 2in theUSL Championship,the club that serves as a reserve squad for thePortland Timbers.[7][2]Molloy made his Timbers debut on 18 July 2020, starting in a 3–0 loss toTacoma Defiance.[8]
On February 17, 2021, Molloy signed withUSL League OneclubForward Madison FC.[9]
On January 11, 2022, Molloy moved toUSL ChampionshipsideMemphis 901.[10]He left Memphis following the 2023 season.[11]
Molloy signed a multi-year contract with theCharleston Batteryin December 2023.[12]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of 27 May 2024[13]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup | Other[b] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Drogheda United | 2016 | League of Ireland Premier Division | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Reading United | 2016[14] | PDL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2017[15] | 11 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | 14 | 8 | |||
| 2018[15] | 13 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | 19 | 5 | |||
| Total | 26 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 36 | 14 | ||
| Portland Timbers 2 | 2020 | USL Championship | 15 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | ||
| Forward Madison | 2021 | USL League One | 27 | 4 | — | — | — | 27 | 4 | |||
| Memphis 901 | 2022 | USL Championship | 33 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 36 | 8 | |
| 2023 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |||
| Total | 66 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 73 | 10 | ||
| Charleston Battery | 2024 | USL Championship | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 159 | 31 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 178 | 33 | ||
- ^All appearances in theU.S. Open Cup
- ^All appearances in league playoffs
Personal life
[edit]Molloy is the son ofTrevor Molloy,a fellow Irish footballer who played for teams in Ireland. Molloy studied for a Bachelor of Science degree in recreation, park, and tourism management from the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State.[2][4]
Awards
[edit]- PDL Young Player of the Year[16]
- Big Ten Midfielder of the Year[2]
- All-Big Ten first team[2]
- All-Big Ten second team[4]
- TopDrawerSoccer 2019 Best XI First Team[17]
- United Soccer Coaches All-North Region First Team[18]
- United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team.[18]
- United Soccer Coaches All-North Region third-team member[4]
- Sun Conference Freshman of the Year[2]
- All-Sun Conference second team[4]
- 2xUSL ChampionshipAll-League First Team:2022,[19]2023[20]
References
[edit]- ^"Aaron Molloy at Extratime.ie".Extratime.ie.Extratime.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^abcdefFinn, Sam (24 May 2020)."Blog #2 Aaron Molloy" Just take the step.. "".SSUSA.co.uk.Scholarship Sports USA.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^"Aaron Molloy - 2016 - #22 Men's Soccer".Keiser University Athletics.Keiser University.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^abcde"Aaron Molloy - Men's Soccer".Go PSU Sports.Penn State University Athletics.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^"2019 Men's Soccer Cumulative Statistics".Penn State University Athletics.Penn State University.
- ^Davidson, Jim (4 October 2018)."The 'Irish Messi': Aaron Molloy's Trans-Atlantic Odyssey".OnwardState.Onward State.Retrieved20 July2020.
- ^"Timbers select midfielder Aaron Molloy in first round of 2020 MLS SuperDraft".Portland Timbers.Major League Soccer.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^"Tacoma Defiance vs. Portland Timbers 2 - July 18, 2020".USLChampionship.
- ^"Forward Madison makes high-profile addition in midfielder Aaron Molloy".Forward Madison FC.Forward Madison FC.Retrieved17 February2020.
- ^"Memphis Acquires League One All-League Selection Aaron Molloy".11 January 2022.
- ^"Memphis 901 FC Announces Initial Roster Moves Following 2023 Season".
- ^"Aaron Molloy signs with Charleston Battery on multi-year deal".CharlestonBattery.Charleston Battery.Retrieved5 December2023.
- ^Aaron Molloyat Soccerway. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^"Aaron Molloy – PDL profile".USLLeagueTwo.Premier Development League.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^ab"Aaron Molloy – Reading United profile".ReadingUnitedAC.Reading United AC.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^Ralph, Matthew (25 August 2017)."Reading United standout Aaron Molloy ready for bigger stage at Penn State".Brotherly Game.SBNation.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^"2019 Men's Division I Postseason Awards | College Soccer".TopDrawerSoccer.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^abAaron MolloyatMajor League Soccer
- ^"USL Championship Announces 2022 All-League Teams".uslchampionship.Tampa, FL: USL. November 1, 2022.Archivedfrom the original on November 1, 2022.RetrievedNovember 1,2022.
- ^"USL Championship Announces 2023 All-League Teams".7 November 2023.
External links
[edit]- 1997 births
- Living people
- Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
- Association footballers from Dublin (city)
- Men's association football midfielders
- Bohemian F.C. players
- Drogheda United F.C. players
- Memphis 901 FC players
- Penn State Nittany Lions men's soccer players
- Reading United AC players
- Portland Timbers draft picks
- Portland Timbers 2 players
- Forward Madison FC players
- League of Ireland players
- USL Championship players
- USL League One players
- USL League Two players
- Republic of Ireland expatriate men's association footballers
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Irish expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Charleston Battery players