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J. J. Koval

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J. J. Koval
Koval in 2014
Personal information
Full name Jeffrey Koval, Jr.
Date of birth (1992-05-19) May 19, 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Westlake Village, California, United States
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defensive Midfielder
Youth career
2007–2010 Real So Cal
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Stanford Cardinal 74 (6)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 Ventura County Fusion 3 (0)
2014–2015 San Jose Earthquakes 37 (0)
2014Sacramento Republic (loan) 2 (1)
2016 Sacramento Republic 27 (1)
Total 69 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of December 21, 2016

Jeffrey "J. J." Koval Jr. (born May 19, 1992) is a former American soccer player who last played for Sacramento Republic in the United Soccer League.

Career

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Youth and College

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Koval played youth soccer for Real So Cal in his local area before signing a National Letter of Intent to play for Stanford Cardinal. For Stanford, Koval was a regular starter all four years for the program as a holding midfielder, appearing in all of Stanford's 74 games during that span, starting 73 of them.[1]

Professional

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Koval was drafted ninth overall in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes. He subsequently signed a contract. On March 11, 2014, Koval made his professional debut for the Earthquakes in a CONCACAF Champions League match against Toluca, coming on for Jason Hernandez in the 73rd minute.[2]

Koval was released by San Jose on February 27, 2016.[3]

After spending the 2016 season with the Sacramento Republic, Koval announced his retirement from professional soccer on December 21, 2016, to pursue a career in dentistry at Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska.[4]

Personal

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Koval is married to Karli Koval.[5]

Koval also credits much of his later personal development to a friend whom he met in Omaha, Nebraska during dental school: Austin Gouldsmith. The two met in 2019 and remain close friends. JJ made the most of his Creighton dental education. He helped a local Omaha resident Levi Gipson reduce molar wear by recommending less popcorn kernel gnawing, and he also served in Los Cerezos, Dominican Republic; there he completed two weeks worth of extractions, cleanings, and fillings at a makeshift dental clinic set up in the local school.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "JJ Koval Biography". GoStanford.com. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  2. ^ "San Jose Earthquakes v Toluca recap". MLSSoccer.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  3. ^ "Earthquakes Waive Midfielder JJ Koval". February 27, 2016.
  4. ^ Ralph, Eddie (December 21, 2016). "SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC MIDFIELDER JJ KOVAL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT". Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  5. ^ Paterson, Bill (July 2, 2016). "Republic FC players set aside day jobs to play under lights". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  6. ^ "Dental students return to the Dominican Republic". April 28, 2022.
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