Jennifer Tietjen-Prozzo (née Tietjen; born July 14, 1977) is an American retired soccer player who used to play for the Philadelphia Charge.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Jennifer Tietjen | ||
| Date of birth | July 14, 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Mineola, New York | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder / Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Cold Spring Harbor Thumpers | |||
| Huntington High School | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1998 | UConn Huskies | 97 | (16) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–2000 | Long Island Lady Riders | ||
| 2001–2003 | Philadelphia Charge | 59 | (2) |
| 2003 | Western Massachusetts Lady Pioneers | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Early life and education
editTietjen-Prozzo and her identical twin sister, Margaret, were born in 1977;[1] they have two older brothers.[2] The sisters played with the Cold Spring Harbor Thumpers, where they won multiple Long Island Junior Soccer League and Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association titles.[1]
They attended Huntington High School.[3] In 1994, the sisters were named All-Americans and Co-Players of the Year in New York and helped their team win the state title.[3]
Following their graduation in 1995, Tietjen-Prozzo attended the University of Connecticut, receiving a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and exercise science in 1999.[3][4] She has also received a coaching diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.[4][5]
Career
editCollege soccer
editWhile attending the University of Connecticut, Tietjen-Prozzo played for the university's soccer team.[3] Providing 64 assists across 97 games, Tietjen-Prozzo became an assist record holder, providing 23 assists her sophomore year and 22 her junior year.[3] In 1997, she was named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP). The following year, she was a finalist for Soccer Buzz's Player of the Year.[3] On three separate occasions, she was named a First Team All-Big East, All-Northeast, and All-New England honoree.[3]
Professional career
editIn 1997, Tietjen-Prozzo made her debut in the USL W-League playing for the Long Island Lady Riders.[6] She remained with the team until 2000 and served as team captain.[4]
In 2001, Tietjen-Prozzo was drafted for the Philadelphia Charge,[1][5] a Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) team. She remained on the team until WUSA suspended operations.[3] At the end of her first season, Tietjen-Prozzo was named team caption and remained in the position for the remainder of her tenure with the team.[3][4] In 2002, she was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.[4]
In 2003, she played for the Western Massachusetts Lady Pioneers, where she served as team captain.[4]
Coaching
editTietjen-Prozzo began her career as an assistant at Central Connecticut State University prior to the 2004 season.[4][5] In her tenure, the team has received numerous titles, including nine Northeast Conference Regular Season titles and eight Northeast Conference Tournament titles.[4] She has also received personal honors, including the United Soccer Coaches Regional Coaching Staff of the Year award twice, the Northeast Conference Team Sportsmanship Award twice, and the NEWISA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year.[4]
Personal life
editTietjen-Prozzo married Darren Prozzo in 2001.[3] As of 2012, the couple lived in Southington, Connecticut with their two children.[3][4]
Honors
editIn 2019, both Tietjen-Prozzo and her sister were inducted into the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame.[1][6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Lewis, Michael (2019-02-23). "Tietjen twins now inseparable as Hall of Famers". Newsday. Archived from the original on 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ^ "Two of a Kind". Hartford Courant. 1998-11-18. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Blue Devil Great Jen Tietjen a College Coach". Huntington Schools, New York. 2012-02-12. Archived from the original on 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Jen Prozzo". Central Connecticut State. Archived from the original on 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ^ a b c "Picture Perfect Coaches". Hartford Courant. 2004-09-09. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ^ a b Robinson, Pam (2019-02-20). "Blue Devil Soccer Stars Headed for Hall of Fame". Huntington Now. Archived from the original on 2023-05-29. Retrieved 2023-08-05.