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No. 95 Jeff Cunningham

Jeff Cunningham ranks No. 3 all-time at USF in points with his 41 goals and 36 assists. Tribune file photo
Jeff Cunningham: Crystal River '93 Highlights: First-round draft pick by the Columbus Crew in 1998 MLS college draft (ninth overall). ... As a rookie, appeared in 25 games, starting eight... Scored eight goals and had one assist for 17 points. ... Registered his 17 points in just 1076 minutes, ranking him 11th all-time for points per game for players over 1000 minutes played at 1.42 per game. ... Was the fourth leading scorer for Crew as rookie. ... Had his first multiple-goal game of his career by tallying two second-half goals in a 3-2 loss at Miami in `98 season. ... Made two playoff appearances in `98 but missed the first round series against NY/NJ because of a sprained knee. ... Finished his career at USF with 41 goals and 36 assists for 118 points...Played in 63 games at USF, starting 60. ... Conference USA Player of the Year as a senior and two-time third-team All-American ... Three-time first-team Conference USA selection and a first-team All-Metro pick as a freshman. ... Finished his Bulls' career ranked third all-time in points (118), third all-time for assists (36) and seventh all-time in goals (41) ... Surpassed former Bulls and MLS stars Mark Chung and Roy Wegerle in every offensive category ... Conference USA Player of the Year in `97 ... Metro Conference Rookie of the Year in `94 ... Attended Crystal River High School, where he was an all-county and all-conference selection from 1991-93 ... Set school records for goals (43) and assists (25). Today: Cunningham, 23, is in his second year in MLS as a reserve striker for the Columbus Crew. As of Sept. 17, he had scored eight goals and five assists this year, ranking him 18th among MLS scorers and fourth in points per game (1.59). He scored both goals in the Crew's 2-1 win over the San Jose Clash last May at Spartan Stadium and became the first Crew player to be named MLS Player of the Week during the 1999 season. Resides in Columbus and is a spokesman for The Crew's "Kicks for Kids'' program which affords underprivileged children an opportunity to come to Crew games.

After spending the first 14 years of his life in Jamaica, Jeff Cunningham said moving to Crystal River was something of a culture shock. For one thing, soccer wasn't the game every kid dreamed of playing professionally some day. And in Cunningham's book, that was just about the only dream he ever had.

Apart from a stint on Pirates' football team as the kicker, Cunningham, now one of the most feared strikers in Major League Soccer, hasn't allowed his dream to be derailed.

"It didn't matter where, I just always knew I'd be making my living from playing soccer someday,'' said Cunningham, who is in his second season with the Columbus Crew. "I've set pretty high standards for myself and I think that's how I've made it this far.''

Cunningham emigrated to Crystal River to join his mother, who had moved there several years earlier to find work as a nurse. He quickly made an impact in Citrus County with the soccer skills he learned playing with his older brother, Boclair, on often less-than-perfect soccer fields of Jamaica. Before he graduated from Crystal River, he set school records for goals (43) and assists (25).

Over the next four years, he helped the University of South Florida to national prominence with appearances in the 1996 and 1997 NCAA tournaments. He finished his Bulls career with three all-conference selections, two league scoring titles and ranked No. 3 all-time at USF in points with his 41 goals and 36 assists.

Little wonder he was a highly-coveted college player in the 1998 MLS draft. Even though the Tampa Bay Mutiny had a chance to select him, they passed over Cunningham. Instead, he was taken in the first round by Columbus by coach Tom Fitzgerald, a former University of Tampa coach known for his fondness of soccer players from the Caribbean.

"There's plenty of things Jeff still has to work on and he simply has to mature as a player but there's no question he has the raw talent to play in this league,'' Fitzgerald said. "His speed and ability to take players on makes him a very difficult player to defend in the open field. And above all else, he just has a lot of natural talent for the game.''

Cunningham hasn't disappointed coaches, fans or teammates in Columbus. In his rookie season, he appeared in 25 games, started eight and scored eight goals and one assist. That production in just 1,076 minutes of play ranked him 11th all-time for points per game at 1.42. He even had a two-goal performance, two game-winning goals and a game-winning assist as the Crew reached the conference finals in the playoffs.

This year, Cunningham has again been used primarily as a reserve striker behind two players who are starters for their national teams: Stern John of Trinidad & Tobago and Brian McBride of the United States. But his game seems to have taken big strides over last season. He's less apt to be caught offsides and doesn't try to try to take on as many defenders by himself as he used to.

Like always, he has made his presence felt when on the field this season, scoring eight goals and five assists in eight starts and 1,191 minutes of play. He's currently 18th among the league's scorers and fourth in points per game (1.59).

"He's more mature now,'' said John, last year's MLS scoring champion. "He's gone to another level and his game is more complete.''

Cunningham is striving to reach even higher levels, including a starting spot with the Crew, a place on the Jamaican national team and, like John, a job overseas with a club in England. Cunningham recently earned his first international appearance for Jamaica when he joined the "Reggae Boyz'' on a trip to Africa.

Cunningham's ultimate dream: to play for four-time European Cup winners Liverpool.

"I look at guys like (former Crew goalkeeper) Brad Friedel who is playing there now and Stern, who has one foot out the door toward England, and believe I can do that if I put my mind to it,'' Cunningham said. "But at the same time, I know I have to keep my focus on my job here and keep getting better to realize those dreams.''

Up next, No. 94: Terry Rupp, a championship athlete at Jesuit High, matures into a championship coach at the University of Tampa.