View source for Roy Lassiter

{{Short description|American soccer player (born 1969)}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Roy Lassiter
| fullname = Roy Lee Lassiter
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|3|9|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Washington, D.C.]], United States
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}
| position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| youthyears1 = 1985–1988
| youthyears2 = 1989
| youthyears3 = 1989
| youthyears4 = 1990–1992
| youthclubs1 = Athens Drive
| youthclubs2 = Raleigh United
| youthclubs3 = [[Lees-McRae College]]
| youthclubs4 = [[NC State Wolfpack]]
| years1 = 1992–1993
| years2 = 1993–1994
| years3 = 1994–1996
| years4 = 1996–1998
| years5 = 1996–1997
| years6 = 1998–1999
| years7 = 2000
| years8 = 2001–2002
| years9 = 2002
| years10= 2003
| years11= 2004
| clubs1 = [[A.D. Turrialba|Turrialba]]
| clubs2 = [[Asociación Deportiva Carmelita|Carmelita]]
| clubs3 = [[L.D. Alajuelense|Alajuelense]]
| clubs4 = [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]]
| clubs5 = → [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]] (loan)
| clubs6 = [[D.C. United]]
| clubs7 = [[Miami Fusion]]
| clubs8 = [[Kansas City Wizards]]
| clubs9 = [[D.C. United]]
| clubs10 = [[Virginia Beach Mariners]]
| clubs11 = [[Laredo Heat]]
| caps1 = 25
| caps2 = 30
| caps3 = 43
| caps4 = 60
| caps5 = 12
| caps6 = 55
| caps7 = 27
| caps8 = 25
| caps9 = 12
| caps10= 25
| caps11= 1
| goals1 = 1
| goals2 = 7
| goals3 = 17
| goals4 = 37
| goals5 = 0
| goals6 = 36
| goals7 = 8
| goals8 = 7
| goals9 = 0
| goals10= 7
| goals11= 0
| totalcaps = 315
| totalgoals = 120
| nationalyears1 = 1992–2000
| nationalteam1 = [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]]
| nationalcaps1 = 34
| nationalgoals1 = 4
| manageryears1 = 2017
| managerclubs1 = [[Kitsap Soccer Club]]
| manageryears2 = 2022–2023
| managerclubs2 = [[Houston Dynamo 2]] (assistant)
| manageryears3 = 2024
| managerclubs3 = [[Carolina Core FC]]
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Country|{{USA}}}}
{{Medal|RU|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup|1998]]}}
{{Medal|3rd|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup|1996]]}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|Soccer]]}}
}}

'''Roy Lee Lassiter''' (born March 9, 1969) is an American former professional [[association football|soccer]] player. who played as a [[forward (association football)|forward]].<ref>[https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/le-meteore/roy-lassiter-l-aeroplanino-rotto-del-genoa-58140 Roy Lassiter: l'aeroplanino (rotto) del Genoa] tuttomercatoweb.com</ref> He played the first few years of his professional career in Costa Rica. He returned to the United States to play in [[Major League Soccer]] when that league was launched in 1996, and from 1996 to 1999 he was one of the most prolific goal scorers in MLS. Lassiter served as the assistant coach of [[MLS Next Pro]] club [[Houston Dynamo 2]]. On Thursday, June 15, 2023, Lassiter was named Head Coach of Carolina Core FC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mlsnextpro |title=Carolina Core FC Announces Roy Lassiter as Head Coach {{!}} MLSNEXTPro.com |url=https://www.mlsnextpro.com/news/carolina-core-fc-announces-roy-lassiter-as-head-coach |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=mlsnextpro |language=en}}</ref>

He is the father of [[Ariel Lassiter]], who plays for [[Portland Timbers]] of MLS.

==Early life and education==
Lassiter was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]] where he attended [[Athens Drive High School]]. He was the [[North Carolina High School Athletic Association|North Carolina]] 4A State Player of the Year as a senior and a high school All-American. That year, he led his high school soccer team to the state championship while scoring a state record 47 goals. He also played for a local youth club, 69 Raleigh Rockets, which beat to the LaJolla Nomads 3–0. Roy scored all three goals in the 1986 Noitis National Club Championship Cup. His team lost in the 1986 Southern Regional Finals, in Plano TX, to the Dallas Titans 3–2, before the McGuire Cup.

Lassiter attended [[Lees-McRae College]] in 1987, and won the NCAA DIII National Championship in 1988. He then transferred to [[North Carolina State University]] in 1989, where he was a 1991 First Team All-ACC and All South.<ref>[http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ncst/sports/m-soccer/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/Honors.pdf NC State soccer records]</ref>

==Club career==
While convalescing, Lassiter was contacted by [[A.D. Turrialba|Turrialba]] from Costa Rica in 1992. As Lassiter recalls it, "I have no idea how they got my name. They paid for my trip down there while still recovering from my leg injury, and I signed a contract."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=949 |title=Soccer America |access-date=February 11, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030722213521/http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=949 |archive-date=July 22, 2003}} – SoccerAmerica</ref> He also played for [[Asociación Deportiva Carmelita|Carmelita]] and in summer 1995, [[L.D. Alajuelense|Alajuelense]] sold him to Major League Soccer.<ref>[http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/1995/agosto/17/liga.html Venderán a Lassiter] ''Nación'' {{in lang|es}}</ref> In August 1995, Lassiter was arrested in connection with two burglaries that took place in 1992 after a Raleigh police detective read a newspaper article that mentioned a goal Lassiter scored in a U.S. friendly match with [[Benfica]]. Lassiter was sentenced to 30 days in jail.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 1, 1995 |title=Lassiter's goal leads to arrest |url=https://old.socceramerica.com/publications/article/15273/lassiters-goal-leads-to-arrest.html |access-date=2025-02-28 |work=Soccer America}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 10, 1995 |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1995-10-10-1995283023-story.html |title=U.S. national player Lassiter gets 30 days in jail for break-in |work=Theh Baltimore Sun}}</ref>

In 1996, Lassiter won the top goalscorer award in [[Major League Soccer]], scoring 27 goals for [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]],<ref>[http://www.nacion.com/archivo/Roy-Lassiter-quiere_0_1405859644.html Roy Lassiter quiere más] ''Nación'' {{in lang|es}}</ref> after when he was loaned for 6 months to Italian Serie B side [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]].<ref>[http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/1996/noviembre/01/lassiter.html Lassiter listo Ayer firmó con el Génova] – Nación {{in lang|es}}</ref> His record in the league's inaugural season was tied several times, but stood until it was broken in 2018 by [[Josef Martínez]] of [[Atlanta United FC]].<ref>{{cite news |date=August 24, 2018 |title=Atlanta United star Josef Martinez sets MLS single-season goals record |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mls/2018/08/24/martinez-sets-mls-single-season-scoring-record-atlanta-wins/37599405/ |work=[[USA Today]] |agency=Associated Press |access-date=January 23, 2019}}</ref>

Lassiter was traded to [[D.C. United]] in 1998 for [[Roy Wegerle]]. He played two seasons in DC, winning the [[MLS Cup]] in 1999. Lassiter was traded to the [[Miami Fusion]] in 2000 due to salary cap, as Lassiter sought a significant pay raise yet D.C. United were near their salary cap limit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1999-01-19-9901180464-story,amp.html|title = Lassiter Interested in Trade}}</ref> He was then traded to the [[Kansas City Wizards]] in 2001, and back to DC in the middle of the 2002 season. He ended his MLS career with 88 regular season goals, a record surpassed in 2004 by [[Jason Kreis]]. Lassiter added 13 goals in MLS playoffs and is 3rd in that category behind [[Carlos Ruiz (Guatemalan footballer)|Carlos Ruiz]] and [[Landon Donovan]].

He ended his professional career with [[USL First Division|A-League]]'s [[Virginia Beach Mariners]] in 2003 as player/assistant coach, but played a few games with [[Laredo Heat]] of the [[Premier Development League]] and the exhibition [[Austin Posse]] in 2004 to help promote their clubs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.golnoir.net/usa/features/21/roy/|title=Roy Lassiter - GOLNOIR|work=golnoir.net|access-date=January 8, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531024628/http://www.golnoir.net/usa/features/21/roy/|archive-date=May 31, 2012}}</ref>

==International career==
Lassiter was called up to the U.S. national team in January 1992. He earned his first [[cap (sports)|cap]] as a substitute for [[Eric Wynalda]] in a 1–0 loss to the [[CIS national football team|Commonwealth of Independent States]] in [[Miami]]. However, he broke his leg in a training ground collision with [[Bruce Murray (soccer)|Bruce Murray]] a few days later. His second cap with the national team came over three years later as a substitute for [[Frank Klopas]] in an August 16, 1995 1–0 loss to [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]] in [[Norrköping]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesu/usa-intres-det95.html|title=USA - Details of International Matches 1995-1999|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=2020-05-01}}</ref> On October 8, 1995, he played a third time for the national team, again as a substitute, scoring the game-winning goal in a 4–3 victory over [[Saudi Arabia national football team|Saudi Arabia]]. Lassiter's career continued to rise, and he earned his first start for the national team in December 1996 and became a regular for much of 1997. While Lassiter played consistently for the U.S. in 1997, his appearances tapered off in 1998 and he was selected as an alternate for the [[1998 FIFA World Cup]] roster. He played only one game in 2000, his last with the national team. He represented his country in four [[FIFA World Cup qualification]] matches<ref name=FIFA>{{FIFA player|158469}}</ref> and finished his international career with 34 caps and 4 goals.<ref>[http://national.soccerhall.org/Registry/MensNationalTeam_K-O.htm#L] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731190410/http://national.soccerhall.org/Registry/MensNationalTeam_K-O.htm|date=July 31, 2009}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
:''Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lassiter goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Roy Lassiter
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| style="text-align:center"|1 || October 8, 1995 || [[Washington, D.C.]], United States || {{fb|KSA}} || style="text-align:center"|4–3 || style="text-align:center"|4–3 || Friendly
|-
| style="text-align:center"|2 || December 14, 1996 || [[Palo Alto, California]], United States || {{fb|CRC}} || style="text-align:center"|2–0 || style="text-align:center"|2-1 || [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| style="text-align:center"|3 || March 23, 1997 || [[San José, Costa Rica|San José]], Costa Rica || {{fb|CRC}} || style="text-align:center"|2–2 || style="text-align:center"|2–3 || 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| style="text-align:center"|4 || June 29, 1997 || [[San Salvador]], El Salvador || {{fb|SLV}} || style="text-align:center"|1–0 || style="text-align:center"|1–1 || 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
|}

==Coaching statistics==
{{updated|October, 2023|{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan=2! width=150|Team
!rowspan=2! width=120|From
!rowspan=2! width=120|To
!colspan=7|Record
|-
!width=40|G
!width=40|W
!width=40|D
!width=40|L
!width=50|Win %
|-
|align=left| [[Carolina Core FC]]
|align=left| {{nowrap|June 15, 2023}}
|align=left| {{nowrap|Present}}
{{WDL|0|0|0|0}}
|}

==Honors==
'''Alajuelense'''
* [[Primera División de Costa Rica|Costa Rican Championship]]: [[Primera División de Costa Rica|1995–96]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Costa Rica 1995/96|website=[[RSSSF]]|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/cos96.html|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref>

'''Tampa Bay Mutiny'''
* [[MLS Supporters' Shield]]: [[1996 Major League Soccer season|1996]]<ref name="tb1996">{{cite web|title=Tampa Bay Mutiny - 1996|date=February 22, 2012 |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/history/club/tampabay/1996|publisher=MLS Soccer|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref>

'''D.C. United'''
* [[MLS Cup]]: [[MLS Cup 1999|1999]];<ref name="cup99">{{cite web|title=MLS Cup 1999 - Los Angeles Galaxy 0 DC United 2|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/history/mlscup/1999|publisher=MLS Soccer|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> runner-up [[MLS Cup 1998|1998]]<ref name="cup98">{{cite web|title=MLS Cup 1998 - Chicago Fire 2 DC United 0|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/history/mlscup/1998|publisher=MLS Soccer|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref>
* [[MLS Supporters' Shield]]: [[1999 Major League Soccer season|1999]]<ref name="dctrophy">{{cite web|title=Trophy Case|work=D.C. United |date=May 19, 2011 |url=http://www.dcunited.com/club/trophy-case|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref>
* [[CONCACAF Champions League]]: [[1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup|1998]]<ref name="dctrophy" /><ref name="mls2">{{cite web|title=What Ever Happened To ... Roy Lassiter|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/01/18/what-ever-happened-roy-lassiter|publisher=MLS Soccer|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Copa Interamericana]]: [[1998 Copa Interamericana|1998]]<ref name="dctrophy" /><ref name="mls2" />

'''Individual'''
* [[MLS All-Star Game|MLS All-Star]]: [[1996 MLS All-Star Game|1996]],<ref>[http://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/news/article/2011/07/12/all-star-game-flashback-1996-east-wins-inaugural-event All-Star Game flashback, 1996] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228152403/http://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/news/article/2011/07/12/all-star-game-flashback-1996-east-wins-inaugural-event |date=December 28, 2014 }} at MLSsoccer.com
</ref> [[1998 MLS All-Star Game|1998]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 2, 1998 |title=1998 MLS All-Star Game |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/1998-mls-all-star-game-373141 |access-date=July 27, 2023 |work=MLSsoccer.com}}</ref> [[1999 Major League Soccer All-Star Game|1999]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 17, 1999 |title=1999 MLS All-Star Game |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/1999-mls-all-star-game-373142 |work=MLSsoccer.com |access-date=July 27, 2023}}</ref>
* [[MLS Golden Boot]]: 1996 (with Tampa Bay Mutiny)<ref name="mls1">{{cite web|title=Roy Lassiter|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/roy-lassiter|publisher=MLS Soccer|access-date=August 20, 2014}} (with Tampa Bay Mutiny)</ref>
* [[MLS Best XI]]: 1996 (with Tampa Bay Mutiny)<ref name="mls1" />
* [[CONCACAF Champions League|CONCACAF Champions League MVP]]: [[1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup|1998]] (with D.C. United)<ref name="concaf">{{cite web|title=CONCACAF Champions Cup Final: D.C. United (MLS) 1 Toluca (Mexico) 0|url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article/19247/concacaf-champions-cup-final-dc-united-mls-1.html|publisher=Soccer America|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{NFT player|15444}}
* [http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/men/lassiter.htm Soccertimes profile of Roy Lassiter]

{{MLS top scorers}}
{{1996 MLS Best XI}}
{{Navboxes
| title       = United States squads
| bg          = white
| fg          = #002868
| bordercolor = #BF0A30
| list1 =
{{United States squad 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States squad 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lassiter, Roy}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American men's soccer players]]
[[Category:American expatriate men's soccer players]]
[[Category:United States men's international soccer players]]
[[Category:African-American soccer players]]
[[Category:NC State Wolfpack men's soccer players]]
[[Category:A.D. Carmelita footballers]]
[[Category:Liga Deportiva Alajuelense footballers]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Mutiny players]]
[[Category:D.C. United players]]
[[Category:Genoa CFC players]]
[[Category:Miami Fusion players]]
[[Category:Laredo Heat players]]
[[Category:Sporting Kansas City players]]
[[Category:Serie B players]]
[[Category:Liga FPD players]]
[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) players]]
[[Category:Athens Drive High School alumni]]
[[Category:Virginia Beach Mariners players]]
[[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Italy]]
[[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Costa Rica]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Costa Rica]]
[[Category:Soccer players from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Raleigh, North Carolina]]
[[Category:USL League Two players]]
[[Category:Lees–McRae College alumni]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer All-Stars]]
[[Category:1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:CONCACAF Champions Cup–winning players]]
[[Category:Lees–McRae Bobcats men's soccer]]
[[Category:National Premier Soccer League coaches]]
[[Category:Houston Dynamo FC non-playing staff]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]