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John Wolyniec (born January 24, 1977 in Staten Island, New York) is an American soccer forward. He plays for the MetroStars of Major League Soccer.
Wolyniec played college soccer at Fordham University, where he led the nation in goals in 1997 and 1998. The MetroStars drafted him with the seventh overall pick in the 1999 MLS College Draft, but being a high pick was not enough to keep John on the squad, as he was cut before playing any games. Wolyniec signed with the Long Island Rough Riders of the A-League and lead the team in goals. In the midst of the worst season in league history, the Metros called him up for a late season stretch and he promptly scored in his first game with the team.
In 2000, the Chicago Fire re-drafted Wolyniec with the 44th overall pick of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft. He scored just a solitary goal all year, and after scoring one early in 2001, was traded to the New England Revolution for Eric Wynalda. New England promptly cut John after he played one game. He spent the next two years in the A-League, 2001 with the Rochester Raging Rhinos and 2002 with the Milwaukee Rampage, with whom he was named the MVP of the league final.
Ex-Fire and now MetroStar coach Bob Bradley re-acquired Wolyniec in the 2003 MLS Supplemental Draft. Wolyniec came into his own during his second stint with the team, scoring a number of key goals, including two overtime game-winners and a late winner in the US Open Cup semifinals against DC United. He finished the year with five goals (seven in all competitions) and earned a call-up to the US national team, getting his first cap against Denmark on January 18, 2004.
As good as 2003 was, 2004 was even better for Wolyniec as a Metro. Even as the team signed a trio of foreign strikers, he kept his starting place, scored ten goals to tie for the team lead, and began to mature into a team leader.
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