Rauwshan McKenzie

After being rescued off the waiver wire by Real Salt Lake just prior to the 2010 preseason and earning his spot on Utah side’s roster during its February camps, Rauwshan McKenzie found playing time tough to come by when the regular season came around. Of course, when you’re behind a pair of MLS Defender of the Year finalists on the depth chart that is to be expected, but the squad would grow more comfortable with the ex-Kansas City Wizard, resulting in starting nods in both contests against Cruz Azul in CONCACAF Champions League action and a stout performance against Colorado in a pivotal Rocky Mountain Cup showdown in September. With a year in the RSL system under his belt and his skill set and physical traits now a known commodity to the team’s Technical Staff, expect the fourth-year pro to be called into service more often during a 2011 calendar that will again be congested thanks to CCL and U.S. Open Cup play.

MLS Career

2010: Amassed 644 minutes and tallied one assist in eight matches (six starts) across MLS regular season, CONCACAF Champions League and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup action … Made his RSL debut off the bench in season opener on 3/27 @ SJ, playing final 27 minutes of the 3-0 win in place of an injured Nat Borchers … Started and went the full 120 min. in RSL’s LHUSOC qualifier on 4/17 @ SJ, a wild 3-3 draw that RSL advanced from via a 5-3 triumph in penalties … Made second League appearance on 5/08 v. PHI, playing 17 min. while helping RSL close out a 3-0 victory … Started and played full 90 minutes in RSL’s 1-1 home draw with Mexican U-21 Nat’l Team on 5/15 … Started and went the distance on 6/02 @ DC in U.S. Open Cup qualifier, logging 120 minutes in the 1-2 OT defeat … Started and played 57 minutes on 6/19 in RSL’s 2-0 exhibition win over Puntarenas F.C. (Costa Rica) … Made first start in MLS play for RSL on 8/11 @ PHI, going the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw in the team’s first visit to PPL Park … Pressed into service on 8/25 @ Cruz Azul, playing all 90 minutes in the rain-soaked 4-5 “instant classic” defeat in Mexico City … Introduced to Rocky Mountain Cup rivalry on 9/25 v. COL via a 90-minute performance in the riveting 1-1 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium … Helped RSL to the top of the CCL Group A standings on 10/19 v. Cruz Azul, going the full 90 minutes and registering an assist on Paulo Jr.’s opener (43’) to help RSL to a 3-1 triumph in Sandy. 

2009: Started in all five of his appearances in League play for Kansas City in his second MLS campaign, going the full 90 minutes in four of those contests … Made MLS debut on 7/04 v. HOU, going the distance in a 0-1 Independence Day defeat … Also started on 7/11 @ NE, 7/25 v. LA, 8/01 @ DAL & 8/22 @ SJ. 

2008: Michigan State product failed to crack Wizards line-up in MLS play during rookie campaign … Selected in fourth round (53rd overall) of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft … Made his professional debut on 7/08 v. Seattle Sounders FC in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal … Played in all 11 of the Wizards’ MLS Reserve Division contests. 

College

Appeared in 79 contests, making 72 consecutive starts … Scored four goals and had five assists out of the back while helping the Spartans to a pair of NCAA College Cup Tournament appearances … Earned several honors, including All-Big Ten Rookie Team (2004) and All-Big Ten First-Team (2007) accolades as a member of the Spartans’ defense … 2007: Scored two goals and handed out two assists while helping Michigan State gain an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament … Named to All-Big Ten First-Team and Top Drawer Soccer's Team of the Season Third-Team … 2006: Started all 19 games ... Scored header v. Ohio State on 11/02 for first goal in an eventual Big Ten Tournament loss … Recorded game-winning assist against Butler on 9/10 … Paced a stingy defense that allowed just 0.75 goals per game … 2005: Started all 19 games ... Recorded a goal and an assist against Wisconsin on 10/30 … Helped lead the Spartan backfielders to allow just 0.83 goals per game … 2004: Named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team ... Appeared in all 20 games, starting 13, including each of the last 12 … Assisted on game-winning goal in the Big Ten Championship game against Northwestern on 11/14. 

Club / High School

During his time at Michigan State, would further hone his skills by playing three summers in the USL Premier Development League between the Michigan Bucks (2005-06) and Chicago Fire Premier (2007) … Member of ODP Illinois state team (1999-2002) and ODP Region II Camp (1999-2002) … Helped ODP squad to Regional Championships in 2000 & 2001 and a fourth-place finish at the 2002 National ODP Championships ... A native of the Chicagoland area, grew up playing his club soccer for Chicago Sockers F.C., a nationally prominent youth soccer program based in Palatine, Ill. … Impressive results with Sockers F.C. included the 2004 Jefferson Cup Champions, 2004 Dallas Cup Finalist, and third-place at 2002 National Championship … Also won four straight Illinois State Cup titles from 2001-04. 

Personal

Born Nov. 19, 1986 … Son of Marc and Donna McKenzie … Was a criminal justice major at Michigan State.