Tani Oluwaseyi
Personal information
Full name Tanitoluwa Oluwatimilehin Oluwaseyi
Date of birth (2000-05-15) 15 May 2000
Place of birth Abuja, Nigeria
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Minnesota United
Number 16
Youth career
0000–2018 GPS Academy
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 St. John's Red Storm 49 (20)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Manhattan SC 2 (1)
2021 NY Pancyprian-Freedoms
2022– Minnesota United 2 (0)
2022– Minnesota United 2 13 (3)
2023 → San Antonio FC (loan) 25 (17)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 25, 2023

Tanitoluwa Oluwatimilehin "Tani" Oluwaseyi (born 15 May 2000) is a Nigerian soccer player who currently plays as a forward for Major League Soccer side Minnesota United.

Career

Youth

Oluwaseyi was born in Abuja, Nigeria, but moved to Mississauga, Ontario in Canada at a young age.[1] There, he attended St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School. At St. Joan of Arc, he captained the Angels to a 17–0 record and a Provincial High School Championship as a senior he scored 30 goals and tallied ten assists while serving as a team captain. He was also a three-time MVP of the boys soccer team, scoring a total of 68 times over a four-year career. While at high school, Oluwaseyi also played club soccer for the GPS Academy, where he won the Golden Boot Award at the 2017 Super Cup in Northern Ireland, at which his team won the Vase Cup. He also led his team to Ontario Academy Soccer League and Provincial Indoor Soccer League Championships.[2][3]

College & Amateur

In 2018, Oluwaseyi committed to playing college soccer at St. John's University. In a four year college career, Oluwaseyi went on to make 49 appearances, scoring 20 goals and tallying ten assists.[2] He missed nearly all his entire senior season,[4][5] and his sophomore season was truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he earned numerous college accolades, including BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection in 2018, BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-BIG EAST, and United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Atlantic Region in 2019, and First Team All-BIG EAST, and United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Second Team in the 2020–21 season.[2]

In his senior year, Oluwaseyi also appeared for local side Manhattan SC in the USL League Two, where he scored a single goal during his two appearances.[6] He also played with New York Pancyprian-Freedoms, who compete in the fifth-tier EPSL.[7] He was also named on the roster for NPSL side FC Golden State, but didn't make an appearance.[8]

Professional

In January 2022, it was announced Oluwaseyi would be available in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.[9] [10] On 11 January, he was selected 17th overall by Minnesota United.[11][12][13] On 25 February, Oluwaseyi signed a one-year deal with Minnesota.[14][15][16] During the 2022 season, he spent time with Minnesota United 2 in MLS Next Pro.[17] In November 2022 Minnesota announced they had exercised Oluwaseyi's contract option, keeping him at the club through 2023.[18]

In April 2023, he was loaned to USL Championship side San Antonio FC for the remainder of the 2023 season.[19] In his debut for San Antonio on May 7, Oluwaseyi scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Las Vegas Lights.[20] On May 14, he scored a hat-trick against the Charleston Battery in a 7-0 victory.[21] On July 7, Oluwaseyi got his second hat-trick against Memphis 901 in a 4-0 victory.[22] Three weeks later on July 29, he would score four goals against Hartford Athletic in a 5-2 win, reaching 13 goals on the season and breaking San Antonio's single season scoring record.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "Black voices in soccer: The importance of recognizing Juneteenth and diversity in the game | MLSNEXTPro.com". mlsnextpro.
  2. 1 2 3 "Tani Oluwaseyi - Men's Soccer". St. John's University Athletics.
  3. ↑ Murray, Brendan. "Tani Oluwaseyi Has Found His Confidence In 2019".
  4. ↑ "St. John's soccer star Tani Oluwaseyi will miss entire 2021 season". July 26, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Red Storm soccer miss impact left by Tani Oluwaseyi". BVM Sports. December 2, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Manhattan SC | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  7. ↑ "Former NYPF Players Oluwaseyi and Simonsen Picked in 2022 MLS SUPER DRAFT". Eleftheria Pancyprian Soccer Club.
  8. ↑ "National Premier Soccer League". npsl.bonzidev.com.
  9. ↑ "Who Are The Canadians In The MLS SuperDraft?". January 9, 2022.
  10. ↑ "red storm have a bit of everything available in tuesdays". Toronto Star. January 9, 2022.
  11. ↑ "MNUFC Select Forward Tani Oluwaseyi in the 2022 MLS Superdraft | Minnesota United FC". MNUFC.
  12. ↑ Kiernan, Sara. "Red Stormin' the MLS: Three Johnnies Selected In SuperDraft".
  13. ↑ "Trio of Canadians taken in opening round of MLS SuperDraft | CBC Sports". CBC News. 2022-01-12. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03.
  14. ↑ "MNUFC Signs MLS SuperDraft Pick Forward Tani Oluwaseyi | Minnesota United FC". MNUFC.
  15. ↑ "Minnesota United FC sign forward Tani Oluwaseyi | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  16. ↑ Tribune, Jerry Zgoda Star. "Meet the new Minnesota United players for 2022". Star Tribune.
  17. ↑ "Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi | MLSsoccer.com". mlsnextpro.
  18. ↑ "Minnesota United 2022 End of Season Roster Update". December 21, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Minnesota United Loans Forward Tani Oluwaseyi to San Antonio FC". Minnesota United. April 27, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Oluwaseyi's goal lifts San Antonio FC to 2-1 road victory over Las Vegas Lights FC". KSAT. May 7, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Oluwaseyi tallies hat trick in San Antonio FC's breakthrough performance against Charleston Battery". KSAT. May 14, 2023.
  22. ↑ "SAFC SHUTS OUT MEMPHIS 901 FC 4-0 ON THE ROAD". San Antonio FC. July 7, 2023.
  23. ↑ "SAN ANTONIO FC BEATS HARTFORD ATHLETIC 5-2 BEHIND FOUR GOALS FROM TANI OLUWASEYI". San Antonio FC. July 29, 2023.
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