Updated November 13, 2023
BEN SWEAT AT A GLANCE:
MLS CAREER: Career MLS totals include 131 MLS appearances, including 109 starts, with one goal and 14 assists across stints with Columbus Crew, New York City FC, Inter Miami CF, Austin FC, Sporting Kansas City, and New England Revolution…Signed as a free agent with the New England Revolution on April 18, 2023…Recorded eight appearances with five starts in 2023 between Sporting Kansas City and New England…Signed with Sporting Kansas City as a free agent in Dec. 2021 and spent parts of two seasons with the club, making 25 appearances with 22 starts and notching three assists in regular season play… Waived by Sporting Kansas City on April 5, 2023 after making five appearances, including four starts, to open the campaign…Started in 18 of his 20 appearances in 2022, tallying three assists… Made four additional appearances, all starts, in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup…Acquired by Austin FC in a trade ahead of the 2021 regular season, starting the opening two matches of the campaign before missing the remainder of the year due to injury…Selected by Inter Miami CF with the first overall pick in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft…Started 20 of his 22 appearances for Inter Miami, recording two assists…Signed with New York City FC following a successful preseason trial in 2017, making 72 appearances, with 62 starts, and tallying a goal and nine assists…In his final year with New York City in 2019, started in 13 of his 18 appearances, recording two assists…In 2018, logged a career high 28 appearances, including 24 starts, registering one assist…In first season with New York City, started 25 of his 26 appearances collecting a goal and six assists…Selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft by the Columbus Crew, but did not see any action in MLS…Made one appearance for Columbus in the 2014 U.S. Open Cup Fifth Round, and also played 45 minutes against Crystal Palace FC in a friendly match...Waived by Columbus ahead of the 2015 season.
2023: Made five appearances, starting four times, to open the season before waived by Sporting Kansas City on April 5, 2023…Signed as a free agent with the New England Revolution on April 18, 2023 and went on to make 10 appearances with three starts…(3/25) vs. SEA: Made final appearance for Sporting KC, receiving a red card…(4/22) vs. SKC: Made Revolution debut as a substitute against former club…(4/25) vs. HFD: Made first start for the club in Open Cup action…(7/8) at RBNY: Logged first MLS start for Revolution…(9/2) vs. ATX: Started consecutive games for the first time in Revolution career, with two 90-minute performances…(10/14) at NSH: Appeared as a second-half substitute recording 26 minutes.
2022: Signed as a free agent with the New England Revolution on April 18, 2023… Signed with Sporting Kansas City as a free agent in Dec. 2021…Started in 18 of his 20 appearances in 2022, tallying three assists… Made four additional appearances, all starts, in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup…(3/12) at COL: Made club debut, playing nine minutes off the bench…(4/2) at VAN: Logged his 100th MLS appearance with a 90-minute outing…(4/9) vs. NSH: Registered first assist of the season…(8/21) vs. POR: Tallied second assist of the season in a 4-1 victory…(9/17) vs. MIN: Marked his 100th career MLS start with his third assist of the campaign in a 90-minute performance.
2021: Acquired by Austin FC in a trade ahead of the 2021 regular season, starting the opening two matches of the campaign before missing the remainder of the year due to injury…(4/17) at LAFC: Started and played 70 minutes in his club debut, the inaugural match for Austin…(4/24) at COL: Started and played 23 minutes before leaving the match with a season-ending injury.
2020: Selected by Inter Miami CF with the first overall pick in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft…Started 20 of his 22 appearances for Inter Miami during the shortened 2020 season, recording two assists…(3/1) at LAFC: Made debut for Inter Miami, starting and playing 90 minutes in the club’s inaugural match…(7/8) vs. ORL: Made his 75th MLS appearance in the ‘MLS is Back’ Tournament opener…(8/22) vs. ORL: Registered first assist of the season in a 90-minute shift…(9/9) vs. ATL: Started and played 90 minutes, recording his second assist of the season…(9/27) at PHI: Marked his 75th MLS start with a 90-minute performance…Postseason: (11/20) at NSH: Played 14 minutes off the bench in the first-ever postseason match for Miami.
2019: In his final year with New York City in 2019, started in 13 of his 18 appearances, recording two assists…Made two additional appearances in the 2019 U.S. Open Cup…(3/2) at ORL: Made 50th MLS start in the season opener, playing 78 minutes…(3/16) vs. LAFC: Notched first assist of the campaign…(10/6) at PHI: Made final regular season appearance for NYCFC, tallying his second assist of the season.
2018: In 2018, logged a career high 28 appearances, including 24 starts, registering one assist…Made one start in the U.S. Open Cup and three appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs…(3/4) at SKC: Started and played 90 minutes in the season opener, recording his first and only assist of the season…(9/7) at DC: Played in his 50th career MLS match, a 90-minute outing…Postseason: (10/31) vs. PHI: Played 90 minutes in preseason opener, helping the club advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
2017: Signed with New York City FC following a successful preseason trial…In first season with New York City, started 25 of his 26 appearances collecting a goal and six assists…Also notched one appearance in the U.S. Open Cup and two additional starts in the MLS Cup Playoffs…(4/29) at CLB: Made MLS debut against his former club, playing 90 minutes and tallying the game-tying assist…(5/28) at ATL: Recorded second assist of the season in an 85-minute outing…(6/24) at NY: Registered first goal-and-assist performance in MLS in a 2-0 victory…(6/29) vs. MIN: Found the scoresheet for the second straight match with a game-tying assist…(8/12) at LA: Tallied a game-winning assist in a 90-minute performance…(8/20) vs. NE: Notched game-winning assist for a second straight match in second-half stoppage time…(10/14) at NE: Logged his 25th appearance in MLS, playing all 90 minutes…(10/21) vs. CLB: Made his 25th start in MLS against his former club…Postseason: (10/31) at CLB: Made his MLS Cup Playoffs debut with a 90-minute outing.
2014: Selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft by the Columbus Crew, but did not see any action in MLS…Made one appearance for Columbus in the 2014 U.S. Open Cup Fifth Round, and also played 45 minutes against Crystal Palace FC in a friendly match…(5/17) at POR: Made the matchday roster for the first time, but did not see any action…(6/25) at CHI: Made first professional start in a fifth round match of the 2014 U.S. Open Cup…Spent part of the season on loan with Columbus’ USL affiliate – the Dayton Dutch Lions…Waived following the 2014 campaign.
CLUB CAREER OUTSIDE MLS: Spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the now-defunct NASL, making 33 appearances in league play and three additional appearances in the U.S. Open Cup…In 2016, saw action in seven matches while playing all 180 minutes across both games of the Rowdies’ Open Cup campaign…Made 26 appearances in 2015 with the Rowdies, eclipsing 2,000 minutes for the season…Also appeared in one match during the 2015 U.S. Open Cup…Spent the 2014 season on loan from Columbus with the club’s USL affiliate Dayton Dutch Lions…Notched seven 90-minute outings, all starts, for Dayton in 2014…Played the 2013 Premier Development League season with Reading United AC, making eight appearances and tallying one goal in league play…Also suited up for Reading’s lone match in the 2013 U.S. Open Cup…Spent the 2012 PDL season with VSI Tampa Flames, making 13 appearances.
NATIONAL TEAM (UNITED STATES): Capped twice by the United States Men’s National Team in a pair of October 2018 friendlies against Colombia and Peru…Made senior international debut for the U.S. in a friendly against Colombia on Oct. 11, 2018, playing 14 minutes off the bench…Notched first international start on Oct. 16 against Peru, playing 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw…Represented the United States at the Under-20 level in 2010, making one appearance.
COLLEGE (UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA): Played four seasons at the University of South Florida from 2010-13, setting the program record with 78 appearances for the Bulls…As a senior in 2013, started all 21 games and earned All-American Athletic Conference First Team honors…Finished his senior season as the program’s all-time leader in appearances…Made 18 appearances as a junior in 2012, scoring two game-winning goals…In sophomore season, started all 21 games for the Bulls…Tallied career-high five assists in 2011 and helped the defense collect seven shutouts…As a freshman in 2010, appeared in all 18 games, tallying one assist and helping the team collect 10 clean sheets.
PERSONAL: Full name is Benjamin Sweat…Born and raised in Palm Harbor, Florida…Played high school soccer at Palm Harbor High School before graduating in 2010…Named two-time Pinellas County Player of the Year (2009-2010)…Helped guide Palm Harbor to the 2009 Florida State 5A soccer title and a state runner-up finish in 6A in 2010…Named captain of the Clearwater Chargers U-18 Academy and was also chosen to play for the Arizona Academy Showcase U-18 select team in the fall of 2009…Spent the summer of 2012 training in Sweden with top-flight club Djurgårdens IF…In 2013, spent the summer training with Czech club SK Sigma Olomouc.
