Ben Olsen

Ben Olsen (Player) - Inducted 2015

Ben started and played every game for three seasons at the University of Virginia. In 1997 he was the Soccer America Player of the Year and finalist for the Hermann Trophy and also an NSCAA All-American first-team member. After his junior year he was allocated to D. C. United where he played for 12 seasons and won many trophies, including MLS Rookie of the Year (1998), MLS Cup MVP (1999), and MLS Best XI (2007). Ben was a member of the Men’s National Team from 1998-2006, on the bronze-medal winning team at the 2000 Olympics, and on the 2006 World Cup team. He retired as a player in 2009, became D. C. United’s assistant Head Coach prior to the 2010 season, was named interim head coach mid-way through, and then hired permanently at the end of the season.  D. C. United finished in first place in the Eastern Conference in 2014, and Ben was named MLS Coach of the Year.