Sporting KC signs defender and MLS SuperDraft pick Chris Rindov
Sporting Kansas City announced today that the club have signed 21-year-old centre-back Chris Rindov, who was selected in December as the 37th overall winner of the 2023 adidas-present MLS SuperDraft.
Rindov has signed an MLS contract for the 2023 season with option years in 2024, 2025 and 2026. He is Sporting’s first MLS Superdraft selection to sign for the first team since 2018 and is the second defender on Sporting’s active roster to make the second-round draft pick from Maryland, along with the World Cup veteran and seven-time MLS -All Star Graham Zusi. Rindov has featured in each of Sporting’s first four games in the 2023 preseason presented by Children’s Mercy, logging 150 minutes of action.
Rindov has been a defensive mainstay for perennial powerhouse Maryland. He started in each of the program’s 38 games over the past two seasons and finished his collegiate career with four goals and five assists in 58 games. He rose from freshman to team captain as a senior and had a stellar year last fall as an All-Big Ten First Team Honoree and participant in the MLS College Showcase.
Rindov played every minute in all 20 games for the Terrapins in 2022 and carried Maryland to the Big Ten regular-season title with an undefeated 4-0-4 conference record. The 6-foot-2 defenseman scored in wins over Virginia and Michigan in the preseason and helped his team pull off five shutouts, including a 1-0 win over Michigan State in which Rindov also provided an assist.
A two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Rindov led the Terps to their 22nd straight NCAA tournament appearance last November, highlighted by a first-round win over Fairleigh Dickinson.
Rindov, who holds citizenship of the United States and Bulgaria, completed nine games for Maryland as a freshman in 2019 and started nine of ten games the following year. His breakout junior campaign was punctuated by eight shutouts, with Rindov playing all but four minutes of the 2021 season. He also had two goals and two assists as the Terrapins finished with a 12-4-2 record.
Born in Silver Spring, Maryland and raised in nearby Rockville, Rindov won four straight state championships at Rockville High School. He also played for youth club OBGC where he competed in two national championships and won an Eastern Regional title in 2018.
For a full list of Sporting’s off-season roster changes visit SportingKC.com/news/tracker.
Sporting Kansas City kicks off the 2023 MLS season on February 25 with a visit to the Portland Timbers, the earliest start of a regular season in club history. The season opener will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass, a new subscription service from Apple and MLS that will stream every regular season, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and Leagues Cup game with no blackouts.
Sporting Kansas City’s home game schedule begins March 11 against the LA Galaxy at Children’s Mercy Park. Season tickets are available by calling 888-4KC-GOAL or at SportingKC.com. Additional ticket packages and promotions are available, as well as single match tickets for the club’s first eight home games of the regular season.
Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) have signed defenseman Chris Rindov to a one-year MLS contract for 2023 with options for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Chris Rindov (RIN pigeon)
Position: defender
Born: 08.10.2001 (21 years old)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190 pounds.
College: University of Maryland
Hometown: Rockville, Maryland
Place of Birth: Silver Spring, Maryland
Citizenship: USA, Bulgaria
Twitter: @chrisrindov
Instagram: @chris_rindov