HARRISON, NJ– The Red Bulls will honor former Red Bull defender and current Individual Development Coach and Business Operations Manager Mike Petke in a ceremony prior to their match at Red Bull Arena on April 30 against Sporting Kansas City at 7:30 PM ET. Petke will have the opportunity to address the crowd before the game.
Petke, who retired after the 2010 MLS season, played 13 years in the MLS, including seven seasons with New York over two stints and became one of the most beloved members in the franchise’s history. In addition, Petke is the club’s all-time leader in games started, games and minutes played and was part of the team’s All-Time Best XI that was unveiled in 2010.
"I feel honored that the organization has decided to celebrate my career with this ceremony,” Petke said. “This club has been so much more than just a team since I started my career here. The New York Red Bulls organization has done so much for me and my family, and I am truly grateful for their recognition of my playing career.”
Petke, a three-time MLS All-Star, featured in 169 regular season games for New York, starting in 158 of them and logging a total of 14,060 minutes. The Bohemia, NY native started his career with New York in 1998, being drafted in the first round (eighth overall) in the 1998 MLS College Draft. Petke played five seasons for New York and helped the club to its first-ever Eastern Conference championship game and division title in 2000.
Petke re-joined New York from the Colorado Rapids on Nov. 26, 2008 and played in 19 games in 2009. In 2010, his final professional season, Petke made 16 appearances, starting in 11, and he became only the 12th player in MLS history to appear in 300 regular season matches, reaching the mark with his start on May 20, 2010 against the Columbus Crew. In the Grand Opening of the club’s brand-new stadium, Red Bull Arena, on March 20, 2010, Petke tallied the Red Bulls’ second goal of the match off a close range volley en route to a 3-1 win over Santos FC.
Petke played for D.C. United from 2003-05 and he won the MLS Cup for the first time of his career in 2004. In 2005, Petke was traded to the Rapids and made 80 appearances over three-plus years. During his 13-year run in MLS, Petke scored 13 goals and four assists in regular season action, logging 25,731 minutes – a mark that is seventh all-time in MLS history.
On the international level, Petke was part of the 2002 U.S. Men’s National Team pool and earned two caps for his country. Petke attended Southern Connecticut State University, where he won a number of accolades including twice being named on the All-New England Collegiate Conference First Team and the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Petke was appointed to his current role of Individual Development Coach and Business Operations Manager on January 12, 2011 and is currently serving in a variety of roles with the Red Bulls, working within different departments in the front office and the coaching staff.
