{{Short description|American professional soccer coach and former player (born 1988)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Blake Wagner | image = 2010-07-08 blake-wagner.jpg | image_size = 175 | fullname = Blake Wagner | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|01|29}} | birth_place = [[Atlanta, Georgia]], United States | height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}} | position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]], [[Midfielder]] | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2003–2005 | youthclubs1 = [[IMG Soccer Academy]] | years1 = 2006–2009 | clubs1 = [[FC Dallas]] | caps1 = 37 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2010 | clubs2 = [[Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010)|Vancouver Whitecaps]] | caps2 = 19 | goals2 = 4 | years3 = 2011 | clubs3 = [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]] | caps3 = 9 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2011 | clubs4 = → [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23]] (loan) | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2011 | clubs5 = [[Real Salt Lake]] | caps5 = 2 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2012–2013 | clubs6 = [[San Antonio Scorpions]] | caps6 = 45 | goals6 = 3 | years7 = 2014 | clubs7 = [[Tampa Bay Rowdies]] | caps7 = 21 | goals7 = 3 | years8 = 2015 | clubs8 = [[Carolina RailHawks]] | caps8 = 22 | goals8 = 2 | nationalyears1 = 2003–2005 | nationalteam1 = [[United States men's national under-17 soccer team|United States U17]] | nationalcaps1 = 24 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 2006–2007 | nationalteam2 = [[United States men's national under-20 soccer team|United States U20]] | nationalcaps2 = 9 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalyears3 = 2008 | nationalteam3 = [[United States men's national under-23 soccer team|United States U23]] | nationalcaps3 = 3 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | manageryears1 = 2017 | managerclubs1 = [[Tampa Bay Rowdies|Tampa Bay Rowdies U23]] (assistant) | manageryears2 = 2021– | managerclubs2 = [[Tampa Bay United SC|Tampa Bay United]] (assistant) | medaltemplates = | pcupdate = April 13, 2016 | ntupdate = July 18, 2012 }}

'''Blake Wagner''' (born January 29, 1988) is an American [[association football|soccer]] coach and former player who currently is the assistant coach of [[USL League Two]] side, [[Tampa Bay United SC]].

==Career==

===Youth=== Wagner was identified by U.S. Soccer (U.S. National Team) when he was 13 through their national Olympic Development Program (ODP). He joined the U-14 National Team and was then recruited to their U-15 residency program at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where he lived and trained. Through U.S. Soccer, he completed high school a year early at the Edison Academy. Wagner travelled globally with the team and was a starter with the U-17 National team when they played in the [[2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3959197 |title=Whitecaps Add Blake Wagner |publisher=OurSports Central |date=February 2, 2010 |accessdate=April 2, 2012}}</ref>

Wagner at first committed to playing college soccer at the [[University of Maryland, College Park]], but instead chose to join the [[Generation Adidas]] program so that he could play professional soccer.

===Professional=== Wagner was drafted in the second round, 18th overall, of the [[2006 MLS SuperDraft]] by [[FC Dallas]]. Wagner made his first appearance with FCD's first team on July 19, 2006, as a substitute in a 2-0 friendly match win against [[UANL Tigres]]. It would be his only appearance with the first team during his rookie season. In 2007, Blake made his MLS career debut on September 30, 2007, starting in a 0–3 loss against [[Houston Dynamo]]. He would make 12 appearances with the team during the 2007 MLS Season. The 2008 MLS Season was a breakout year for the third-year defender. Blake started in 23 of 24 games played and appeared in four of FC Dallas' six international friendlies.

On February 2, 2010 [[Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010)|Vancouver Whitecaps]] announced the signing of Wagner after he did not re-sign with Dallas.<ref>[http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature02021002.aspx Whitecaps add Blake Wagner] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100907040135/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature02021002.aspx |date=September 7, 2010 }}</ref> He played his first match with the second division side on July 14, 2010, and played as a left wing midfielder and netted a hat trick in a 3–1 win over [[Miami FC (2006)|Miami FC]].<ref>[http://www.whitecapsfc.com/men/schedule/2010_07_14_v_Miami_FC.aspx Wagner nets hat trick] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713205435/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/men/schedule/2010_07_14_v_Miami_FC.aspx |date=July 13, 2010 }}</ref>

After a successful 2011 preseason trial, Wagner signed with the [[Major League Soccer]] version of [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]] on March 11, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/03/whitecaps-fc-sign-defendermidfielder-blake-wagner-and-striker-long-tan |title=Wagner signs with MLS side |publisher=Whitecapsfc.com |date=March 11, 2011 |accessdate=April 2, 2012}}</ref> The Whitecaps released Wagner on July 28, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/07/whitecaps-fc-waive-defenders-mouloud-akloul-and-blake-wagner |title=Whitecaps FC waive defenders Mouloud Akloul and Blake Wagner &#124; Vancouver Whitecaps FC |publisher=Whitecapsfc.com |date=July 28, 2011 |accessdate=April 2, 2012}}</ref>

On August 16, 2011, Wagner was signed by [[Major League Soccer]] club [[Real Salt Lake]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Randy Davis |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/08/16/rsl-feel-theyve-filled-need-signing-wagner |title=RSL feel they've filled a need with signing of Wagner |publisher=MLSsoccer.com |date=August 16, 2011 |accessdate=April 2, 2012}}</ref> At season's end, the club declined his 2012 contract option and he entered the [[2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft]]. Wagner was not selected in the draft and became a free agent.

Wagner signed with [[North American Soccer League (2011)|NASL]] club [[San Antonio Scorpions FC|San Antonio Scorpions]] in March, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last=Constantineau |first=Bruce |url=https://vancouversun.com/sports/Salgado+focuses+cracking+lineup/6328638/story.html |title=Salgado focuses on cracking lineup |publisher=Vancouversun.com |date=March 20, 2012 |accessdate=April 2, 2012}}</ref>

===Managerial career===

In 2017 he became an assistant coach with Tampa Bay's U23 team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/soccer/soccer/2017/10/27/20-years-fc-dallas-homegrown-players|title=20 Years: FC Dallas Homegrown Players|date=October 27, 2017|publisher=|accessdate=April 6, 2018}}</ref> Currently a staff coach with [[Tampa Bay United SC|Tampa Bay United]].

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150330042508/http://www.carolinarailhawks.com/roster/blake-wagner Carolina RailHawks profile] * {{MLS player|blake-wagner}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wagner, Blake}} [[Category:1988 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American men's soccer players]] [[Category:American expatriate men's soccer players in Canada]] [[Category:FC Dallas players]] [[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010) players]] [[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps FC players]] [[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 players]] [[Category:Real Salt Lake players]] [[Category:San Antonio Scorpions players]] [[Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies players]] [[Category:North Carolina FC players]] [[Category:Major League Soccer players]] [[Category:USSF Division 2 Professional League players]] [[Category:USL League Two players]] [[Category:North American Soccer League (2011–2017) players]] [[Category:United States men's youth international soccer players]] [[Category:United States men's under-20 international soccer players]] [[Category:United States men's under-23 international soccer players]] [[Category:FC Dallas draft picks]] [[Category:Soccer players from Atlanta]] [[Category:Men's association football midfielders]] [[Category:Men's association football defenders]] [[Category:USL League Two coaches]]