{{short description|Ivorian footballer (born 1983)}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Guy-Roland Kpene | image = | fullname = Guy-Roland Kpene | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|11|23}} | birth_place = Abidjan, Ivory Coast | height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}} | currentclub = Long Island Rough Riders | clubnumber = 9 | position = Forward | youthyears1 = 2000 | youthclubs1 = CSP Cocody | youthyears2 = 2003 | youthclubs2 = Westchester Vikings | collegeyears1 = 2004–2006 | college1 = Dowling Golden Lions | years1 = 2006 | clubs1 = Brooklyn Knights | caps1 = 9 | goals1 = 6 | years2 = 2007–2008 | clubs2 = D.C. United | caps2 = 15 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2008 | clubs3 = Houston Dynamo | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2011 | clubs4 = Long Island Rough Riders | caps4 = 3 | goals4 = 1 | nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | pcupdate = June 4, 2011 | ntupdate = }}
'''Guy-Roland Kpene''' (born November 23, 1983, in Abidjan) is an Ivorian footballer who currently plays as a forward for the Long Island Rough Riders.
==Career==
===Youth and college=== After playing in the youth team of local Ivorian side CSP Cocody, Kpene moved with his family to the United States in 2003 when his mother accepted the job as Ivory Coast's finance attache to the United Nations in New York.<ref name="Washpost">{{cite news | title=Kpene Takes a Roundabout Way to D.C. | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/13/AR2007021301139.html | accessdate=28 April 2007 | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Steven | last=Goff | date=2007-02-14}}</ref>
Kpene played one season of college soccer at Westchester Community College, earning all-region honors, before being recruited by Dowling College. He helped the Golden Lions to a 22-0-2 season and Dowling’s first National Title. Kpene was Dowling's leading scorer, the first Dowling men’s soccer player to be drafted by MLS, and only the fourth Golden Lion to be drafted in any sport.<ref name="ecac">{{cite web | title=Kpehe Drafted by D.C. United | url=http://www.eastcoastconference.org/kpene.html | accessdate=28 April 2007 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In his final season, he totaled 25 goals (including seven game-winning goals) and 10 assists. He was named to the 2006 NSCAA/adidas NCAA [http://www.nscaa.com/articles/20061207132921136.php Division II Men's Collegiate All-American] (second team) and earned ECAC [http://www.ecac.org/feature/feature.asp?id=3435 Offensive Player of the Week] and All-Conference honors.<ref>{{cite web | title=Men's Soccer – All Conference Selections 2006 | url=http://www.eastcoastconference.org/msoc-all_conf.html | accessdate=28 April 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107101658/http://www.eastcoastconference.org/msoc-all_conf.html | archive-date=7 January 2007 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He graduated with a degree in finance.
In 2005, Kpene started all 19 games for the Golden Lions and led the team with 33 points and 13 goals (5 game winning). He was second on the team with 7 assists. Kpene was named to the All-NYCAC First Team and the NSCAA/adidas All Northeast Region First Team.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guy-Roland Kpene |url=http://www.dowling.edu/athletics/Sport-Player.asp?playid=487&sportid=6 |accessdate=28 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060914050117/https://www.dowling.edu/athletics/Sport-Player.asp?playid=487&sportid=6 |archivedate=September 14, 2006 }}</ref>
During his college years Kpene also played for the Brooklyn Knights in the USL Premier Development League, scoring 6 goals in 9 appearances in 2006.
===Professional=== Kpene was selected in the third round, 37th overall, by D.C. United in the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft.<ref name="MLS">{{cite web | title=2007 MLS Supplemental Draft | url=http://www.mlsnet.com/mls/events/supplementaldraft/2007/search.jsp | accessdate=28 April 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070219184117/http://www.mlsnet.com/mls/events/supplementaldraft/2007/search.jsp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 19 February 2007}}</ref> He made his first MLS start on May 6, 2007, against Chivas USA, and assisted on the first goal by Christian Gomez to give the team the lead.
After being released by D.C. United during preseason, Kpene signed with the Houston Dynamo on May 7, 2008, having practiced with the team from mid-April and played in the team's April 20 reserve game as a guest player.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/article/DYNAMO-NOTES-Team-signs-ex-United-forward-Kpene-1620747.php |title=Dynamo Notes: Team signs ex-United forward Kpene |last=Fallas|first=Bernardo |date=2008-05-07|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|access-date=2020-01-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/article/Dynamo-notes-Forward-Kpene-gets-tryout-1753056.php|title=Dynamo notes: Forward Kpene gets tryout|last=Fallas|first=Bernardo|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=2008-04-18 |language=en|access-date=2020-01-15}}</ref> He was released following the 2008 season.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Fallas|first=Bernardo|date=December 23, 2008|title=Soccer Notebook: Stadium issue headed for '09|url=https://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/article/Soccer-Notebook-Stadium-issue-headed-for-09-1630278.php|access-date=March 4, 2021|newspaper=Houston Chronicle}}</ref>
In 2009, Kpene went to Europe to continue his career. He was with Bundesliga 2 side FSV Frankfurt, and with several teams in Belgium.
In 2011, Kpene, having returned to the United States, signed with the Long Island Rough Riders in the USL Premier Development League. He scored a goal for the Rough Riders on his debut on May 21, 2011, a 3–1 win over Jersey Express.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://pdl.uslsoccer.com/stats/2011/2214322.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |access-date=2011-05-27 |archive-date=2012-07-12 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712141537/http://pdl.uslsoccer.com/stats/2011/2214322.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Honors==
===D.C. United=== *'''Major League Soccer Supporter's Shield (1):''' 2007
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060914050117/https://www.dowling.edu/athletics/Sport-Player.asp?playid=487&sportid=6 Dowling College Bio] *[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/13/AR2007021301139.html Feature on Kpene] by Steven Goff, Washington Post *[http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2007/02/dcus_rookies_choose_numbers.html Kpene on jersey numbers] in Dan Steinberg's Washington Post Sports Bog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kpene, Guy-Roland}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:Brooklyn Knights players Category:D.C. United players Category:Houston Dynamo FC players Category:Long Island Rough Riders players Category:Ivorian men's footballers Category:Footballers from Abidjan Category:USL League Two players Category:Major League Soccer players Category:D.C. United draft picks Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Westchester Community College alumni Category:21st-century Ivorian sportsmen