{{Short description|American soccer player and attorney}} {{BLP sources|date=October 2017}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | embed = | name = Matt Behncke | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|2|20}} | birth_place = Williamsburg, Virginia, United States | height = 1.91m | position = Defender | youthyears1 = 1989–1998 | youthclubs1 = Williamsburg Wizards | collegeyears1 = 1998–2002 | college1 = Princeton Tigers | years1 = 2002–2004 | clubs1 = Dallas Burn | totalcaps = | totalgoals = | years2 = 2004–2006 | clubs2 = Real Salt Lake | years3 = 2006 | clubs3 = Williamsburg Legacy | caps1 = 33 | goals1 = 1 | caps2 = 8 | goals2 = 0 }}
'''Matt Behncke''' (born February 20, 1980) is an American former professional soccer player and attorney. He last played for Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer (MLS).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Behncke Biography |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/bio/_/id/36515/matt-behncke |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=ESPN |language=en}}</ref> He is now a partner with the law firm of Susman Godfrey.
==Soccer career== Behncke grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia playing his youth soccer with the Williamsburg Wizards. Before joining MLS, Behncke played four years of college soccer for Princeton University. In 1998, his first year at Princeton, Behncke was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sanner Named Ivy Rookie of the Year; Linnville Gets Career Sweep |url=https://goprincetontigers.com/news/2012/11/14/205736719?path=msoc |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Princeton University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> In his sophomore year, he was a second team All-Ivy selection, while leading the Tigers to an Ivy League title. In both his junior and senior seasons, Behncke was named first team All-Ivy. In 2002, Behncke was the sole recipient of the William Winston Roper award,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The William W. Roper Award |url=https://goprincetontigers.com/news/2000/2/24/670693 |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Princeton University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> the highest male student-athlete award at Princeton. The award is given annually to a Princeton senior of high scholastic rank, outstanding sportsmanship, and general athletic ability.
Upon graduating, Behncke was drafted 18th overall in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft by the Dallas Burn.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-03-30 |title=RSL assembles group of solid defenders |url=https://www.deseret.com/2005/3/30/19884689/rsl-assembles-group-of-solid-defenders |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> In his first year with Dallas, Behncke did not make much of an impact, playing only 190 minutes. In his second year, however, Behncke developed into a useful utility player for the Burn, capable of playing adequately at either central defense or left fullback. Behncke saw an increased role in 2004, starting almost half of the Burn's games.
However, after the 2004 season, he was selected by Real Salt Lake in the Expansion Draft. Following the 2005 season, Behncke was waived and retired from professional soccer to attend law school at the University of Texas School of Law. In 2006, he played for the Williamsburg Legacy, his hometown club, in the fourth division Premier Development League, prior to beginning school in Austin.<ref>[http://pdl.uslsoccer.com/teams/2006/roster/22402.html Teams 2006]pdl.uslsoccer.com {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210074524/http://pdl.uslsoccer.com/teams/2006/roster/22402.html |date=February 10, 2012 }}</ref>
==Legal career== While attending law school at the University of Texas School of Law, Behncke was selected as the chief articles editor of the ''Texas Law Review''.
After law school, Behncke served as a law clerk to John M. Rogers of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. On January 1, 2017, Behncke was elected to the partnership of Susman Godfrey L.L.P.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.susmangodfrey.com/attorneys/matthew-behncke/|title = Matthew Behncke}}</ref> Behncke is based out of the Houston, Texas office.
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Behncke, Matt}} Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:American men's soccer players Category:FC Dallas players Category:Real Salt Lake players Category:Legacy 76 players Category:Princeton Tigers men's soccer players Category:USL League Two players Category:Major League Soccer players Category:FC Dallas draft picks Category:University of Texas School of Law alumni Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Texas lawyers