Roman J. Rosul
Roman J. Rosul '76 1998 Soccer
Fortunately for Cleveland State University, Roman Rosul was probably born 10 years too soon.
If the big happy-go-lucky kid from Rocky River High School had graduated from high school in 1981 instead of 1971, he probably would have been headed for one of the playtime campuses of the now soccer-conscious South after the conclusion of a major recruiting battle for his services.
Rosul was something special ... the all-time one-season scoring leader in Ohio high school soccer with 33 goals and 14 assists in 11 games in his senior season ... the leading junior scorer in what was then a very potent Lake Erie Soccer League for three straight seasons, with a high of 54 goals in 1970 ... selected to play in the Olympic Development program in 1970.
Certainly the world of American college soccer powers would have beaten a path to his door, scholarships dangling from their attaché cases.
As it was, the competition from the St. Louises and the Southern Illinoises was tough enough. But CSU, on the rise as a national soccer power, emerged the happy winner. The prize was worth the effort.
A regular from the start of his first season in 1972, Rosul stamped an indelible impression on Viking soccer history.
In his very first season he finished as the team's second leading scorer, a second team All-Ohio, and an honorable mention All-Midwest selection. In his second season he led the team in scoring with 12 goals, was again named to the All-Ohio squad and was named the Vikings "Most Outstanding" soccer player.
The next spring he was invited to try out for the U.S. Pan-American and Olympic teams, advancing to the second round of trials, one of just 24 players from the Midwest to survive from the original 160.
But the 1974 college campaign became a near disaster for him.
Just three games into the campaign Rosul leaped for a ball against Federal City College. He made no contact with an opponent as he came down on the artificial turf of Baldwin-Wallace's Finnie Stadium and crumbled in a writhing heap on the field.
He had torn up everything there was to tear in his knee. His season was over and it was feared that his career might also be ended.
Instead he embarked on a vigorous and disciplined rehabilitation program on the day his surgeons gave him a green light. It worked.
In 1975, Rosul returned for the finest season of his notable career, scoring 18 goals, equaling the second best single season output in Viking annals and adding 11 assists to tie the best total point output ever at CSU.
His last two goals came in the first round of the NCAA playoffs against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Those two scores gave Cleveland State a 2-1 halftime lead, but he was injured on the second goal and had to leave the game. SIU rallied against the Rosul-less Vikes in the second half to eliminate the visitors, 3-2.
Despite missing most of his junior season and several other games as a freshman with injuries, Rosul finished his career ranked fourth among the teams' career leaders in goals scored with 39, and fifth in career assists (21) and total points (60).
Capping his senior season, he was voted an honorable mention All-American, the eighth Viking booter to be accorded All-American honors, was picked to the All-Midwest and All-Ohio first teams, and was named the Vikes' "Most Outstanding" in soccer for a second time.
Not long afterward Rosul was drafted by the Miami Toros of the North American Soccer League, the sixth player chosen in the first round of the NASL draft. He began his professional career on April 18, 1976 in a game against the New York Cosmos and the legendary Pele.
Injuries continued to haunt him throughout a career which also took him to Fort Lauderdale, Memphis, Jacksonville and Connecticut, but he, nevertheless completed seven seasons as a professional.
Now engaged in real estate he makes his home in Jacksonville with his wife Kristen, and daughter Alexandra.
