25 Facts About Kirk Urso

Kirk Jon Urso was an American professional soccer player who played as a midfielder.

Kirk Urso helped the Tar Heels win three Atlantic Coast Conference titles, reach four consecutive College Cups, and claim a national championship in 2011.

Kirk Urso appeared during the collegiate offseason with Carolina Dynamo and Chicago Fire Premier.

Kirk Urso was selected by Columbus Crew in the first round of the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft and went on to appear in six matches for the Crew.

At international level, Kirk Urso appeared for the United States at under-17 and under-20 level after coming up through various boys' national teams.

Kirk Urso appeared for the U17s at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup and was with the U20s at the 2008 Milk Cup.

Kirk Urso died at the Grant Medical Center in August 2012, from arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, an inherited heart disease caused by genetic defects of the parts of heart muscle.

Kirk Urso was born in Downers Grove, Illinois, the younger of two sons to his parents Michael and Sandra Kirk Urso.

Kirk Urso attended Glenbard East High School and played in the Illinois Olympic Development Program as a freshman before spending two years in the under-17 national team residency program at the IMG Soccer Academy.

At club level, Kirk Urso spent eight years in the Chicago Sockers youth setup before joining the residency program; with the Sockers, he played alongside Michael Bradley, David Meves, Greg Jordan, and Andy Rose.

Kirk Urso helped the Tar Heels claim a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title, then scored a goal in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season; his strike helped North Carolina defeat Drake and secure a spot in the College Cup.

Kirk Urso twice tallied game-winning goals, coming through an overtime free kick against Wofford and directly off a corner kick against Virginia.

Kirk Urso was named as the team captain for his senior season; he was the only player remaining on the roster who had played in each of North Carolina's previous three trips to the College Cup.

Kirk Urso added a goal and an assist in the NCAA Tournament, scoring in the second round against Coastal Carolina as North Carolina returned to the College Cup for the fourth year running.

Kirk Urso finished his collegiate career with 15 goals and 24 assists in 91 appearances; he played more games than any player in Tar Heel history.

Kirk Urso spent the 2008 and 2009 Premier Development League seasons with Carolina Dynamo, appearing for the Dynamo ahead of his freshman and sophomore years at North Carolina.

Ahead of his junior collegiate season, Kirk Urso moved within the PDL and joined Chicago Fire Premier, the affiliate club of Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire.

Kirk Urso spent just one season with Fire Premier, scoring five goals and providing four assists in 16 appearances.

Out of college, Kirk Urso was selected with the 10th overall pick of the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft by Columbus Crew; he joined North Carolina teammate Ben Speas in Columbus after Speas had signed with the club as a homegrown player a week earlier.

Kirk Urso started each of Columbus' first five games, but dropped out of the lineup following O'Rourke's return.

Kirk Urso was later called up by the under-20s for the 2008 Milk Cup and for a training camp in December of that year.

Kirk Urso played basketball as a child before committing to soccer full-time and was a fan of the Chicago Bulls.

Early in the morning on August 5,2012, Kirk Urso collapsed and fell unconscious at a bar in Columbus.

Autopsy results revealed that Kirk Urso died from arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a preexisting heart condition that he "likely did not know he had", according to the Franklin County coroner.

Former Crew athletic trainer Dave Lagow ran the 2018 Marine Corps Marathon in memory of Kirk Urso; he started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the fund.