Tim Melia

The arrival of Tim Melia prior to the 2010 campaign marked the first shake-up of any type in the RSL goalkeeping corps in three seasons, and while the 24-year-old Long Island native did not see any time with the RSL first team during his initial MLS campaign, he did manage to achieve something his Claret-and-Cobalt teammates failed to do last year … hoist a trophy. After serving much of the spring and summer on loan with the Charleston Battery, Melia would help the South Carolina side – which he first suited up for during the preseason Carolina Challenge Cup – to the USL-2 crown, stepping up to the occasion by making eight saves in the final against the Richmond Kickers. With more valuable playing time and a championship under his belt, look for Melia to carry more confidence into his fight for back-up time alongside Kyle Reynish in 2011. 

Professional Career

2010 RSL/Charleston Battery (loan): Was 12-4-3 with 5 clean sheets and a 1.19 GAA while on loan with the USL-2’s Charleston Battery from April – August … Led Battery to the USL-2 title by making 8 saves in a 2-1 win over Richmond in the Final on 8/28 … After being sent to Battery on loan stint on 4/15, picked up his first win for the Battery two days later on 4/17 @ Charlotte (3-2 W) … Recorded first shutout for Charleston on 4/24 v. Pittsburgh in a 0-0 draw … Won four straight contests from late-April through mid-June, helping the Battery leap to the top of the USL-2 standings at the start of the season … Shut out MLS side Chicago Fire in 120 minutes of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup action on 6/29, making 8 saves during regulation and overtime and stopping another shot in PK, leading the Battery to a 3-0 PK triumph and a massive Round of 16 upset … Earned TheCup.us’s “Player of the Round” honor for his heroics against the Fire … Fell 0-3 to Columbus Crew in the USOC Quarterfinals a week later on 7/06 at Crew Stadium … Swapped places with Kyle Reynish for a few weeks after the Battery’s U.S. Open Cup run to train with RSL, but returned for the stretch drive of the Battery’s season on 8/02 … His clean sheet on 8/14 v. Charlotte clinched the USL-2 regular season crown and an automatic spot in the division’s Championship contest. 

2008-09: Rochester Raging Rhinos (USL First Division): Spent two seasons with the Rhinos, registering a 6-4-7 overall record across USL and U.S. Open Cup play … Made one start during his rookie season in 2008 on 9/17, a 0-1 defeat at Miami FC … Playing time increased in 2009, making 13 League appearances in which he registered a 0.98 GAA, 4-2-7 record, 6 shutouts, and 59 saves in 1,125 minutes in place of injured starter Scott Vallow … Also racked up a 2-1-0 record in leading Rochester to the U.S. Open Cup Semifinals, defeating the Columbus Crew in the Third Round and USL-2’s Wilmington Hammerheads in the Quarterfinals before bowing out to D.C. United after a 1-2 defeat. 

College

Finished his career as one of the top goalkeepers to ever attend Lynn University (Boca Raton, FL), placing in the Fighting Knights’ career top-five in shutouts (18, T-5th), GAA (0.65, 3rd) and saves (85, 5th) … Senior (2007): Started all 18 games for Lynn University … Posted a 14-2-1 record with eight shutouts, 47 saves, a 0.80 GAA and .770 save percentage … Selected as the Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Year … Other accolades include: First-Team All-SSC, Daktronics Second-Team All-South Region, NSCAA First-Team Academic All-South Region and NSCAA First-Team Academic All-America … Junior (2006): Started all 16 appearances after transferring to Lynn University, posting a 14-2-0 record and career highs in 10 shutouts, 38 saves, an 0.49 GAA and a .826 save percentage in the process … Led the Sunshine State Conference in GAA and shutouts while finishing second in save percentage … Ranked fourth in the nation in GAA and 16th in save percentage … Allowed the second fewest goals and recorded the fifth lowest single season GAA in the University’s history … First-Team All-Sunshine State Conference, Daktronics All-South Region First-Team and NSCAA All-South Region Second-Team honoree … Sophomore (2005): Played at Oneonta State, seeing action in 16 games (15 starts) and going 6-8-2 with two shutouts, 58 saves and a 1.63 GAA … Freshman (2004): Saw action in all 18 games in his first season with Oneonta State, recording a 6-10-2 record with a 1.11 GAA, five shutouts, 89 saves and a .809 save percentage … Notched his first collegiate win and shutout in a 2-0 victory against Siena on 9/07. 

High School/Club

Made seven appearances in 2007 for the Long Island Rough Riders of the USL Premier Development League … Was a four-year letter winner at East Islip High School. 

Personal

Born Timothy Joseph Melia in Great River, N.Y … Son of Michael and Julie Melia … Majored in criminal justice at Lynn University, where he played alongside current RSL teammate Jean Alexandre for three seasons (2005-07).