Zen Luzniak

Zenon “Zen” Luzniak is a U.S. soccer defender who spent three seasons in the American Professional Soccer League and two in the USISL. He also earned one cap with the U.S. national team.

Luzniak grew up in Cooper City, Florida where he attended Cooper City High School from 1980 to 1984. During his four seasons on the Cooper City soccer team, he led the team in scoring. He was also a two time All County cross country runner. He then attended Wake Forest University where he played on the men’s soccer team. In his two seasons, 1987–1988, with the Demon Deacons, Luzniak scored four goals in thirty-seven games. He tore a ligament in his right knee during his junior season and left Wake to rehab with a Netherlands team.

When Luzniak returned to the United States in 1991, he signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Professional Soccer League and played four seasons with them. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Mutiny in the thirteen round (127th overall) in the 1996 MLS Draft. However, he never played for the Mutiny, but joined the Carolina Dynamo of the USISL for the 1996 season. He signed with the Dynamo in 1999, but on May 8, 1999, he tore his anterior-cruciate ligament in a game against the Myrtle Beach Seadawgs.

Luzniak earned one cap with the U.S. national team in a 1-0 win over Costa Rica on June 14, 1988 when he came on for Donald Cogsville.