Tampa Bay Rowdies

Darnell King signed with the Rowdies on December 22, 2014.

King, 24, is a Hillsborough County native who has spent his entire professional career with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and arrives in Tampa Bay as an experienced NASL veteran despite his young age. King made 75 appearances, including 61 starts in his three seasons with the Strikers.

He is a quick right-sided player capable of playing as a right back or further forward as a right midfielder. King played forward for Gaither High School in Tampa and graduated in 2008. He set the school record with 71 points in a season, scoring 27 goals and tallying 17 assists en route to being named an All-County selection.

King attended on to Florida Atlantic University, where he played from 2008-2011. In his four years with the Owls, King scored 17 goals and tallied 10 assists. He was FAU’s leading points scorer in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

King played primarily as a right back for Fort Lauderdale, culminating in his NASL Best XI recognition this past season as a defender. In his three years with the Strikers, King scored six goals.