Completed Senior Season in 2009
2009: Provided depth on any injury-riddled backline...started the last four games of his college career...earned a spot on the Pac-10 All-Academic second team.
2008: Appeared in all 21 games, and started 19 of them...tallied two assists on the campaign, one of them coming on Cal's first goal in a 2-2 tie at Washington (Oct. 5) and the other one on the Bears' lone goal in a 1-1 tie vs. San Diego State (Oct. 12).
2007: Emerged as a key defender...recorded his first point of the season, an assist, against San Diego State (Oct. 12)...started 16 games...named to the Pac-10 all-academic second team.
2006: Saw action in three games as a freshman.
High School: A member of the Miramonte High School varsity team for four years...team captain his junior and senior years and earned all-league first-team honors three years...in 2003, 2004 and 2006, his team was North Coast Sectional Champions, and in 2004 and 2005, his team was DFAL League champions...as a member of the Santa Clara Ruckus, was the 2005 Super Y-League regional champion and a national semifinalist...his club team was also U.S. Club Region IV Champion, a U.S. Club national finalist and a Surf Cup quarterfinalist.
Personal: Social welfare major...parents are Matthew and Corinna Sassano...has a brother, Luke, who played at Cal (2004-2007) and now plays for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer...also has a sister, Danielle, who played soccer for UC Santa Cruz, and a younger brother, Eric...worked as a lifeguard the summer before joining Cal...hobbies are photography, wakeboarding, snowboarding and playing video games...born November 22, 1987, in Glendale, Calif.
Sassano's Career Statistics
Year G GS Shots Goals Assists Points
2006 3 0 0 0 0 0
2007 17 16 0 0 1 1
2008 21 19 1 0 2 2
2009 12 5 1 0 0 0
Totals 53 40 2 0 3 3
