Titan Memories: Joey DiGiamarino – From Team Titan to Team USA

10/29/2026 10:00:00 AM | By: Kirk San Roman

After a standout career at Corona High School where he was a four-time All-League and All-State selection, "DiGi" was named California High School Player of the Year in 1995. DiGiamarino, a defender, then chose to continue his career at Cal State Fullerton under head coach Al Mistri.

Coach Mistri and assistant coaches Bob Ammann and Barry Pryor put together the Titans' successful recruiting effort. "It was a great group of guys," DiGiamarino said.

"It basically came down to UCLA and Fullerton," Joey remembered. "I ended up choosing Fullerton because I really liked the coaching staff, and I was familiar with the campus and school after playing club soccer there with the U-19 L.A. Salsa. We were one of the best club teams in the country and won a national championship."

When asked about his favorite memories from his playing time at Fullerton, Joey remembered scoring a breakaway goal about 3 minutes into his first match. "That was a big deal for me," he said. A free-kick goal against Wisconsin also stood out.

Although only playing two seasons with the Titans, "DiGi" after 20 years, remains at #5 all-time in career assists, remarkable for a backline defender. "I always took pride in setting my teammates up and assisting on goals," he said.

Off the pitch, Joey remembered performing skits during freshman orientation, going to the beach with teammate Alessio Smith, and living off campus with Titan and future USA teammate Brian Dunseth during his sophomore year.

After leaving Fullerton for a six-month period to participate with the USA U-20 national team, including in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia, an opportunity was offered to DiGiamarino by Major League Soccer's Project 40, with the new American soccer league attempting to sign the top 40 college players in the nation and provide them with intensive developmental training and guaranteed professional contracts. "It was always my dream to play professional soccer, and when the opportunity presented itself, I didn't want it to pass me by," he concluded.

MLS assigned Joey to the Colorado Rapids, initially loaned to the USL's Colorado Foxes for 10 matches, before joining the MLS Rapids from 1997 to 2000, appearing in 67 matches and scoring 7 goals as both a defender and midfielder.

DiGiamarino described being called up by the USA national team for the 2000 Olympics as "amazing," adding, "It's always a huge goal to represent your country." He helped bring former Titan teammate Brian Dunseth to national team attention. Both participated in the Sydney, Australia, Summer Olympic Games, with Dunseth being named captain. Under head coach Clive Charles, Team USA reached the semifinals and finished just short of a medal, in fourth place.

Joey's remarkable list of Olympic teammates included future USA senior team stalwarts like Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, Jeff Agoos, Danny Califf, Frankie Hejduk, John O'Brien, Ben Olsen, Peter Vagenas, Connor Casey, Josh Wolff, and Landon Donovan.

After the Olympics, DiGiamarino signed with Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Germany's Bundesliga before returning to the States to play in the MLS with Colorado and the NY/NJ MetroStars in 2003 and 2004, with injuries marring his last few seasons.

Joey stays in contact with Titan soccer alum Marty Blair (1982-85), and former teammates, including Dunseth via social media, saying most now live outside of Southern California.

"DiGi," remembers the Titan men's soccer staff fondly, "Al's got a great personality, and we're both Italian." He also mentioned playing soccer golf with then-assistant coach Bob Ammann and offered kind words regarding goalkeeper coach Zak Abdel and assistant coach Barry Pryor, the father of Erica Pryor Baldaray, who would star for the Titans women's team in the mid-2000s.

DiGiamarino is now preparing to retire after a 20-year career as a California State Correctional Officer at the Norco facility. He stays involved with soccer by coaching at his alma mater, Corona High, with his former coach, friend, and mentor, Michael Sutherland.

In October of this year, Joey married Victoria. He has two children from a previous marriage, Jayden (19) and Rylee (17). "DiGi" was inducted into the Corona High School Hall of Fame in 2012, and was honored at a recent football game.

DiGiamarino summed things up: "I was blessed to have a great soccer career, from high school to college, and into the pros. I have some amazing memories, traveling to 30 different countries with the national team and stuff."

Honors