Michael Boxall

BIOGRAPHY

Michael Joseph Boxall was born on August 18, 1988 in Auckland, New Zealand. He is a defender in Major League Soccer.

For high school, Boxall attended and played for Mount Albert Grammar School. With Boxall anchoring the defense, Mount Albert won the league title in 2004 and 2005 and placed first at the national tournament in 2005. In his senior season in 2006, Boxall was named the team captain. He led the team to a second Knockout Cup title in three years. They also went to the Auckland Secondary School Soccer Association Championship. Mt. Albert went on to finish second at nationals that year.

Boxall played for a number of teams in his native New Zealand including Ellerslie AFC, Three Kings United, Central United, and Auckland City FC, leading Central United to the 2007 Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier title. In addition, Boxall won the NZFC with Auckland City, where he made 6 appearances that year despite scoring zero goals. He was named the Auckland City Young Player of the Year with Central United in 2006 and then again with Auckland City F.C. in 2007.

Boxall was recruited to play college soccer at the University of California, Santa Barbara by head coach Tim Vom Steeg. Boxall was named NSCAA Third Team All-America, All-Far West Region First Team and Big West Defender of the Year in his senior year.

Boxall was selected first overall in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft by Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He agreed to terms with the club on March 17, 2011, and made his professional debut on March 19th, in Vancouver's 2011 MLS opener against Toronto FC. After appearing in three matches for the Whitecaps in the 2012 season, Boxall was waived on June 22, 2012.

On July 10, 2012 it was confirmed by the club that Boxall officially joined the Wellington Phoenix of his native New Zealand on a two-year contract. Boxall made his debut for the club on October 14, 2012, in the 1–1 away draw against Melbourne Heart in Round 2. After a beginning to his time in Wellington which saw him play backup to Ben Sigmund and Andrew Durante, Boxall was loaned to the Oakleigh Cannons of the Victorian Premier League. Following a disappointing first season with the Phoenix, Boxall signed a 1-year contract extension on January 15, 2014. Boxall stated the direction that the club was going under new head coach Ernie Merrick was the deciding factor in signing a new deal with the club. In the 2013–14 season, Boxall appeared in 20 games for the Phoenix, starting 18.

Boxall was signed by the Minnesota United from SuperSport on July 12, 2017.  The veteran center back joined MNUFC in July of their inaugural MLS season in 2017 and has been a mainstay in the Minnesota backline since then. He re-signed Oct. 29, 2019.  At the heart of the Loons defensive turnaround, he set the club all-time appearance record on September 19, 2020.