Hall of Fame
A native of Philadelphia, Carlos Buford was a standout in both baseball and soccer at Pitt-Johnstown from 1979-1983.
However, it was on the soccer pitch where Mr. Buford became one of the top players on the East Coast, earning First-Team All-Region honors in 1981.
Even before beginning his collegiate career at Pitt-Johnstown, Mr. Buford was showing off his talents. In 1975, Mr. Buford was a member of the United Junior Soccer League All-Star Team that traveled to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and placed third in the Mini World Soccer Cup.
After graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School, Mr. Buford played two seasons of Division I soccer with several Olympic B Team athletes at St. Louis University, before transferring to Pitt-Johnstown.
While leading the Pitt-Johnstown soccer team, Mr. Buford earned all-conference honors and was named First-Team All-Region in 1981.
In 1983, Mr. Buford graduated from Pitt-Johnstown with Bachelor Degrees in both Political Science and Sociology. Mr. Buford went on to play one year on the practice squad with the Pittsburgh Spirit Indoor Soccer Team, before working as a Patrol Officer with the Cheltenham Auxiliary Police Department for the next 11 years.
From there, Mr. Buford changed career paths and has been employed in the Pharmaceutical Industry for the last 25 years. He currently serves as a Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance Consultant for Carlos S. Buford Associates LLC in East Stroudsburg, Pa., a position he has held since 2010.
Mr. Buford currently resides in East Stroudsburg. His Son, Andrew Buford, is currently in the United States Air Force with his wife, Makalya, at the Wright Patterson Airbase in Dayton, OH.
“As I was growing up, I wanted to be the best athlete I could be,” Mr. Buford said. “After meeting Pele at the age of 12, I was dedicated to becoming the best soccer player I could be, reaching for the highest goals. I practiced hard every day as I loved the game and all of its grandeur. My father created a backstop for me to practice with. I felt blessed every time I achieved one of my goals. Along the way, there were many setbacks, I had knee reconstructive surgery in my second season at Pitt-Johnstown and was informed that I might not play again. I refused to accept that conclusion and dug down deeper in myself to bring out my inner strength to continue and fight through the pain of recovery and proved the doctors wrong as I was cleared to play the following season. This award, to be inducted to the Pitt-Johnstown Hall of Fame, is an honor I never envisioned. I’m just an athlete who loves to play this sport and I had such enjoyment playing here with all of my teammates that I was satisfied having had a great experience. I am deeply humbled and greatly appreciative of everyone that supported me in playing the game that I love.”
