TORONTO - At six foot six, Toronto FC’s newest defender is hard to miss. Aime Mabika comes with a good story as well.
Born in Zambia to Congolese parents, Mabika was seven or eight when his family moved to the United States. Soccer was always his game and he was part of a championship-calibre high school team in Lexington, Ky., before making the University of Kentucky team as a walk-on.
At Kentucky, Mabika was named Conference USA player of the year and co-defensive MVP. He started 53 of 62 career appearances, scored 10 goals (including two game-winners) and added two assists, while helping the Wildcats to record 28 shutouts.