Tampa Bay Mutiny starting central defender R.T. Moore has announced his retirement, effective following the Mutiny’s home game versus San Jose July 8 at 7:30 at Raymond James Stadium. Moore, 23, has been accepted to Dental School at Southern Illinois University, and will begin attending classes for the four-year program in August. Moore received his undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Maryland in 1997 and has had career aspirations leaning toward the dental field for a few years, since spending some time in and around an office in the off-season. “It’s a unique situation,” Moore said. “If I didn’t accept the opportunity now, it wouldn’t have been there for me again due to the fact that the grades I have and the test scores I had received would expire this year. And all of a sudden, I wouldn’t be able to go. “If I could, I’d push [retirement] off as long as possible. I love soccer, love the Mutiny, my team, Tampa … everything. But this is my last chance at it. I tried to defer my application for a year or two but it wasn’t possible.” “Of all the players I’ve had in my coaching career, R.T. has grown from a rookie to a player in such a short period of time,” Mutiny head coach Tim Hankinson said. “I would like our fans to come out on Thursday and see the player he has become as well as support him and send him off in fine fashion.” Moore, after playing in just two games last year as a rookie, has become a stalwart in the team’s defense, and has started 11 of Tampa Bay’s 16 games this season, including a nine matches in succession. That streak was snapped Saturday versus Kansas City; Moore did not start due to a severe case of sinusitis.