54 College Seniors Invited to 2013 adidas MLS Player Combine
54 College Seniors Invited to 2013 adidas MLS Player Combine
Invited players look to impress 19 MLS clubs in Fort Lauderdale Jan. 11-15
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MLS Communications
(212) 450-1227
NEW YORK (Tuesday, December 11, 2012) - Major League Soccer today announced the fifty-four NCAA DI college seniors invited to participate in the 2013 adidas MLS Player Combine.
Two MAC Hermann Trophy Finalists, 15 All-Americans and eight Men’s College Cup Final Four participants are among the players that will take the field in Fort Lauderdale from January 11-15. All invited players will be eligible for selection in the 2013 SuperDraft presented by adidas that will take place on January 17 in Indianapolis (12 p.m. ET).
A committee of NCAA Division I coaches from every conference, as well as MLS representatives, selected the invitees, all of whom completed their college eligibility this season. Generation adidas signings, non-collegiate players, and additional college seniors will be announced in the coming weeks.
Ryan Finley and Jose Gomez, two of the three Missouri Athletic Club’s (MAC) Hermann Trophy finalists, are among those looking to impress the 19 MLS clubs.
Despite coming off the bench in every match throughout his senior season, Finley, a forward for Notre Dame, tallied 21 goals, including six multiple-goal games, and earned the 2012 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year award.
Gomez, a creative attacking midfielder from Creighton, claimed one of three finalist spots after being overlooked in the preliminary MAC Hermann Trophy watch list at the start of the season. The Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year started every game for the Bluejays in 2012, leading the team to the Men’s College Cup semifinal.
The Division I Men’s All-America teams will again be well represented at the MLS Combine. Fifteen of the invited seniors were named to All-America teams: five First Team selections, five Second Team selections and five Third Team selections. Three of those 15 players, Ashton Bennett (Coastal Carolina, forward), Carlos Alvarez (Connecticut, midfielder) and John Stertzer (Maryland, midfielder) are repeat All-Americans.
Eight players that participated in the 2012 Men’s College Cup Final Four this past weekend are among the Combine invited player list: two players from Creighton (Jose Gomez, Andrew Ribeiro), three from Georgetown (Tommy Muller, Jimmy Nealis, Ian Christianson), two from Maryland (Taylor Kemp, John Stertzer) and one for the 2012 Men’s College Cup Champion Indiana University (Luis Soffner).
· Media interested in covering the 2013 adidas MLS Player Combine should contact Lauren Brophy (Lauren.Brophy@MLSsoccer.com) to request a credential for the matches.
· Media interested in covering the 2013 SuperDraft presented by adidas should contact Susan Marschall (Susan.Marschall@MLSsoccer.com) to request a credential for the event.
To download the SuperDraft logo, please CLICK HERE.
To download the Combine logo, please CLICK HERE.
To view the schedule of Combine matches, please CLICK HERE.
2013 adidas MLS Player Combine NCAA DI College Senior Participants
(By Last Name)
|
First Name
|
Last Name
|
School
|
Position
|
Hometown
|
BIO
|
|
Carlos
|
Alvarez
|
University of Connecticut
|
M
|
Los Angeles, Calif.
|
|
|
Don
|
Anding
|
Northeastern University
|
F
|
Amity Harbor, N.Y.
|
|
|
Will
|
Bates
|
University of Virginia
|
F
|
Chester, Va.
|
|
|
Kyle
|
Bekker
|
Boston College
|
M
|
Oakville, Ontario
|
|
|
James
|
Belshaw
|
Duke University
|
GK
|
Nottingham, England
|
|
|
Ashton
|
Bennett
|
Coastal Carolina University
|
F
|
Clarendon, Jamaica
|
|
|
Ian
|
Christianson
|
Georgetown University
|
M
|
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
|
|
|
Marc
|
Cintron
|
Providence College
|
F
|
Piscataway, N.J.
|
|
|
Greg
|
Cochrane
|
University of Louisville
|
D/M
|
Holland, Pa.
|
|
|
Machael
|
David
|
University of California, Santa Barbara
|
M
|
Tacoma, Wash.
|
|
|
Danchrisandre (Dan)
|
Delgado
|
University of San Diego
|
M
|
Escondido, Ca.
|
|
|
Paolo
|
DelPiccolo
|
University of Louisville
|
M
|
Wheat Ridge, Colo.
|
|
|
Uwem
|
Etuk
|
West Virginia University
|
M
|
Herndon, Va.
|
|
|
Ryan
|
Finley
|
University of Notre Dame
|
F
|
Lumberton, NJ
|
|
|
Ben
|
Fisk
|
University of Washington
|
M
|
Federal Way, Wash.
|
|
|
Shaun
|
Foster
|
Hofstra University
|
D
|
Southport, England
|
|
|
Joe
|
Franco
|
California State University, Northridge
|
D
|
Monrovia, Calif.
|
|
|
Jordan
|
Gafa
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
|
D/M
|
San Diego, Calif.
|
|
|
John
|
Gallagher
|
Pennsylvania State University
|
D
|
Pine Bush, N.Y.
|
|
|
Jose
|
Gomez
|
Creighton University
|
M
|
Santa Ana, Calif.
|
|
|
Scott
|
Goodwin
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
|
GK
|
Raleigh, N.C.
|
|
|
Brenton
|
Griffiths
|
University of South Florida
|
D
|
Spanish Towne, Jamaica
|
|
|
Coleton
|
Henning
|
Furman University
|
M/F
|
Shawnee, Kan.
|
|
|
Ryan
|
Hollingshead
|
University of California, Los Angeles
|
M/F
|
Granite Bay, CA
|
|
|
Erik
|
Hurtado
|
Santa Clara University
|
F
|
Beaverton, Ore.
|
|
|
Larry
|
Jackson
|
Santa Clara University
|
GK
|
East Palo Alto, Calif.
|
|
|
Taylor
|
Kemp
|
University of Maryland
|
D/M
|
Highland Ranch, Colo.
|
|
|
Kory
|
Kindle
|
California State University, Bakersfield
|
D/M
|
Ventura, Calif.
|
|
|
Jonathan
|
Mendoza
|
Stetson University
|
M/F
|
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
|
|
|
David
|
Meves
|
University of Akron
|
GK
|
Arlington Heights, Ill.
|
|
|
Fernando
|
Monge
|
University of California, Los Angeles
|
M/F
|
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Tommy
|
Muller
|
Georgetown University
|
D
|
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
|
|
|
Colin
|
Murphy
|
Boston College
|
M
|
Hollywood, Fla.
|
|
|
Jimmy
|
Nealis
|
Georgetown University
|
M/D
|
Massapequa, N.Y.
|
|
|
Tommy (T.J)
|
Nelson
|
Southern Methodist University
|
M
|
Garland, Texas
|
|
|
Kofi
|
Opare
|
University of Michigan
|
D
|
Niagara Falls, Ontario
|
|
|
Leston
|
Paul
|
University of South Florida
|
M
|
Mayaro, Trinidad
|
|
|
Dillon
|
Powers
|
University of Notre Dame
|
M
|
Plano, TX
|
|
|
Andrew
|
Ribeiro
|
Creighton University
|
M/F
|
Green Bay, Wis.
|
|
|
Devon
|
Sandoval
|
University of New Mexico
|
F
|
Albuquerque, N.M.
|
|
|
Eric
|
Schoenle
|
West Virginia University
|
D
|
Yardley, Pa.
|
|
|
Blake
|
Smith
|
University of New Mexico
|
M/F
|
Boerne, Texas
|
|
|
Donnie
|
Smith
|
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
|
M/F
|
Matthews, NC
|
|
|
Yannick
|
Smith
|
Old Dominion University
|
F
|
Hillsborough, NJ
|
|
|
Luis
|
Soffner
|
Indiana University
|
GK
|
St. Louis, Mo.
|
|
|
Luke
|
Spencer
|
Xavier University
|
F
|
Cincinnati, Ohio
|
|
|
John
|
Stertzer
|
University of Maryland
|
M
|
Oakton, Va.
|
|
|
Brad
|
Stuver
|
Cleveland State University
|
GK
|
Twinsburg, Ohio
|
|
|
Chris
|
Thomas
|
Elon University
|
F
|
Snellville, Ga.
|
|
|
Dylan
|
Tucker-Gangnes
|
University of Washington
|
D/M
|
Bainbridge Island, Wash.
|
|
|
Emery
|
Welshman
|
Oregon State University
|
F
|
Mississauga, Ontario
|
|
|
Danny
|
Wenzel
|
Wake Forest University
|
D
|
Federal Way, Wash.
|
|
|
Daniel
|
Withrow
|
Marshall University
|
GK
|
Rochester Hills, Mich.
|
|
|
Paul
|
Wyatt
|
James Madison University
|
M/F
|
Modbury, England
|
2013 adidas MLS Player Combine NCAA DI College Senior Participants
(By School)
|
First Name
|
Last Name
|
School
|
Position
|
Hometown
|
|
Kyle
|
Bekker
|
Boston College
|
M
|
Oakville, Ontario
|
|
Colin
|
Murphy
|
Boston College
|
M
|
Hollywood, Fla.
|
|
Kory
|
Kindle
|
California State University, Bakersfield
|
D/M
|
Ventura, Calif.
|
|
Joe
|
Franco
|
California State University, Northridge
|
D
|
Monrovia, Calif.
|
|
Brad
|
Stuver
|
Cleveland State University
|
GK
|
Twinsburg, Ohio
|
|
Ashton
|
Bennett
|
Coastal Carolina University
|
F
|
Clarendon, Jamaica
|
|
Jose
|
Gomez
|
Creighton University
|
M
|
Santa Ana, Calif.
|
|
Andrew
|
Ribeiro
|
Creighton University
|
M/F
|
Green Bay, Wis.
|
|
James
|
Belshaw
|
Duke University
|
GK
|
Nottingham, England
|
|
Chris
|
Thomas
|
Elon University
|
F
|
Snellville, Ga.
|
|
Coleton
|
Henning
|
Furman University
|
M/F
|
Shawnee, Kan.
|
|
Tommy
|
Muller
|
Georgetown University
|
D
|
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
|
|
Jimmy
|
Nealis
|
Georgetown University
|
M/D
|
Massapequa, N.Y.
|
|
Ian
|
Christianson
|
Georgetown University
|
M
|
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
|
|
Shaun
|
Foster
|
Hofstra University
|
D
|
Southport, England
|
|
Luis
|
Soffner
|
Indiana University
|
GK
|
St. Louis, Mo.
|
|
Paul
|
Wyatt
|
James Madison University
|
M/F
|
Modbury, England
|
|
Daniel
|
Withrow
|
Marshall University
|
GK
|
Rochester Hills, Mich.
|
|
Don
|
Anding
|
Northeastern University
|
F
|
Amity Harbor, N.Y.
|
|
Yannick
|
Smith
|
Old Dominion University
|
F
|
Hillsborough, NJ
|
|
Emery
|
Welshman
|
Oregon State University
|
F
|
Mississauga, Ontario
|
|
John
|
Gallagher
|
Pennsylvania State University
|
D
|
Pine Bush, N.Y.
|
|
Marc
|
Cintron
|
Providence College
|
F
|
Piscataway, N.J.
|
|
Erik
|
Hurtado
|
Santa Clara University
|
F
|
Beaverton, Ore.
|
|
Larry
|
Jackson
|
Santa Clara University
|
GK
|
East Palo Alto, Calif.
|
|
Tommy (T.J)
|
Nelson
|
Southern Methodist University
|
M
|
Garland, Texas
|
|
Jonathan
|
Mendoza
|
Stetson University
|
M/F
|
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
|
|
David
|
Meves
|
University of Akron
|
GK
|
Arlington Heights, Ill.
|
|
Ryan
|
Hollingshead
|
University of California, Los Angeles
|
M/F
|
Granite Bay, CA
|
|
Fernando
|
Monge
|
University of California, Los Angeles
|
M/F
|
Seattle, WA
|
|
Machael
|
David
|
University of California, Santa Barbara
|
M
|
Tacoma, Wash.
|
|
Carlos
|
Alvarez
|
University of Connecticut
|
M
|
Los Angeles, Calif.
|
|
Greg
|
Cochrane
|
University of Louisville
|
D/M
|
Holland, Pa.
|
|
Paolo
|
DelPiccolo
|
University of Louisville
|
M
|
Wheat Ridge, Colo.
|
|
Taylor
|
Kemp
|
University of Maryland
|
D/M
|
Highland Ranch, Colo.
|
|
John
|
Stertzer
|
University of Maryland
|
M
|
Oakton, Va.
|
|
Kofi
|
Opare
|
University of Michigan
|
D
|
Niagara Falls, Ontario
|
|
Devon
|
Sandoval
|
University of New Mexico
|
F
|
Albuquerque, N.M.
|
|
Blake
|
Smith
|
University of New Mexico
|
M/F
|
Boerne, Texas
|
|
Jordan
|
Gafa
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
|
D/M
|
San Diego, Calif.
|
|
Scott
|
Goodwin
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
|
GK
|
Raleigh, N.C.
|
|
Donnie
|
Smith
|
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
|
M/F
|
Matthews, NC
|
|
Ryan
|
Finley
|
University of Notre Dame
|
F
|
Lumberton, NJ
|
|
Dillon
|
Powers
|
University of Notre Dame
|
M
|
Plano, TX
|
|
Danchrisandre (Dan)
|
Delgado
|
University of San Diego
|
M
|
Escondido, Ca.
|
|
Brenton
|
Griffiths
|
University of South Florida
|
D
|
Spanish Towne, Jamaica
|
|
Leston
|
Paul
|
University of South Florida
|
M
|
Mayaro, Trinidad
|
|
Will
|
Bates
|
University of Virginia
|
F
|
Chester, Va.
|
|
Ben
|
Fisk
|
University of Washington
|
M
|
Federal Way, Wash.
|
|
Dylan
|
Tucker-Gangnes
|
University of Washington
|
D/M
|
Bainbridge Island, Wash.
|
|
Danny
|
Wenzel
|
Wake Forest University
|
D
|
Federal Way, Wash.
|
|
Uwem
|
Etuk
|
West Virginia University
|
M
|
Herndon, Va.
|
|
Eric
|
Schoenle
|
West Virginia University
|
D
|
Yardley, Pa.
|
|
Luke
|
Spencer
|
Xavier University
|
F
|
Cincinnati, Ohio
|
