The Atlanta Beat Is WPS #9 Franchise

The Atlanta Beat is back in business. At least in name only.

Women’s Professional Soccer Commissioner Tonya Antonucci and Atlanta Team Owner Fitz Johnson has announced that the ninth Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) will be called the Atlanta Beat, the same name as the former Women’s United Soccer Association club.

The Beat joins the Philadelphia Independence as expansion teams in WPS and will begin play in the 2010 WPS Season.

“We are excited and proud to add Atlanta as our ninth WPS franchise for 2010 and to have Fitz Johnson, who is such a passionate and dynamic businessman, as an owner in our growing league,” said Antonucci.

“Atlanta is a soccer hotbed with its numerous youth leagues and tournaments, and the region has played host to some big time women’s soccer events over the eyars, including the Olympics and WUSA championship gamres.”
The Beat’s colors will be Ferrari Red and Gold and the team will be led by General Manager Shawn McGee, who was announced as the Beat’s GM by .

“We are thrilled to be bringing Women’s Professional Soccer to Atlanta for the 2010 season and are excited for this milestone announcement,” said Johnson. “As a team, we will feature the highest level of women’s soccer in the world and it is our goal to be entertaining, exciting and affordable for fans.

“We feel the new team name, the Atlanta Beat, embraces our city’s past support of a professional women’s soccer team. Our logo and colors are distinct and vibrant, representing the flavor of the warmth, and energy of this city. There is no question that a WPS franchise will diversify and add to Atlanta’s robust professional sports community.”

An Atlanta entrepreneur, Johnson, former CEO of Eagle Group International, LLC, leads the local WPS ownership group and is the team’s managing partner. A member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Johnson holds an Advanced National Diploma from the organization and has extensive ties to soccer at the youth, collegiate, amateur and professional levels.

Johnson is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, having earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Law. Prior to serving as CEO of Eagle Group International, he served as the organization’s Chief Counsel, V.P. for Human Resources, Executive Vice President, COO, and President.

McGee was previously an associate athletics director at SMU and spent 10 years with FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.

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Attendance Drops In MLS

Ten weeks into the season the Seattle Sounders FC, the league’s expansion team is averaging home crowds of 29,536, over 9,000 better than the next team on the list.

Toronto FC is second on the list at 20,151 a game, and is the only franchise that is drawing more than it did a year ago. The improvement is a meager 31 fans per game.

Lost Angeles, which led the league a year ago with 26,009 a game, has slipped to third with an average of 19,139.

FC Dallas and Kansas City anchor the bottom as the only franchises averaging less than 10,000 a game. Dallas is #14 at 9,372 and the Wizards are #15 and last at 9,192.

Overall, the league average is 14,839, down from 16,460 a year ago.

ATTENDANCE AVERAGE
Team 2009 (2008 full season)
1. Seattle 29,536 (expansion team)
2. Toronto FC 20,151 (20,120)
3. Los Angeles 19,139 (26,009)
4. Houston 16,297 (16,939)
5. Chivas USA 14,833 (15,114)
6. Real Salt Lake 14,629 (16,179)
7. D.C. United 14,561 (19,835)
8. Columbus 13,263 (14,622)
9. Colorado 11,037 (13,659)
10. San Jose 11,028 (13,713)
11. Chicago 10,998 (17,034)
12. New York 10,792 (15,928)
13. New England 10,368 (17,580)
14. FC Dallas 9,372 (13,024)
15. Kansas City 9,192 (10,686)

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Attendance Down In MLS

Seattle is setting the pace for attendance in the early weeks of the 2009 Major League Soccer season. The expansion Sounders FC, which have played three home games, is averaging 29,939 a game.

Toronto FC, which was third in the league in attendance last year, is second with an average of 20,465.

Kansas City, which is still playing its home games in a high school stadium, is at the other end of the list. The Wizards have drawn an average of 8,654. FC Dallas, which plays in Pizza Hut Park, one of the league’s premier soccer-specific stadiums, is next to last in attendance with an average of 9,747.

The league average is 14,686, and only Seattle, Toronto, Los Angeles (19,346), Houston (16,085) and Chivas USA (14,914) are above the league average.

Last year’s average attendance was 15,437 at this point of the season.

2009 MLS Attendance Through 4-20-09
1 Seattle Sounders FC 29,939
2 Toronto FC 20,465
3 Los Angeles 19,346
4 Houston 16,085
5 Chivas USA 14,914
6 D.C. United 14,310
7 Colorado 11,885
8 Real Salt Lake 11,800
9 New England 11,314
10 San Jose 11,273
11 Chicago Fire 11,208
12 Columbus 11,076
13 New York 10,485
14 FC Dallas 9,747
15 Kansas City 8,654
Leaguewide average 14,686

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Two Tar Heels Taken In WPS First Round

The Boston Breakers selected University of Southern California star Amy Rodriguez as the #1 pick in the 2009 WPOS Draft in St. Louis, MO.

North Carolina senior Yael Averbuch was taken with the fourth pick in the first round by her hometown Sky Blue FC (NJ), while Tar Heel teammate Allie Long was the first round pick of the Washington Freedom.

Notre Dame also had two first round selections with Brittany Bock going at #3 to the Los Angles Sol and Hermann Trophy winner Kerri Hanks being selected by St. Louis with the #6 pick.

Full results from the 2009 WPS Draft are available at:

FIRST ROUND
1. Boston Breakers - Amy Rodriguez (USC)
2. Chicago Red Stars - Megan Rapinoe (Portland)
3. FC Gold Pride - Christina DiMartino (UCLA)
4. Sky Blue FC - Yael Averbuch (North Carolina)
5. Los Angeles Sol - Brittany Bock (Notre Dame)
6. Saint Louis - Kerri Hanks (Notre Dame)
7. Washington - Allie Long (North Carolina)

OTHER NOTABLES
35. Washington - Briana Scurry
45. FC Gold Pride - Brandi Chastain
46. Sky Blue FC - Zhang Ouying (Chinese National Team)

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Zakuani #1 Pick In MLS SuperDraft;
WFU’s Sam Cronin #2

Sam Cronin, the #2 pick in the dtaft by Toronto FC, was one of six members of the 2008 Wake Forest men’s soccer team selected in the 2009 SuperDraft

Joining Cronin in the second round was Michael Lahoud, selected by Chivas USA in the ninth spot. Cronin joins former Wake Forest goalkeeper Brian Edwards on the Toronto FC squad.

Defender Evan Brown was taken with the first pick of the second round, the 16th pick overall, by MLS expansion team Seattle Sounders FC. D.C. United selected Lyle Adams in the second round with the 26th overall pick. Jamie Franks was selected in the fourth round by Chivas USA with the 49th pick. Marcus Tracy, who has already signed a professional contract with Aalborg of the Danish league, was drafted by the Houston Dynamo in the fourth round with the 56th pick overall.

Cronin became a fixture in the Wake Forest midfield, starting every game during his collegiate career and setting a new school record for games played and games started with 98. The Winston-Salem native scored 10 goals and four assists during his senior season and earned first team All-American honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, College Soccer News and Soccer America. Cronin was also a finalist for the 2008 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy and won the 2008 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Cronin closed his collegiate career with 17 goals, 19 assists and 53 points.

Lahoud, a senior midfielder from Annandale, Va., saw time in every game for Wake Forest during the 2008 season. Lahoud was a mainstay in the Deacon starting 11, playing 95 games in his career, with 89 starts. The 95 career games played ranks in a tie for second at Wake Forest, while the 89 starts ranks fourth all-time at Wake Forest. Lahoud earned All-ACC Freshman honors during his rookie season and finished his career with 14 goals, 20 assists and 48 points.

Brown played in all 24 games for Wake Forest during the 2008 season, including 22 starts. He played 89 games during his career and finished with four goals, 15 assists and 23 points. The Raleigh, N.C., native scored two goals and added eight assists during his senior season. He also helped to contribute to 14 shutouts during his senior campaign. Brown scored the game-winning goal in Wake’s quarterfinal victory over NC State in the 2008 ACC Tournament.

A defender from Orlando, Fla., Adams played in 95 games as a Demon Deacon, including 91 starts. The 95 games played ranks Adams in a tie for second on the Wake Forest career games played list, and the 91 starts puts him in third on the all-time games started list at Wake Forest. Adams finished his senior season with three goals, three assists and nine points, including a goal in Wake’s win over South Florida in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Franks, a midfielder from Medford, N.J., played in 93 games as a Demon Deacon, making 70 starts. Franks finished his career with seven goals and 20 assists, including three goals and 11 helpers during the 2008 season. Franks scored the game-winning goal in Wake’s victory over South Florida during the quarterfinals of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

The 2008 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner, Tracy finished the 2008 season with 13 goals and 10 assists, becoming one of only two players in college soccer to finish the season with double-digit totals in goals and assists. A 2008 consensus first-team All-American, Tracy finished his college career with 30 goals, 23 assists and 83 points in 77 games played. He ranks in the top 10 in school history in points (6th, 83), goals scored (6th, 30) and assists (8th, 23).

As a 2009 expansion club, Seattle Sounders FC held the first selection in each of the four rounds and selected Zakuani the 2009 MAC Hermann trophy finalist with their first selection. Zakuani, 20, born in Republic of Congo, grew up in London and played with the Arsenal youth program. He played two seasons for the University of Akron, where he was the 2008 NCAA Division I scoring leader with 20 goals and seven assists. Zakuani is only the third player from the University of Akron ever to be selected in the MLS SuperDraft.

Wake Forest University defender Ean Brown (16th overall), Azusa Pacific University defender Jared Karkas (31st overall) and Harvard University midfielder Michael Fucito (46th overall) join Zakuani as the first SuperDraft selections for Seattle Sounders FC.

Zakuani was the first of seven Generation adidas players to be selected in the first round. With the third overall selection, Los Angeles tabbed University of Maryland defender Omar Gonzalez. Rounding out the Generation adidas players selected in the first round were: Peri Marosevic (FC Dallas, 5th), Rodney Wallace (D.C. United, 6th), Kevin Alston (New England Revloution, 10th), and Stefan Frei (Toronto FC, 13th).

Generation adidas, which was established ahead of the 2005 MLS season, is a player development program that identifies and nurtures the elite youth soccer talent in the United States. Last year, Generation adidas midfielder Chance Myers was the No. 1 overall selection for the Kansas City Wizards. In 2007 Toronto FC selected Generation adidas midfielder Maurice Edu who went on to capture Gatorade Rookie of the Year honors.

Forty-two colleges and universities were represented among the 60 players selected. Wake Forest University led all schools with six players selected, the most by one college or university ever in an MLS college of SuperDraft. The University of Maryland had five players selected.

Pre-season training camps for all MLS teams may begin today Jan. 15. The 2009 MLS Regular Season begins on Thursday, March 19.

A round-by-round summary of the 2009 SuperDraft follows:

TEAM-BY-TEAM SELECTIONS:

Chicago Fire (4): Baggio Husidic (Univ. of Illinois-Chicago/20); David Sias (Univ. of California-Irvine/43); Jokull Elisabetarson (Univ. of North Carolina-Greensboro/52); Richard Jata (Campbell Univ./58)
Chivas USA (3): Michael Lahoud (Wake Forest Univ./9); Kyle Christensen (Univ. of Denver/35); Jamie Franks (Wake Forest Univ./49)
Colorado Rapids (6): Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe (George Mason Univ./28); Steward Ceus (Univ. of Albany/37); Ross Schunk (Univ. of Redlands/47); Jordan Seabrook (Univ. of South Florida/51); Henry Kalungi (Winthrop Univ./53); Mike Holody (Univ. of Michigan/59)
Columbus Crew (3): Paul Gerstenberger (Boston College/30); Alex Grendi (Univ. of Pennsylvania/45); Chris Clements (Univ. of Tulsa/60)
D.C. United (5): Rodney Wallace (Univ. of Maryland/6); Chris Pontius (Univ. of California-Santa Barbara/7); Milos Kocic (Loyola College/21); Lyle Adams (Wake Forest Univ./26); Brandon Barklage (Saint Louis Univ./36)
FC Dallas (3): Peri Marosevic (Univ. of Michigan/5); George John (Univ. of Washington/14); Brian Shriver (Univ. of North Carolina/27)
Houston Dynamo (2): Danny Cruz (Univ. of Nevada-Las Vegas/41); Marcus Tracy (Wake Forest Univ./56)
Kansas City Wizards (5): Matt Besler (Univ. of Notre Dame/8); Doug DeMartin (Michigan State Univ./22); Graham Zusi (Univ. of Maryland/23); Neal Kitson (St. John’s Univ./42); Akeem Priestley (Univ. of Connecticut/50)
Los Angeles Galaxy (4): Omar Gonzalez (Univ. of Maryland/3); A.J. Delagarza (Univ. of Maryland/19); Josh Boateng (Liberty Univ./33); Kyle Patterson (Saint Louis Univ./48)
New England Revolution (7): Kevin Alston (Indiana Univ./10); Ryan Maxwell (Univ. of Tampa/15); Andrei Gotsmanov (Creighton Univ./24); Dado Hamzagic (Saint Louis Univ./25); Chris Salvagionne (North Carolina-Charlotte/38); Darrius Barnes (Duke Univ./40); Tyrel Lacey (Univ. of Tulsa/55)
New York Red Bulls (4): Jeremy Hall (Univ. of Maryland/11); Babajide Ogunbiyi (Santa Clara Univ./18); Jack Traynor (Univ. of Notre Dame/29); Nick Zimmerman (James Madison Univ./44)
Real Salt Lake (3): Jean Alexandre (Lynn Univ./12); Raphael Cox (Univ. of Washington/54); Futhi Bhembe (Alabama A&M Univ./57)
San Jose Earthquakes (2): Brad Ring (Indiana Univ./17); Quincy Amarikwa (Univ. of California-Davis/32)
Seattle Sounders FC (4): Steve Zakuani (Univ. of Akron/1); Evan Brown (Wake Forest Univ./16); Jared Karkas (Azusa Pacific Univ./31); Michael Fucito (Harvard Univ./46)
Toronto FC (5): Sam Cronin (Wake Forest Univ./2); O’Brian White (Univ. of Connecticut/4); Stefan Frei (Univ. of California/13); Mike Grella (Duke Univ./34); Kyle Hall (Syracuse Univ./39)

COLLEGE-BY-COLLEGE SELECTIONS:

Univ. of Akron: Steve Zakuani
Alabama A&M Univ.: Futhi Bhembe
Univ. of Albany: Steward Ceus
Azusa Pacific Univ: Jared Karkas
Boston College: Paul Gerstenberger
Univ. of California: Stefan Frei
Univ. of California-Davis: Quincy Amarikwa
Univ. of California-Irvine: David Sias
Univ. of California-Santa Barbara: Chris Pontius
Campbell Univ.: Richard Jata
Univ. of Connecticut: Akeem Priestley; O’Brian White
Creighton Univ.: Andrei Gotsmanov
Univ. of Denver: Kyle Christensen
Duke Univ.: Darrius Barnes; Mike Grella
George Mason Univ: Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe
Harvard Univ.: Michael Fucito
Univ. of Illinois-Chicago: Baggio Husidic
Indiana Univ.: Kevin Alston; Brad Ring
James Madison Univ.: Nick Zimmerman
Liberty Univ.: Josh Boateng
Loyola College: Milos Kocic
Lynn Univ.: Jean Alexandre
Univ. of Maryland: A.J. Delagarza; Jeremy Hall; Omar Gonzalez; Rodney Wallace; Graham Zusi
Univ. of Michigan: Mike Holody; Peri Marosevic
Michigan State Univ.: Doug DeMartin
Univ. of Nevada-Las Vegas: Danny Cruz
Univ. of North Carolina: Brian Shriver
Univ. of North Carolina-Greensboro: Jokull Elisabetarson
Univ. of North Carolina-Charlotte: Chris Salvaggione
Univ. of Notre Dame: Matt Besler; Jack Traynor
Univ. of Pennsylvania: Alex Grendi
Univ. of Redlands: Ross Schunk
St. John’s Univ.: Neal Kitson
Saint Louis Univ.: Brandon Barklage; Dado Hamzagic; Kyle Patterson
Santa Clara Univ.: Babajide Ogunbiyi
Univ. of South Florida: Jordan Seabrook
Syracuse Univ. Kyle Hall
Univ. of Tampa: Ryan Maxwell
Univ. of Tulsa: Chris Clements; Tyrel Lacey
Wake Forest Univ.: Lyle Adams; Evan Brown; Sam Cronin; Jamie Franks; Michael Lahoud; Marcus Tracy
Univ. of Washington: Raphael Cox; George John
Winthrop Univ. Henry Kalungi

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Conway, Parke Fail Drug Test

Major League Soccer has announced that New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway and defender Jeff Parke have been suspended for 10 MLS games, including regular season and playoffs, effective immediately, and each has also been fined 10 percent of their annual salary.

The suspension and fines are the result of testing positive for androstatriendione (ATD) and boldenone metabolites -- performance enhancing substances.

“Jon and Jeff have been valuable members of the Red Bulls organization, both on the field and in the Greater New York community,“ said Red Bull New York Managing Director Erik Stover. “This is a sad day for our club and our fans. We are extremely disappointed that Jon and Jeff have tested positive for a substance banned by MLS’s policy.

“We have met with both players and they informed us that they ingested an over-the-counter supplement that unknowingly contained a banned substance. However, the Red Bulls support MLS’ policy and believe that performance enhancing drugs have no place in professional sports.”

The question has arisen as to whether the Red Bulls will retain the two. Parke’s contract expires at the end of this season. Conway signed a new $115,000 contract prior to the start of the 2008 season.

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Women’s League Expands To Eight For ‘09

Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced today that it has entered an agreement with a Bay Area investor group to operate a team that will play in the League’s inaugural 2009 season. The addition of the Bay Area alongside Los Angeles gives WPS two franchises located on the West Coast.

Led by Brian and Nancy NeSmith, the Bay Area ownership group joins investors in Boston, Chicago, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, Washington, D.C. and L.A. as teams planned for the League’s 2009 season, thereby giving the League a national footprint of three East Coast, two Midwest and two West Coast franchises. WPS will expand to Atlanta and Philadelphia in 2010 and continues to explore additional potential franchises for 2010 and beyond. The WPS team planned for Dallas is now slated to begin play in 2010 as the League continues to work on securing a facility, with the intention that the Team will start play in the League’s second season.

“As one of the top six media markets in the country, the Bay Area is a prime growth opportunity for WPS as we seek to raise the League’s profile among soccer fans, other potential owners, and sponsors alike,” said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci, whose League headquarters are based in San Francisco.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Coat Systems, Brian NeSmith leads the company in its mission to provide organizations with total visibility and control of all Web communications. NeSmith has strategically guided Blue Coat Systems, formerly known as CacheFlow, into the number one proxy appliance position worldwide. Previously, he co-founded and was CEO of Ipsilon Networks, which was purchased by Nokia in 1997. He and his wife, Nancy – the first female WPS majority owner – have two soccer-playing daughters.

“Nancy and I are eager to unite the Bay Area soccer community through a local WPS team, which will draw fans from across the region who can rally behind some of the world’s greatest athletes right here in Northern California,” said Brian NeSmith. “We’re especially looking forward to exploring and implementing cutting-edge technology that will connect our brand, players, and fans. Whether via blogs, photo and video sharing, or innovative in-stadium experiences, WPS and its teams will be ground-breaking in the level of unique brand and player interaction we offer.”

“With the U.S. Women bringing home Olympic gold and more girls playing soccer than ever before, this is the perfect time to raise the level of play in this country through WPS,” said Nancy NeSmith. “I personally am proud to play a role in giving female athletes from around the globe an opportunity to play professionally and, from an ownership perspective, am looking forward to establishing the cornerstones of our Bay Area franchise at this month’s allocation of the U.S. Women’s National team.”

“As a resident of the Bay Area myself, I’m eager to welcome Brian and Nancy to WPS,” said Jeff Mallet, WPS investor, San Francisco Giants investor, and former president of Yahoo! “This is a great soccer – and overall sports – market that will continue to thrive with Brian and Nancy’s support. Their commitment to the Bay Area soccer community, along with Brian’s long-time involvement with area businesses, will allow a WPS team in the Bay Area to succeed.”

The Bay Area has a rich soccer history as the WUSA’s CyberRays called the region home from 2001-2003, winning that league’s inaugural championship in 2001. In addition, the San Jose Earthquakes have played a major role in Major League Soccer, winning two MLS Cup titles, and were also a member of the North American Soccer League from 1974 to 1984. Santa Clara, Cal-Berkeley and Stanford’s renowned collegiate women’s soccer programs are also based in the Bay Area.

Plans for the Bay Area’s WPS nickname, logo, and colors as well as its stadium and coaching and front office staff will be announced at a later date. Until then, the Bay Area team will participate in the mid-September allocation of the U.S. Women’s National Team, gold medalists in the 2008 Olympic Games. Additional details regarding allocation and the subsequent international draft and regional combines can be found online at www.womensprosoccer.com.

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)

The mission of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is to be the premier women’s soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women’s professional sports are measured. Play kicks off in the spring of 2009, with WPS teams based in the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. The league will expand in 2010 with the inclusion of Atlanta, Dallas, and Philadelphia. For more information, visit www.womensprosoccer.com.

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Top USL-2 Awards Announced

United Soccer Leagues announced the top USL Second Division honors for the 2008 season Friday during the USL-2 Championship luncheon at Cleveland’s City Hall, honoring the Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year, Coach of the Year and Most Valuable Player as voted on by the league’s coaches and general managers.

Most Valuable Player – Dustin Swinehart (Charlotte Eagles)

The USL-2 MVP honor may arguably be the most long overdue honor in the league given Dustin Swinehart’s 11-year career with the Eagles that includes seven overall All-League honors and numerous seasons among the statistical scoring tables.

The veteran has been overshadowed in recent years by teammate Jacob Coggins, who has captured numerous scoring titles as well as three MVP awards. But perhaps without Swinehart, those accolades would not have been attainable. Even with Coggins’ departure to USL-1 Carolina, the Eagles still soared to the regular season title and Swinehart, stepping back into the role as striker, led the way, capturing the Scoring and Goal Scoring Championships with 39 points and 16 goals. He also finished second in assists with seven.

The scoring honors were not his first, having shared the Assist Leader award with Coggins in 2004, but they were slightly unexpected despite his history of finishing among the league leaders because of his previous role at midfield. Being up top for the first time since Charlotte’s debut USL-1 campaign in 2001, allowed Swinehart to show that he still had the prowess that led him to second in points (39) and goals (18) that season, finishing behind then MVP Paul Conway.

Swinehart had made his debut in the top 10 in scoring the year before en route to the club’s first USL-2 title, finishing tied for fourth in points, sixth in goals and fifth in assists. He would finish tied for 10th in points in USL-1 in 2002. Their final USL-1 season in 2003 would be the lone year he would not finish in the top 10 in any of the categories over the last nine years. In all, Swinehart has reached the top 10 in points eight times, in goals five times and in assists five times over that span.

And with statistical success also comes accolades from other teams in the league. Swinehart earned his seventh All-League recognition this season, sixth in the USL Second Division. Despite finishing sixth in points last year, he was surprisingly left off the honors list for the first time in eight USL Second Division seasons since his debut Eagles campaign in 1998. He earned his first honor as a forward in 1999 and repeated, as a midfielder, in 2000. His outstanding USL-1 campaign earned a spot on the First Team at forward in 2001. After two more unheralded campaigns in USL-1, he made his triumphant return to the USL Second Division in 2004 with All-League honors and a return to the final.

Swinehart’s Career Accolades

Year
Top 10 Finishes
All-League
2008
First in Points, First in Goals, Second in Assists
USL-2 All-League First Team
2007
Tied sixth in Points

2006
Tied seventh in Points
USL-2 All-League First Team
2005
Tied fourth in Points, Tied fourth in Goals, Tied fourth in Assists
USL-2 All-League First Team
2004
Sixth in Points, Ninth in Goals, Tied first in Assists
USL-2 All-League First Team
2002
Tied tenth in Points

2001
Second in Points, Second in Assists
USL-1 All-League First Team
2000
Tied fourth in Points, Sixth in Goals, Fifth in Assists
USL-2 All-League
1999

USL-2 All-League

Rookie of the Year – Stanley Nyazamba (Richmond Kickers)

Nyazamba joined the Kickers upon graduating from Lee University of the NAIA Conference last spring. In his first professional season, Nyazamba quickly became one of the top scorers, tallying eight goals and two assists overall for 18 points. Good for third on the team in scoring, he also finished in the top 10 in goals and points in the USL-2. Two of his eight goals were also game-winners.

Defender of the Year – Mark Schulte (Cleveland City Stars)

In a historic feat, Schulte became the first player since the award was established in 1998 to repeat as the USL Second Division Defender of the Year. The USL veteran has guided the club to incredible back-to-back seasons of less than one goal allowed per game, finishing with just one more goal allowed than Charlotte this season (16) after being the best in the league last year with only 14 allowed. Schulte played in 18 games for the third place side and also chipped in offensively with two goals and three assists. He played in 20 games with two goals and four assists the year before.

Coach of the Year – Mark Steffens (Charlotte Eagles)

The longtime coach of the Eagles, Steffens became the first coach in league history to earn the USL Second Division Coach of the Year honor twice. He first garnered the honor in 2004, receiving recognition that may have been overdue because of the team’s three-year stint in USL-1 following their championship in 2000. The 2008 campaign of 13-2-5 is arguably the best in the Steffen’s tenure as the team’s coach, marking the fewest losses in a season for Charlotte. Since taking on the position in 1997, Steffens has had only one losing season, the final year in the USL First Division, and has reached the final now six times, winning the 2000 and 2004 titles.

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Arena Hired By Los Angeles Galaxy

Bruce Arena, the most successful head coach in U.S. National Team history and a two-time MLS Cup Champion Head Coach with D.C. United, has been named General Manager and Head Coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy. The announcement was made by Timothy J. Leiweke, President & CEO AEG, investor/operators of the Galaxy.

Arena, who becomes the seventh coach in club history, will oversee all of the club's soccer operations, including the first team, reserve and academy teams and youth development.

Arena replaces Alexi Lalas, who was fired last week as General Manager of the Galaxy, and Ruud Gullit, who quit as head coach.

“While it has been a very difficult week, I believe the end result is a very positive step forward for the Galaxy,” said Leiweke. “Bruce is the best coach for the Galaxy and certainly one of the best coaches in the history of the league. I am impressed with his passion, desire and focus and believe that his recent experiences with the U.S. National Team and Red Bulls have prepared and motivated him for this next challenge.”

“We have always felt that the Galaxy should aspire to be the club that sets the pace and tone in Major League Soccer,” Leiweke added. “I believe Bruce sees it the same way and will put us back in that position.”

The all-time winningest coach in U.S. National Team history, Arena led the U.S. to the FIFA World Cup twice, including an historic quarterfinal berth in 2002 in Japan/Korea. Arena took over as head coach in November 1998 and was in charge for nearly eight years, collecting a 71-30-29 all-time record, while leading the U.S. to the CONCACAF Gold Cup title in 2002 and 2003, the 2000 Nike U.S. Cup championship, as well as a third place finish in the 1999 Confederations Cup in Mexico.

"I am very excited to assume this position with the Los Angeles Galaxy," said Arena. "I realize we have a lot of work ahead of us and I am optimistic that with the support of management, our coaching staff and the players, we will move forward to positioning this team to qualify for this season's MLS playoffs. My ultimate goal is to win championships and build a club that all of our fans will be proud of," Arena added.

"I want to thank Mr. Anschutz and Mr. Leiweke for their confidence and support and I pledge that I and my staff will do everything possible to build a team they will be proud of," Arena continued.

A two-time MLS Cup winning coach, Arena is one of just three coaches ever to win the MLS Cup on more than one occasion and the only one of those coaches to have also won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Arena was the first coach in D.C. United history, joining the club for its inaugural season in 1996. He would spend three seasons with United, reaching the MLS Cup three times, winning it twice, in addition to reaching the U.S. Open Cup Final twice, winning one. He also helped United become the first MLS team ever to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Interamerican Cup, winning each in 1998.

Following the 2006 World Cup, Arena returned to MLS in August 2006, when he was named the Sporting Director and Head Coach of the New York Red Bulls. He spent a year and a half with the Red Bulls, compiling a 16-16-10 record while helping New York reach the postseason both years. He helped to develop young stars like Jozy Altidore and Dane Richards while also signing players like Juan Pablo Angel, who was a finalist for the MLS MVP award and the Newcomer of the Year Award in 2007.

The 57-year old Fairfax, Va. native has a career regular season record of 77-51-10 in MLS and a postseason mark of 14-5-2. He has the ninth most wins in MLS history and needs nine more wins to become the third coach in MLS history to have 100 or more wins combined in regular season and postseason play.

Following a brief stint at the University of Puget Sound (1976), Arena was named the head coach at the University of Virginia, in 1978. He held that position for 18 years, helping the Cavaliers to five ACC Tournament Championships and five National Championships, including four in a row from 1991-1994.

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Laredo Heat Win Southern PDL Title

The defending Premier Development League champion Laredo Heat captured its third consecutive Southern division champioinship with a 3-1 victory over first-year Austin Aztex.

The Heat now advances to the USL PDL semifinals. Austin, led by former UNC standout Jamie Watson, is expected to move up to the USL-1 next season.

Austin advanced with a 2-1 win over the Bradenton Academics in one semifinal, held in Orlando, FL and hosted by the Central Florida Kraze. The Heat beat the Kraze 2-1 in the other semifinal.

The loss knocked the Southeastern Conference Champion Kraze out of the playoffs and brought their season to a close at 11-3-2.

Carlos Araujo, a 22-year old Brazilian, who had 11 goals and six assists this year, scored Central Florida’s only goal. Felix Garcia, only 17 years old, scored the Heat’s first goal and the game-winner came from defensive midfielder Greg Mulamba.

The Heat will play the Reading Rage, a 1-0 winner over defending Eastern Conference champion Brooklyn Knights, in the PDL semifinals

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Four Americans Sign With Ottawa

The Ottawa Fury have announced the signing of four new players to their 2008 W-League squad. University of Maryland graduates Ashly Kennedy and Sarah Sample will join current University of Mississippi players Jennifer Hance and Danielle Johnson on the Fury roster for this upcoming season.

"We are extremely fortunate to have added players of this quality to our roster,” said Fury Assistant Coach Dom Oliveri. “Ashly, Sarah, and Jennifer have US National Team experience and Danielle comes to us with a tremendous collegiate track record."

Kennedy, from Edgewater, Maryland has just completed a stellar varsity career at the University of Maryland. She is a two-time team captain who started all 74 matches of her Maryland career. During her time in College Park, the Terrapins posted 23 shutouts. Recognized as one of Maryland’s all-time best defenders, she was among the fastest defensive players in the ACC conference with a physical style of play that set her apart from the rest. Kennedy was a decorated youth level player and a member of the United States Youth National Team Pool.

Sample, from Annapolis Maryland, split her college career between George Washington University (2003/2004) and the University of Maryland (2005/2006). Sample was ever-present and dependable appearing in a total of 73 games (69 starts), scoring 12 goals and adding 10 assists. A versatile player, Sample can play midfield or up front. Before college she was a three year member of the Olympic Development Team as a US national pool player. Sample was no stranger to honors, being selected to the First team all-Atlantic 10 in 2004 and the 2003 Atlantic 10 all-rookie team.

Hance, from Sugar Land, Texas, has just completed her junior year at the University of Mississippi. The midfielder/forward was voted SEC Freshman of the Year by league coaches, second-team All-American by Soccer Buzz/Soccer America and was one of 15 finalists for Soccer Buzz National Freshman of the Year. She participated in a US U-20 National Team camp in 2006. Hance was consistently among the top points-getters on her college squad, racking up 17 goals and eight assists over the past three years.

Johnson, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading member of the University of Mississippi defense and midfield. In two seasons with Ole Miss, Johnson picked up Freshman All-America honors (2006) as well as All-SEC and All-Region honors in both 2006 and 2007. Johnson has anchored a miserly Rebel back line that allowed just 40 goals in 40 contests over 2006 and 2007. Johnson logged 1,828 minutes in 19 games for the Rebels last year and was voted team MVP by her peers.

The Fury has put together a tremendous W-League record over the past five seasons. They have qualified for the W-League Championship Finals in four of the last five years losing in the semi-finals in 2003 and 2004 and in the final to New Jersey and Vancouver in 2005 and 2006. In 2005 and 2007, the Fury was the W-League regular season champions. Last season, the club registered an unbeaten 11-0-1 record in regular season play, before losing to the eventual W-League champion Washington Freedom, 1-0 in the Eastern Conference final. The club has amassed a remarkable 58-5-3 regular season record over the past five seasons.

The Fury open their 2008 W-League campaign with a home game on Saturday, June 7 when they host the Western Massachusetts Pioneers at the University of Ottawa Athletic Complex, kickoff is at 7:00 PM. For season ticket information visit the Fury web site at www.ottawafury.com.

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Eagles Blank Rival Kickers 3-0

The Charlotte Eagles hosted the Richmond Kickers tonight at Charlotte Christian's Restart Field, the Eagles new home field for the 2008 season. A win against Richmond is something that has eluded the Eagles over the past few years, but tonight Charlotte earned that victory with an exciting 3-0 shutout.

Dustin Swinehart scored his fifth goal in just two games. Jonah Long and Jorge Herrera each had fantastic goals of their own.

Jonah Long gave the Eagles an early lead in the 11th minute of play. Joseph Kabwe moved the ball down field and put it across to Dustin Swinehart on the right side. Swinehart dumped the ball back into the center for Jonah Long. Long controlled the ball, moved into space and fired a bullet shot from about 30 yards out. Long's shot beat Richmond Goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale just under the crossbar.

Long's goal was the only goal of the first half, but it was certainly a spark that gave Charlotte confidence throughout the match. Charlotte outshot Richmond 8-1 in the half.

The Richmond Kicker's came out strong at the start of the second half, hoping to score an equalizer. Richmond got their best chance about 5 minutes into the second half. Stanley Nyazamba took a shot from the middle of the field at the top of the box. Eagles goalkeeper Terry Boss made a beautiful diving save to stop the low driven shot and deflect it over the crossbar.

Charlotte extended its lead to two goals in the 58th minute of play on a penalty kick. Former Rickmond Kicker Robert Ssejjemba, while attacking the goal, was taken down in the penalty box by Chavez. Dustin Swinehart stepped up to take the penalty kick and scored with a perfectly placed shot in the bottom left corner.

Colombian Jorge Herrera put the Eagles up 3-0 in the 75th minute. Herrera got a fast break down the right side. With pressure hot on his heels Jorge sped toward goal and drilled a low shot just inside the left post, beating the dive of Pascale.

"Jorge Herrera finished a great shot. With really no angle he was still able to find the goal" commented Eagles coach Mark Steffens.

Eagles goalkeeper Terry Boss came up big one last time in the 85th minute with another save to preserve his shutout. Shots were more even in the second half as Richmond pressured for a goal. Richmond had ten shots to Charlotte's seven in the second half.

"This is a big win for us," said Steffens. "They're a good team, and they were missing a couple guys tonight, so they'll be better later in the season for sure. Our defense played well tonight. Steve Shak does a great job organizing those guys in the back, and we love the wider field. It helps us, no question."

Tonight's win extends the Eagles record to 2-0-0, and is the second shutout win for goalkeeper Terry Boss. The Eagles next two matches are on the road in Wilmington on May 3rd and in Harrisburg on May 10th. Charlotte returns to Restart Field for the next home game on Friday May 16th in a doubleheader with the Lady Eagles season opener kicking off at 5:30 pm.

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RailHawks Edge Battery In USL Opener

The Carolina RailHawks (1-0-1) defeated the Charleston Battery (0-1-2) in their home opener on Saturday April 26th at WakeMed Soccer Park 1-0 with a goal by Connally Edozien in the 32nd minute.

Edozien played an excellent give-and-go with Kupono Low just outside the box, allowing him to get the ball back just inside the 18. He would dribble across the top of the box, eluding four Battery defenders before turning to let loose a rocket that zipped into the upper corner outside of goalkeeper Dusty Hudock’s reach.

The RailHawks held their own throughout the game and even found themselves one man up when Charleston’s John Wilson was ejected in the 60th minute for a bad tackle on Martin Nuñez.

The victory maintained the second-year RailHawks’ perfect record against their southern rivals after sweeping the three-game series last year.

The event was presented by WakeMed and culminated in a spectacular fireworks display to celebrate the 2008 home opener.

Next the Carolina RailHawks travel to Florida to face Miami FC on Sunday May 4th at 6:00 PM. The match will be broadcast live on www.usllive.com. Fans are encouraged to log on and sign up for a season pass to be able to watch all the action of the Carolina RailHawks away games from the comfort of their computers.

The Carolina RailHawks return to WakeMed Soccer park on Saturday May 10th at 7:30 PM as they host the Atlanta Silverbacks. For information on the Carolina RailHawks home gamesand the RailHawks men’s and women’s 2008 schedules, please visit www.carolinarailhawks.com or call the LGFCU Box Office at 919-859-5425.

Atlanta Silverbacks Win

The Montreal Impact (1-2-0) lost its second game of the season 3-2 (halftime 1-1), Friday, against the Atlanta Silverbacks (1-0-1), at RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium.

The Silverbacks’ win was headed by forward Macoumba Kandji (19th minute), defender David Hayes (52th minute) and midfielder Jason McLaughlin (70th minute).

Midfielder Patrick Leduc, with his 10th career goal in the 32nd minute, and Charles Gbeke, from Gbeke, in the 84th minute, scored for the Impact.

Miami FC Blues Lose
In their second rain-drenched encounter of the weekend against the Miami Blues, the Puerto Rico Islanders came to the field full of energy and sporting a new bright green uniform, ready to avenge the 2-0 loss suffered on Friday. And so they did with a 3-1 victory over the visitors.

Afoul inside the box on Puerto Rico’s Noel Fabrice set up the first goal of the game. Victor Herrera had no problem blasting the penalty kick past keeper Josh Saunders for the score. But Miami came back in minute 24, as Alex Afonso also made good on a penalty kick that Bill Gaudette was unable to stop, evening the score 1-1.

First Real Maryland Victory
The expansion Real Maryland Monarchs recorded their first-ever victory in USL-2 with a 2-0 win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in front of a raucous crowd of 1,800 at the Maryland SoccerPlex Saturday in a slightly shortened affair due to lightning.

The Monarch fans didn’t have to wait long for games first goal. In the sixth minute, Dennis Alas floated the ball into Devlin Barnes who snuck behind the Riverhounds back line. Barnes took the ball down and squared it for William Brindley to score the first-ever goal in Real Maryland history.

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Philly Makes #16 For MLS

Major League Soccer unveiled plans for the league’s 16th team, as MLS Commissioner Don Garber awarded Philadelphia an expansion team that will begin play in 2010. The Philadelphia team will play in a new 20,000-seat stadium to be constructed as part of a major development project in Chester, Pa.

The Philadelphia club will be owned by iStar Financial CEO Jay Sugarman, Swarthmore Group Chairman James Nevels, Philadelphia attorney William Doran, veteran sports executive Nick Sakiewicz and Christopher and Robert Buccini, founding partners of The Buccini/Pollin Group.

“We are thrilled to welcome Philadelphia to Major League Soccer,” said Commissioner Garber. “Philadelphia brings in one of the most passionate sports markets in the country and provides a natural rivalry with the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United.

“Thanks to the steadfast commitment of Jay Sugarman’s group and the vision of Pennsylvania government officials, MLS is coming soon to Philadelphia,” Garber added. “We look forward to celebrating the world’s most popular sport in the country’s fourth-largest market and in a state-of-the-art soccer-specific stadium.”

“Major League Soccer is truly a league with the wind behind its sail,” said lead investor Jay Sugarman, CEO of iStar Financial. “I am very excited to join the distinguished list of existing MLS owners and to help guide the League’s growth into one of America’s great sports cities. We’re going to build a first-class organization on and off the field and we will create a development that makes the community proud.”

The MLS Philadelphia club will play their home matches in a 20,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Chester, just 13 miles from downtown Philadelphia and easily accessible from Interstate 95 and public transportation via the R2 SEPTA train and SEPTA buses. The stadium will serve as the hub of a $500 million waterfront development project that will also feature townhomes, apartments, office space, a convention and exposition center, retail space, new streets, greenways and a riverside promenade that will include boat slips.

Eastern Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia area have a rich soccer tradition that has produced some of the country’s best players throughout the years, including 2006 U.S. World Cup team members Ben Olsen of D.C. United, Chris Albright of the New England Revolution and former D.C. United and current Reading FC midfielder Bobby Convey. Professional soccer in Philadelphia dates back to the 1920’s and the formation of the American Soccer League with charter member Philadelphia F.C. In addition, the National Soccer Hall of Fame was organized by the Philadelphia Old-Timers Association in 1950.

With the announcement of the 16th team, MLS added its sixth team since the start of the 2005 season. Expansion conversations continue with approximately 10 markets throughout the United States and Canada. MLS officials will continue those discussions as the League could feature as many as 18 clubs by 2011.

“As evidenced by our patience in the case of Philadelphia, we will only expand when we believe the circumstances are right,” Garber said. “We continue to seek the essential combination of strong ownership, an appropriate facility controlled by that ownership, and a market with a tradition of supporting the sport. St. Louis is one of the leading candidates we are considering and we are hopeful that all elements will come together soon for the city to join the League.”

The fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States with 6.8 million people, the Delaware Valley features a diverse population and some of the most fervent sports fans in the country. Philadelphia has hosted many international soccer matches, including the Manchester United vs. Barcelona game in front of more than 68,000 fans that opened Lincoln Financial Field in 2003 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2003.

Philadelphia’s name, logo and colors will be unveiled at a later date, along with the coaching and administrative staff. For more information and season ticket availability, fans should visit www.MLSPhilly2010.com or call 1-877-MLS-2010.

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New Women’s League Launched

Formally announced in September, the new women’s professional soccer league launching in Spring 2009 now has a name, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS). With the unveiling of the league logo and launch of its website, WPS made its official debut at the NSCAA annual convention in Baltimore.

One thing the new league wants to make clear is that this is not a remake of the WUSA, which folded in 2003 after three seasons. The new league has announced teams in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis. The door is also open for an eighth team.

“A long and careful process led to the selection of Women’s Professional Soccer and the subsequent WPS acronym,” said Tonya Antonucci, WPS commissioner. “The league and team owners reviewed countless variations of league names and logos and conducted numerous focus groups before ultimately deciding on a brand identity that we strongly believe will resonate with fans for years to come.”

The WPS logo, developed by branding agency Adrenalin, Inc., features a deep navy, red, and gold color scheme while showcasing a familiar silhouette – FIFA World Cup champion, Olympic Gold Medal winner and Hall of Fame player Mia Hamm, renowned as a pioneer for women’s soccer.

“I am extremely honored and humbled to personify the WPS brand, knowing full well that this league will be revered by generations of soccer fans around the world,” said Hamm. “Above all else, this league represents opportunity – not just for female soccer players, but for women everywhere.”

The league launched its official website at www.womensprosoccer.com, an interactive source for all information related to the league, WPS teams, prospective players and women’s soccer in general.

Since the league was formalized four months ago, operations have been underway at the WPS office in San Francisco and the team offices in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington D.C.

Staffing has been among top priorities for both the league and its teams. In recent months, WPS has hired Boston Breakers General Manager Joe Cummings as senior consulting chief operating officer, Vicki Veenker of Shearman & Sterling LLP as general counsel, and Aaron Burch as league development/relationships manager. Teams have also been active in hiring staff. Former Women’s National Team Head Coach Tony DiCicco was named as the head coach of the Boston Breakers. The Washington Freedom, meanwhile, appointed Joe Quinn as team president and general manager, Jim Gabarra as head coach, Louise Waxler as director of operations, and Clyde Watson as assistant coach. Likewise, Chicago’s WPS team announced Marcia McDermott, former coach for the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) Carolina Courage, as general manager.

“Momentum is definitely in our favor as we draw closer to the inaugural WPS season in 2009,” said Antonucci. “The next year promises to be an exciting one for women’s soccer, as our nation’s elite athletes compete against the best international stars in the Beijing Olympics with the knowledge that they’ll come home to the opportunity to play professionally. As the players prepare, we’ll be working diligently toward the 2009 kick-off with more league and team news, facility announcements, and community events.”

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Nyarko, Phelan Drafted In First Round

UCLA defender Chance Myers was the #1 pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, taken by the Kansas City Wizards. The Wizards traded defender Nick Garcia to the expansion San Jose Earthquakes for the #1 pick.

U. S. Under-17 National Team midfielder/defender Brek Shea went to FC Dallas with the second pick of the draw.

Virginia Tech junior Patrick, Nyarko was the first forward selected, going to the Chicago Fire as the #7 pick in the first round. Tech’s Ben Nelson, a midfielder from Stafford, VA, was drafted by FC Dallas in the fourth round.

Wake Forest defender Pat Phelan was taken with the #10 overall pick by Toronto FC. Phelan was one of three members of the Deacon’s 2007 national championship team, selected in the draft. Goalkeeper Brian Edwards was the #28 overall selection, also going to Toronto FC, and defender Julian Valentine was the first player selected in the third round by the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Midfielder Joe Germanese from Duke, who played at Vanderbilt before that program was dropped after his sophomore year, went #27 to the New England Revolution. He was one of three Blue Devils drafted. Midfielder Michael Videira was the first taken, at #18 overall in the second round by New England. Midfielder Spencer Wadsworth went in the fourth round to the Revolution.

Furman’s Shea Salinas, a midfielder, was the first player taken in the second round with the #15 overall selection, by the San Jose Earthquakes. Salinas’ Furman teammate, Jonathan Leathers (Athens, GA) was taken #25 by the Wizards.

Two Old Dominion defenders were drafted. David Horst was selected with the #14 overall pick, by Real Salt Lake. The Wizards drafted Yomby William at #23 overall.

The Columbus Crew at #22 in the second round drafted Lee University (TN) forward Ricardo Pierre-Louis, the NCAA Division II Player of the Year. Lynn University (FL) forward Dwight Barnett was a third round selection by the Chicago Fire. Another Division II player, West Florida’s Keith Savage, was the first player taken in the fourth round, going to Chivas USA.

The New York Red Bulls drafted UNC midfielder Scott Campbell in the fourth round. Virginia midfielder Jeremy Barlow was the last player selected in the draft, #56 overall, by the Houston Dynamo. Maryland midfielder Stephen King was taken by Chicago in the third round.

D.C. United had only one player in the draft, selecting midfielder Andrew Jacobson of Cal-Berkley in the second round.

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2008 MLS SuperDraft Order

Coaches and general managers of Major League Soccer’s 14 teams will have their scouting expertise tested Friday as the 2008 MLS SuperDraft takes place on at the Baltimore Convention Center (400 Level Ballroom) in Baltimore. The event begins at 2 p.m. ET and will be carried live by ESPN2 and MLSnet.com. The draft order and rules are listed below.

As an MLS expansion team, the San Jose Earthquakes currently hold the first overall selection in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. The SuperDraft consists of four rounds with 14 selections each round. Currently, Western Conference teams FC Dallas and the Los Angeles Galaxy hold the most selections in the draft with seven (7) each. The Chicago Fire of the Eastern Conference hold six (6) selections heading into Friday’s SuperDraft. Western Conference club Chivas USA may be looking to deal for draft picks as they hold only one (1) selection that lands in the fourth round.

Last year, 2007 expansion side Toronto FC selected University of Maryland midfielder Maurice Edu with the first overall selection in the SuperDraft. Edu starred for Toronto FC in his first year in the League and became the first-ever No. 1 pick to capture Rookie of the Year Honors. With a surprising pick at No. 5, the New England Revolution selected Wake Forest midfielder Wells Thompson, who proved his worthiness over the course of his first pro season. The Revolution has developed a number of previously unheralded players into stars, including Shalrie Joseph, Michael Parkhurst and Clint Dempsey.

The first hour of the SuperDraft will be televised live on ESPN2. The remainder of the draft, which consists of four rounds of 14 picks each, will be streamed live on www.MLSnet.com, the League’s official Web site.
For the sixth consecutive year, the MLS SuperDraft will be held in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) convention. Thousands of youth soccer coaches from across the country will be in Baltimore on Friday and many will watch from the draft floor as their brightest pupils make a leap from amateur to professional.

The MLS SuperDraft draft features the finest collegiate and youth soccer prospects in the United States. The majority of draft prospects are graduating college seniors from NCAA schools. Others come from Generation adidas, a joint program between MLS and adidas that is dedicated to developing exceptional domestic talent in a professional environment. Each year, a handful of top domestic underclassmen and youth national team soccer players are signed to the league and placed in the SuperDraft through this program.

The MLS SuperDraft is open to the public at no charge, and fans are invited to attend, however seating is limited, and fans are encouraged to arrive early. Fans must pick up a ticket at the fan check-in table outside the ballroom.

Credential requests should be sent directly to MLS Communications. Submit requests to Stephen Rodriguez at stephen.rodriguez@mlsnet.com and Justine Kraus at justine.kraus@mlsnet.com.

Below are details on the selection order, rules and procedures for the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.

The 2008 MLS SuperDraft order follows (as of January 15, 2008):


1st ROUND:
1. San Jose Earthquakes
2. FC Dallas (From Toronto FC)
3. Real Salt Lake
4. Los Angeles Galaxy
5. Colorado Rapids
6. Columbus Crew
7. Chicago Fire (From New York Red Bulls)
8. FC Dallas
9. Toronto FC (From Chivas USA)
10. Toronto FC (From D.C. United)
11. Kansas City Wizards
12. Chicago Fire
13. New England Revolution
14. Real Salt Lake (From Toronto FC)

2nd ROUND:
15. San Jose Earthquakes
16. New York Red Bulls (From Toronto FC)
17. Real Salt Lake
18. New England Revolution (From Los Angeles)
19. FC Dallas (From Colorado Rapids)
20. Columbus Crew
21. Los Angeles Galaxy (From New York Red Bulls)
22. FC Dallas
23. Kansas City Wizards (From Chivas USA)
24. D.C. United
25. Kansas City Wizards (From Los Angeles Galaxy, Kansas City Wizards)
26. Chicago Fire
27. New England Revolution
28. Los Angeles Galaxy (From Houston Dynamo)

3rd ROUND:
29. Los Angeles Galaxy (From San Jose Earthquakes)
30. Toronto FC
31. FC Dallas (From Real Salt Lake)
32. New York Red Bulls (From Los Angeles Galaxy)
33. D.C. United (From Colorado Rapids)
34. Los Angeles Galaxy (From Columbus Crew)
35. Toronto FC (From Colorado Rapids, New York Red Bulls)
36. Colorado Rapids (from Dallas)
37. Real Salt Lake (from Chivas USA)
38. Chicago Fire (from D.C. United)
39. Kansas City Wizards
40. Chicago Fire
41. New England Revolution
42. Houston Dynamo

4th ROUND:
43. Chivas USA (From San Jose Earthquakes)
44. New York Red Bulls (From Toronto FC)
45. FC Dallas (From Real Salt Lake)
46. Los Angeles Galaxy
47. Colorado Rapids
48. Columbus Crew
49. Colorado Rapids (From New York Red Bulls)
50. FC Dallas
51. Los Angeles Galaxy (From New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake, Chivas USA)
52. D.C. United
53. Kansas City Wizards
54. Chicago Fire
55. New England Revolution
56. Houston Dynamo

Selection Order:

The MLS SuperDraft selection order is determined as follows: The first selection is awarded to Major League Soccer’s expansion team, San Jose Earthquakes. The next four selections are from teams that did not qualify for the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs beginning with the team with fewest 2007 regular season points (3 points per win, one point per tie). The remaining eight positions are ranked by fewest regular season points among the teams that were eliminated in the same round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Procedural rules for the 2008 MLS SuperDraft:

Draft Rounds: The 2008 MLS SuperDraft will include four rounds and 56 selections. Once a team has passed, it may no longer participate in the Draft (e.g. may no longer select players, use a timeout, etc.)

Selection Clock: Teams are permitted four (4) minutes to make a selection in the First and Second Rounds. Teams are permitted three (3) minutes to make a selection in the Third and Fourth rounds.

Intermissions: There will be a five (5) minute break between each round.

Timeouts: Each team is permitted one (1), five (5) minute timeout. Selections must be made immediately following the timeout (no additional time given). More than two (2) timeouts cannot be used consecutively.

Failure to Make Selection in Designated Time: Teams that fail to make their selection in time must wait until the next selection is made, regardless if their choice is presented prior to the next team’s decision. The team that was delinquent with its selection must immediately have its choice in hand following the selection of the team that followed. If not, the original team must again wait for the next selection to be made.

Trades: Prior to being announced, trades need to be verified and approved by the Commissioner and/or his designee. Trade announcements should not reveal the identity of players until those players have been contacted by their respective clubs. For example, Team A trades a “player to be named later” for Team B’s first selection.

Team Passing: In the event a team passes, it shall be precluded from making any further picks for the remainder of the Draft.

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Brian Carroll Traded To Crew

The Columbus Crew has acquired midfielder Brian Carroll from the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for forward Kei Kamara. Carroll, a member of D.C. United’s 2004 MLS Cup-winning squad who has earned six caps with the U.S. National Team, appeared in 121 games over five seasons with D.C. before being selected by San Jose in Wednesday’s MLS Expansion Draft.

“We are excited to acquire someone of Brian Carroll’s ability and experience,” said Head Coach Sigi Schmid. “He is someone who has been a part of an MLS championship and he will help bring that mentality to our team. At the same time, we thank Kei for his efforts on behalf of the Crew and wish him the best of luck in San Jose.”

Carroll, a 26-year-old native of Springfield, Va., was originally selected by D.C. United in the second round (No. 11 overall) of the 2003 MLS SuperDraft out of Wake Forest University. In 2007, the defensive midfielder saw action in 28 games (19 starts) and collected a career-high four assists. He has two goals and 11 assists in his career. Carroll also represented the United States at the Under-20 and U-23 levels, prior to his six appearances at the senior level.

Kamara, a native of Sierra Leone who played collegiately at Cal State Dominguez Hills, spent two seasons with the Crew after being selected by Columbus in the first round (No. 9 Overall) of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. He scored five goals in 36 games (13 starts) in Black & Gold.

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Carroll, Riley, Vide Drafted By Earthquakes

Three players who played collegiate soccer in the Atlantic Coast Conference, were among the 10 selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the MLS Expansion Draft.

James Riley, a defender who played at Wake Forest, was chosen from the New England Revolution. The New York Red Bulls lost Joe Vide, who grew up in Raleigh and played at the University of Virginia, while Brian Carroll, another former Demon Deacon and a native of Springfield, VA, was chosen from D.C. United.

MLS held its 2007 Expansion Draft on Wednesday for the League’s 14th team, the Earthquakes, allowing the team to begin constructing its roster for the 2008 season. The Earthquakes selected one player each from 10 of the 13 MLS teams. The Colorado Rapids, Kansas City Wizards and Real Salt Lake were the three teams that did not have a player selected in the draft. Each of the 13 teams was allowed to protect 11 players, leaving all others unprotected and available for selection by the Earthquakes.

The other seven players selected were Ryan Cochrane (Houston Dynamo), Clarence Goodson (FC Dallas), Ned Grabavoy (Columbus Crew), Ivan Guerrero (Chicago Fire), Jason Hernandez (Chivas USA), Gavin Glinton (LA Galaxy) and Chris Pozniak (Toronto FC). Glinton played with the USL-1 Charleston Battery during the 2006 season.

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Parkhurst Named MLS Defender Of Year

New England Revolution defender Michael Parkhurst, who played collegiate soccer at Wake Forest, has been named the Major League Soccer Visa® Defender of the Year.

Kansas City Wizards forward Eddie Johnson was named the Comeback Player of the Year, and Brian Hall was honored as the 2007 Official Sports International (OSI) Referee of the Year.

Parkhurst, 23, a native of Cranston, R.I., and former Demon Deacon, had an exceptional regular season in only his third year as a professional. The 2005 winner of the Gatorade Rookie of the Year award appeared as a First XI selection to the 2007 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star team where the MLS All-Stars defeated Celtic FC 2-0 on July 19. He played in and started 25 games at central defender for the Revolution, who finished in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 14-8-8 record.

Parkhurst missed the first three games of the season recovering from a preseason shoulder injury, but came back to anchor a defense that recorded 10 shutouts and allowed 43 goals, sixth best in the League. His fine form since joining the League has also led to his inclusion as a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team. He represented the United States in their victorious run in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

This is the second 2007 year-end award for Parkhurst, as he was also named the individual Fair Play winner. His hard work on defense led to one of the most spectacular goals of the season. In the Revolution’s final game of the regular season, Parkhurst intercepted a pass in the Revolution’s defensive end and fired a shot from his team’s own half more than 60 yards over the head of Toronto FC goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos and into the Toronto FC net. It was the first shot of Parkhurst’s career in 87 games played and the first goal. He led the voting ahead of Houston Dynamo defender Eddie Robinson and Chivas USA defender Claudio Suarez.

Johnson, 23, a native of Palm Coast, Fla., was voted the 2007 Comeback Player of the Year in his seventh season of professional soccer in MLS. The Kansas City forward is not coming off of injury, but a 2006 season plagued with inconsistent play and absences due to U.S. Men’s National Team duty and suspension by his team.

Johnson had a spectacular regular season, as he started each of his 24 games played and contributed 15 goals and six assists for the Wizards. Improving upon last season’s total of two goals and one assist in 19 games played, this season Johnson was named Major League Soccer’s Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks and was also chosen as MLS Player of the Month for April. He was also a First XI selection for the 2007 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star game.

The mercurial forward made history on June 2 as the first player to score a hat trick in consecutive games. He accomplished the feat in a 4-3 win over New England on May 26 and again on June 2 in a 3-2 win over the New York Red Bulls. Johnson claimed the award over Columbus Crew defender Frankie Hejduk and New England Revolution forward Pat Noonan.

Hall was awarded the OSI Referee of the Year for the fourth time and third consecutive season. He also won the award in 2003. A consummate professional, Hall is regarded as one of the best-ever American referees. He has plied his trade in MLS since the inaugural season and has represented the United States in FIFA competitions across the globe, including the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Hall led the voting ahead of Jair Maruffo and Alex Prus for OSI Referee of the Year.

The OSI Referee of the Year was determined by equal voting from the media, MLS players, MLS coaches and general managers and MLS referees.

MLS Defender of the Year Winners:

2007: Michael Parkhurst – New England Revolution
2006: Bobby Boswell – D.C. United
2005: Jimmy Conrad – Kansas City Wizards
2004: Robin Fraser – Columbus Crew
2003: Carlos Bocanegra – Chicago Fire
2002: Carlos Bocanegra – Chicago Fire
2001: Jeff Agoos – San Jose Earthquakes
2000: Peter Vermes – Kansas City Wizards
1999: Robin Fraser – Los Angeles Galaxy
1998: Lubos Kubik – Chicago Fire
1997: Eddie Pope – D.C. United
1996: John Doyle – San Jose Earthquakes

MLS Comeback Player of the Year Winners

2007: Eddie Johnson – Kansas City Wizards
2006: Richard Mulrooney – FC Dallas
2005: Chris Klein – Kansas City Wizards
2004: Brian Ching – San Jose Earthquakes
2003: Chris Armas – Chicago Fire
2002: Chris Klein – Kansas City Wizards
2001: Troy Dayak – San Jose Earthquakes
2000: Tony Meola – Kansas City Wizards

OSI Referee of the Year Winners:

2007: Brian Hall
2006: Brian Hall
2005: Brian Hall
2004: Abiodun ‘Abbey’ Okulaja
2003: Brian Hall
2002: Kevin Terry
2001: Paul Tamberino
2000: Paul Tamberino
1999: Paul Tamberino
1998: Paul Tamberino
1997: Esse Baharmast

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Arena Resigns From Red Bulls

A very surprising Monday afternoon announcement from the New York Red Bulls ended the club’s affiliation with head coach Bruce Arena. The decision came just days after the Red Bulls were knocked out of the MLS playoffs by the New England Revolution.

The Revolutions won the home-and-home first round series by a goals total of 1-0, winning at home on Saturday night in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The move was said by both parties to be mutual, and the official release said that Arena had resigned, but there were indications that Arena may have been fired as head coach and Sporting Director.

"We've made progress this season, but it is not where we want to be,” Red Bulls managing director Mark de Grandpre said in a statement. “We made a promise to our fans to provide the best quality product on the field. Unfortunately, we haven’t achieved that promise to this point. Thus, we’ve come to a mutual agreement to part ways. I want to thank Bruce for his hard work. I am certain that he will have success in his future endeavors.”

Arena said in a statement: “Marc and I discussed the direction of the team and decided mutually that this was the best move for Red Bull New York. I wish the organization the best of luck going forward.”

The team said that a search for a new head coach would begin immediately.

Arena, who coached the U.S. National Team for eight years, had directed the Red Bulls to a 12-11-7 and third-place finish in the conference. In one-plus seasons with New York, Arena was only 0-2-2 in postseason play.

Over the course of his tenure with the Red Bulls, Arena compiled a 16-16-10 regular season record. Included was a 4-5-3 mark in 2006 after he made his debut with the club on August 12, 2006 in a friendly against UEFA Champions League winner FC Barcelona.

Arena’s resignation comes one day after Frank Yallop resigned as head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy

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D.C. United’s Emilio Is Top Scorer

With the conclusion of the Major League Soccer regular season on Sunday, D.C. United forward Luciano Emilio claimed the Budweiser Golden Boot, awarded to the League’s leading goal scorer during the regular season. Emilio scored 20 goals during the 2007 campaign, one more than New York Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel and four ahead of New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman.

Emilio, 28, helped lead United to a 16-7-7 record and their second consecutive Supporters’ Shield title for finishing the regular season with the most points in MLS. Emilio is the first MLS player to reach the 20 goal mark in one season since 2002, when current FC Dallas forward Carlos Ruiz scored 24 goals for the Los Angeles Galaxy and Twellman scored 23 for New England.

Among Emilio’s 20 goals were four game winners, which tied for third most in the League. He and Angel tied for the most multi-goal games this season with five apiece. Emilio claimed MLS Player of the Week honors in Week 11 and Week 18, and was named September’s Player of the Month.

The first-year MLS forward joined D.C. United in January 2007 from CD Olimpia of Honduras and immediately had an impact with his new team as he scored four goals in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and led D.C. United to the tournament semifinals. Emilio has played professionally in Brazil, Germany, Honduras, Mexico and the United States.

Entering the MLS Cup Playoffs, Emilio and D.C. United have the top seed in the Eastern Conference. United will open their postseason campaign against the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, which begin in Chicago on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2). United will host the second game of the series on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2).

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USL D-2 All-League Teams

TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced the Goalkeeper of the Year honor and the All-League Teams for the 2007 USL Second Division season, honoring 22 of the league’s top players for their performances as voted on by club general managers and coaches.
USL Second Division All-League First Team
Goalkeeper of the Year – Ronnie Pascale (Richmond Kickers)
Although he finished third in the GAA Championship race behind Harriburg’s Matt Nelson (0.611) and the honoree Hunter Gilstrap (0.500) of the Cleveland City Stars with an average of 0.684, Pascale was voted the top netminder in the league for the season. Pascale did lead the league in wins with 12 on the season, two ahead of Nelson and Charlotte’s Daniel Benton, and was second in shutouts with nine, one behind Nelson. Pascale was also Goalkeeper of the Year in 2006 when it was a statistical honor prior to the introduction of the GAA Championship.
Defender – Nelson Akwari (Charlotte Eagles)
Akwari was a leader for the Eagles, finishing as one of four players in the league to play every minute. The former US youth international spent the last five seasons in Major League Soccer, playing 78 regular season games for Real Salt Lake (2005-06), Columbus Crew (2003-04) and New York Red Bulls (2002).
Defender – Mark Schulte (Cleveland City Stars)
In addition to finishing the season as one of four players in the league to play every minute of the season, Schulte tallied two goals and four assists while leading the expansion club to the fourth one-loss season in the history of the league. The USL veteran returned after a stint abroad in Iceland, where he played for IBV. He last played in the US for the Columbus Crew in 2005, seeing action in 19 games. Previously, he spent four years with the Minnesota Thunder (2000-03), logging 93 regular season games, after playing one season in the PDL in 1999 with the Twin Cities Tornado.
Defender – Jay Willis (Western Mass Pioneers)
In his fourth year with the club, Willis has become a staple in the roster, playing 18 games this season and scoring twice. He now has three career goals in 68 regular season games with the club.
Midfielder – Mike Burke (Richmond Kickers)
The USL-2 Assist Leader with nine on the year, Burke assumed the role of captain upon the mid-season retirement of veteran defender Kevin Knight, finishing the regular season tied for scoring on the team with three goals and nine assists for 15 points. In his eighth season with the Kickers, Burke eclipsed the all-time career assists leaders to hold the sole position in the franchise with 38 assists overall. He continues to reside in third place on the Kickers all-time career points list with 90 (26g, 38a). Burke was a USL-2 First Team honoree and USL-2 Most Valuable Player Finalist en route to the 2006 USL-2 Championship.
Midfielder – Mathew Mbuta (Crystal Palace Baltimore)
An unknown in North America, Mbuta joined the club from Malaysia, where he was known as the Black Pearl. He was a key component of the club’s midfield throughout the season, playing in 16 games and finishing with five goals and seven assists, which ranked second in the league behind Burke.
Midfielder – Adam Moffat (Cleveland City Stars)
From the midfield, Moffat led the team in scoring in their first season with eight goals and two assists in 19 games. He joined the club from Scottish Third Division side Elgin City and previously played for Ross County.
Midfielder – Matt Watson (Richmond Kickers)
In his second pro season, Watson finished tied for the team lead in goals with 2006 USL-2 MVP Robert Ssejjemba and Ricky Schramm with six. He also tallied three assists in his 17 games played. As a rookie, he was the only Kicker to appear in every match during the 2006 season, becoming a regular starter early in the season and making 24 overall appearances, starting 21. Leading the team to the USL-2 regular season title and Championship, Watson finished fourth on the team with four goals and four assists during the regular season.
Forward – Stephen Astwood (Bermuda Hogges)
Although the striker only tallied four goals and an assist on the season for the first-year Hogges, Astwood left a lasting impression on his opponents to receive All-League honors. He led the team in scoring, finishing with one more goal than former Manchester City star Shaun Goater for the season.
Forward – Gary Brooks (Crystal Palace Baltimore)
A veteran of the USL First Division, Brooks joined the club midseason and was the driving force behind the club’s surge from near the bottom of the table to fifth place. He finished the season with seven goals and two assists in nine games as the team went on a 6-2-1 run with him up top. Brooks previously played for the Virginia Beach Mariners (2002-03) and the Atlanta Silverbacks (2004-05) in USL-1, logging 13 goals and 13 assists in 79 regular season games. He also played four games last season with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Forward – Jacob Coggins (Charlotte Eagles)
After leading the league in points and goals in 2004 and 2005, Coggins saw his numbers drop off last year due to a season-limiting injury, scoring just four goals in 14 games. He made an impressive return in 2007, however, to earn the Scoring and Goal Scoring Championship honors for the third time in four years, finishing the season with 12 goals and 31 points. Coggins became the first player in the 14-year history of the league to earn the scoring honors three times. Luis Orrellana (1998, 1999) and Julio-Cesar Dos Santos (2000, 2002) were the only other players to win the awards twice.
USL Second Division All-League Second Team

G Matt Nelson Harrisburg City Islanders
D James Greenslit New Hampshire Phantoms
D Shintaro Harada Crystal Palace Baltimore
D Michael Lookingland Harrisburg City Islanders
D Ashleigh Townsend Cincinnati Kings
M Maciel Everson Western Mass
M Mo Oduor Harrisburg City Islanders
M Brian Ombiji Harrisburg City Islanders
M Steve Shak Charlotte Eagles
F Nigel Codrington Cleveland City Stars
F Robert Ssejjemba Richmond Kickers

The Defender of the Year and the Finalists for Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors will be announced Monday, August 20. The winners of the final three honors will be announced at the USL Second Division Championship banquet.
USL Second Division Semifinals
The USL Second Division playoffs begin this week with Semifinals Saturday. The regular season champion Richmond Kickers play host to the Charlotte Eagles in a rematch of the 2006 final. The Harrisburg City Islanders will visit the first-year Cleveland City Stars. Both games begin at 7:00 pm ET.

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Battery, Kickers, RailHawks Advance In Open Cup

The Charleston Battery, Richmond Kickers and Carolina RailHawks are through to the quarterfinals of the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. All advanced with upset wins over Major League Soccer teams.
By the narrowest of margins, a penalty kick shootout, the Atlanta Silverbacks are out of the competition having lost to another MLS team, FC Dallas.
Despite an exceptional effort by Atlanta goalkeeper Ryan McIntosh, the Silverbacks lost the shootout 4-3 after playing FCD to a 1-1 draw through overtime.
FCD advances to the quarterfinals against the Battery, which eliminated the Houston Dynamo 1-0 on a goal from Stephen Armstrong‘s penalty kick in overtime.

Battery 1, Houston 0

Charleston saved the best to last against the defending MLS champion Dynamo. With the game in the 106th minute and headed to a shootout, the Battery received a penalty kick, which was taken by Armstrong.
Zach Wells, who bailed out the Dynamo with several big saves, saved the PK from Armstrong, but could not hold the ball and Armstrong followed the rebound for the game winning goal.
It marked the fourth win by the Battery over an MLS team in their franchise history (1999 D.C. United, 2001 MetroStars, 2004 MetroStars).
A year ago Charleston met Houston in the fourth round of Open Cup play. Kenny Cooper scored the equalizer for the Dynamo, his third goal of the game, in the final minute of extra time to send the 3-3 game to penalties. Dallas won the shootout, 5-3.

Kickers 1, LA Galaxy 0

David Bulow pounced on a mishandled corner kick in the 29th minute for the game’s only goal, and the Kickers defense held the Galaxy off the scoresheet for the rest of the game. Goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale made four saves for Richmond.
The Kickers became the last USL Second Division team in the tournament, and the win was the first for the Kickers over an MLS team since moving to Second Division last year.
As a USL First Division team, the Kickers had knocked off the Colorado Rapids in the second round of the 2000 tournament, and D.C. United in the fourth round in 2004.
“With all the hype around the (David) Beckham situation and all the hype around the Galaxy being the #1 club in America in trying to single-handedly change the direction of soccer in this country, I think this makes it the biggest win,” said Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond’s coach on just how big the win over the Galaxy was for the Kickers.

RailHawks 1, Chicago Fire 0

The first-year Carolina RailHawks put out the Fire....the defending Open Cup champion Chicago Fire, 1-0, in front of a packed crowd of 4,485 at SAS Stadium in Cary.
McColm Cephas got the game-winner in the 56th minute as he dribbled into the penalty area and struck a low shot to the near post past Fire backup goalkeeper Jon Busch.
The RailHawks got a big game from their own backup goalkeeper, John O’Hara, who held Chicago scoreless, despite not playing a single minute during the regular season.
“It’s great to play and get the win,” said O’Hara. “I think I might be the curse of the MLS teams, but nonetheless, it was great to bring home a positive result.”
O’Hara had previously recorded a shutout in his only other game against a MLS team.
Carolina will host the Kickers at SAS Stadium on August 7. Thus, the USL is guaranteed to have a representative in the Open Cup semifinals.

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Kickers, Battery Eliminate MLS Teams

David Bulow scored off a corner kick in the 31st minute and the Richmond Kickers' defense did the rest in a 1-0 upset of the Los Angeles Galaxy in their U.S. Open Cup match.

With the victory over the Major League Soccer's Galaxy, the defending second division champion Kickers advance to the next round to face the winner of the Chicago Fire and Carolina Railhawks match. That game will be played on July 15 at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, NC.

The Galaxy, which awaits the much-anticipated arrival of David Beckham later this week, has struggled so far this season in MLS play, and was heavily favored over the Kickers in the contest at Richmond, Va.

In another Open Cup loss for an MLS team, the Charleston Battery eliminated the Houston Dynamo 1-0 on Steven Armstrong's rebound of his own penalty kick in extra time.

Houston goalie Zach Wells blocked Armstrong's kick from the spot, but Armstrong charged forward to put the ball into the net.

The Battery will face FC Dallas in the quarterfinals. Dallas survived a six-round penalty kick shootout to eliminate the Atlanta Silverbacks after playing to a 1-1 draw through overtime.

Taylor Twellman scored twice, the second time for the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute, and the New England Revolution beat the Rochester Rhinos 4-2 in their match.

Steve Ralston added an insurance goal for the Revolution on a penalty kick in stoppage time.

New England next faces the winner of DC United and Harrisburg City Islanders.

Jose Cancela and Herculez Gomez each had a goal and an assist in the Colorado Rapids' 3-1 win over the California Victory

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Dallas Dumps Atlanta In Open Cup

Atlanta Silverbacks goalkeeper Ryan McIntosh came up big with a pair of saves in a penalty kick shootout with FC Dallas of Major League Soccer.

However, McIntosh needed three saves, as his USL First Division club was eliminated by the Hoops, 4-3 on kicks, after playing to a 1-1 draw in the round of 16 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The game was played in Frisco, TX, at Pizza Hut Park before a crowd of only 2,510.

Each team scored in the second half to force overtime. Carlos Ruiz got the first for Dallas in the 74th minute, with the Silverbacks finishing the equalizer four minutes later. Daniel Antoniuk got the Atlanta goal off a Rodrigo Rios free kick from 40 yards out.

The Silverbacks played a man short for the final 38 minues after Antoniuk was ejected. In all five Atlanta players were booked in the game, but Antoniuk was the only one shown a red card.

After Atlanta’s sixth kicker, Scott Buete, sent his kick high, FCD midfeilder Arturo Alvarez clinched the win with the last kick of the night.

McIntosh had an outstanding game, making several key saves on shots from Ruiz and from forward Dominic Oduro.

Dallas will now face the winner of Tuesday night’s match between Houston and USL side the Charleston Battery, which will be held at Charleston’s Blackbaud Stadium. Should Dynamo prevail, FCD will host their in-state rivals on August 7. If the Battery emerge victorious, the Hoops will have to travel to Charleston on the same day.

July 09, 2007 -- Pizza Hut Park
Scoring Summary:
DAL -- Carlos Ruiz 1 (Dario Sala ) 74
ATL -- Daniel Antoniuk 1 (Rodrigo Rios ) 78
Penalty-kick shootout:
ATL -- Rodrigo Rios (Goal)
DAL -- Carlos Ruiz (Goal)
ATL -- Justin Moore (Saved)
DAL -- Pablo Richetti (Saved)
ATL -- Dayton O’Brien (Wide Left)
DAL -- Juan Toja (Saved)
ATL -- Angel Rivillo (Goal)
DAL -- Chris Gbandi (Goal)
ATL -- David Hayes (Goal)
DAL -- Abe Thompson (Goal)
ATL -- Scott Buete (High)
DAL -- Arturo Alvarez (Goal)

Atlanta Silverbacks -- Ryan McIntosh, Martyn Lancaster, Matt Bobo, David Hayes, Justin Moore, Rafique Hassim (John Queeley 66) (Angel Rivillo 12), Tony McManus, Rodrigo Rios, Scott Buete, Daniel Antoniuk, Warren Ukah (Corey Woolfolk 74) (Dayton O’Brien 12),
Substitutes Not Used: Alvin Hudson, Luis Liendo, Felipe Quintero
FC Dallas -- Dario Sala, Drew Moor (Abe Thompson 91), Clarence Goodson (David Wagenfuhr 12), Chris Gbandi, Bobby Rhine (Michael Dello-Russo 12), Aaron Pitchkolan, Pablo Richetti, Juan Toja, Ramon Nunez (Dominic Oduro 69), Carlos Ruiz, Arturo Alvarez.
Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Blake Wagner, Alex Yi

Misconduct Summary:
ATL -- Tony McManus (caution; Reckless Foul) 72
ATL -- Rodrigo Rios (caution; Reckless Foul) 82
ATL -- Daniel Antoniuk (ejection; Violent Conduct) 82
ATL -- Martyn Lancaster (caution; Reckless Foul) 92
ATL -- Matt Bobo (caution; Reckless Foul) 96

Referee: Colin Tait
Referee’s Assistants: Paul Blackwell; Jorge Luna
4th official: Fernando Galvan
Time of game: 2:43
Attendance: 2,510
Weather: Partly Cloudy -and- 87 degrees

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Pope Announces That He Will Retire

Recognized by many as the best defender the U.S. has ever produced, Eddie Pope has announced that he will retire from professional soccer and the Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake at the end of the 2007 season.

Pope, 33, began his career with D.C. United after playing collegiate soccer at UNC Chapel Hill. The High Point, N.C. native, also played for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars before moving to Real Salt Lake in that club’s expansion year.

He has played in 236 MLS games in his 12 year career, and feels Real Salt Lake is a good place to end his playing career.

"I love it here and I've had a good time playing here in front of the amazing fans," Pope said. "It's been a pleasure for me, so to be able to retire here is a great thing for me. I'm very, very happy about that, to retire in such a great place.

"It's my last year, and it's certainly not a lackadaisical type of decision, so yeah, it's my last year, and let's get something done," Pope said.

Pope is the latest player from the league's inaugural season to announce his retirement at the end of the years. Chris Armas and Cobi Jones also have decided to hang up their shin guards at the end of the season; for many original players like Pope, the game is beginning to take a toll on their bodies.

"It's just time," Pope said. "You get up in the morning and you're in pain, before practice you are in pain, and after practice you are still in pain.

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New York, Houston Win Carolina Challenge Cup Openers

Things went pretty much as expected in the opening match of the Carolina Challenge Cup between Houston Dynamo and Toronto F.C. Even missing five starters through injury and national team call-ups, Houston looked very much like defending MLS Cup champions.

Toronto, on the other hand, demonstrated the growing pains that come with an expansion year.

Houston handedly beat Toronto 2-0 behind goals by Ryan Cochrane and Chris Wondolowski.

Both ran an approximation of what would be their first teams if the season were to begin this weekend, though both were missing several starters, and let them run, both coaches keeping substitutions to a minimum.

In the fifth minute it looked like Houston had struck first blood when Wondolowski beat Toronto’s Greg Sutton from close range but was ruled offside.

Nine minutes later Cochrane easily touched home a Brad Davis corner kick after Sutton misplayed the in-swinging ball. All an unmarked Cochrane had to do was help the ball into the goal.

Sutton redeemed himself, however, diving to his left to parry wide a long-range bomb from Davis that should have been Houston’s second goal.

Houston continued to control the run of play through to the halftime whistle. The second half began in much the same vein as the first.

In the 72nd minute Toronto coach Mo Johnston looked for an offensive spark by inserting Abbe Ibrahim in for Jose Cancela with hopes of an offensive spark.

“It bit us,” Johnston said. “The substitution opened things up for them in the back.”

With Toronto putting more pressure forward, Houston took advantage of the space in the midfield when Kevin Goldtheaite sprung Wondolowski with a cross-field ball from the left flank. Wondolowski ran through Toronto’s offside trap and easily slotted the ball past Sutton.

It was not all doom and gloom for Toronto, however. After joining the team on Friday, Richard Mulrooney started and played all 90 minutes.

Both teams will be in action Wednesday as the round-robin tournament continues. Toronto will face New York Red Bull at 6 p.m. Houston will take on the Charleston Battery at 8:15.

Charleston Battery 0 — New York Red Bulls 1
The New York Red Bulls took on tournament hosts USL First Division Charleston Battery. In last year’s tournament, the Red Bulls lost to the Battery 1-0 and serve as the only MLS team to lose to the Battery in the four-year history of the tournament.

A nearly full-strength Red Bull again struggled, but managed to get past the USL side 1-0 on a second half stoppage time goal by Dema Kovalenko.

Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock was hands-down the man of the match, coming up big on several occasions including a save on a Claudio Reyna penalty kick.

But the Red Bulls speed up front proved to be too much for the Battery—in their second week of preseason preparation—when Kovalenko jumped on a rebound after Hudock made an initial save on a Dane Richard breakaway.

The Battery’s game plan was obvious from the start: Absorb the Red Bulls repeated runs forward and counter. It worked, for the most part. The Battery had several chances utilizing the counter, but lacked the breakaway speed in the end to capitalize.

Despite the strong defensive effort, it looked as if the Red Bulls would pull ahead in the 61st minute when Battery midfielder Ian Fuller was called for a handball in the penalty area. Reyna stepped up hitting the spot-kick low and to Hudock’s right. With a good jump on the ball, Hudock knocked the ball down and it was cleared away.

Richard, a 63rd minute substitute for Ansu Toure, increased the pressure on the tiring Battery back line, making several penetrating runs, forcing Hudock to make two good saves before his third run on goal which Kovalenko finished.

For Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena, the result was met with mixed feelings. “We attacked well,” he said. “But our finishing need to be better.”

On Wednesday the Red Bulls face Toronto F.C. in the second leg of the round-robin tournament at 6:p.m. followed by Charleston and Houston at 8:15.

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Dynamo Win, D.C. United Draws In Semifinal

The Houston Dynamo defeated CF Panchca of Mexico 2-0 in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup semifinal series, and D.C. United drew 1-1 with CD Guadalajara, commonly known as Chivas.

Both games were played in home stadiums for the two MLS teams. Houston will have a two-goal advantage going into the second lefg, which will be played on April 3. With the tie, D.C. United must beat Chivas in Guadajara in order to advance to the championship game.

Striker Brian Ching and midfielder Chris Wondolowski found net in the second half to give the Major League Soccer champion Houston Dynamo the 2-0 win.

Meanwhile, 26,528, mostly a pro-Chivas crowd, braved a chilly, steady rain in Washington, D.C., and saw D.C. United's new Brazilian striker Luciano Emilio score in stoppage time to give his club a 1-1 draw with CD Guadalajara.

Defender Craig Waibel crossed from the right flank to Ching, who had coasted the penalty area unmarked to place a header into the lower right corner of the net past goalkeeper Miguel Calero for a 1-0 lead.

Pachuca nearly pulled even four minutes later when Houston keeper Zach Wells left his box to clear a long Pachuca ball over the top of the Dynamo defense. Wells headed the ball weakly to Pachuca striker Andre Chitiva, who lobbed a ball at the vacated net, only to have Waibel clear just before it reached the goal-line.

Dwayne De Rosario came of the bench in the 76th minute, replacing Paul Dalglish up top, and started the sequence for Houston's second tally. He played a ball down the left flank to Davis, who crossed to the far side of the box where an unmarked Wondolowski easily converted for a 2-0 advantage.

Emilio emerged from a crowd to head home an equalizer in the first minute of stoppage time to give D.C. United a 1-1 draw with CD Guadalajara.

United, which qualified for the Champions Cup as winner of the MLS Supporters Shield for having the best 2006 regular-season record, still faces a daunting task. It must win the April 3 second leg before around 57,000 hostile fans at Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara to advance to the championship match.

United got some practice at facing an inimical audience with a large majority of the 26,528 at RFK rooting passionately and vociferously for visiting Chivas.

"Once you're in the game mode, you don't think about the crowd," United coach Tom Soehn said. "I think all you hear are your own fans."

Midfielder Ben Olsen, United's 2006 United States World Cup team representative, started in motion D.C.'s tying goal. He took a long pass from defender Facundo Erpen and carried deep into the right corner where he was taken down by Chivas midfielder and captain Ramon Morales.

While Olsen verbally sparred with several members of the opposition and exchanged shoves with a couple, United playmaker Christian Gomez set up the free kick and delivered it to Emilio, who raced into the goalmouth, ducked his head and snapped his header directly into the middle of the net. Sprawling keeper Luis Michel, who was trying to recover to his right, could not reach the shot.

Emilio, a new acquisition, has four goals in three appearances for United in the Champions Cup.

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Orlando Sharks Join MISL

Central Florida’s latest professional sports team will be named the Orlando Sharks and will become the eighth team in the Major Indoor Soccer League. The announcement was made by team investor/operator Sham Maharaj, who is the president of Buena Vista Corporation. MISL commissioner Steve Ryan was also on hand.

"I am pleased to introduce the birth of a legacy in Central Florida sports, Orlando's newest professional sports team, the Orlando Sharks," Maharaj said.

The Sharks will join the Baltimore Blast, California Cougars, Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition, Milwaukee Wave, Philadelphia KiXX and a yet-to-be-named New Jersey team in the MISL's 2007-08 season.

"We've spent many hours soliciting feedback from the community to ensure we captured Central Florida's input into the naming process," said Rich Bradley, vice president of Buena Vista Sports & Entertainment and team president. "We offered a selection of geographic references, historical nicknames, mythical creatures and native species in the polling; ultimately the most popular name was originally a write-in that was the clear winner in the final round of voting."

The poll attracted over 3,500 responses last August, and the logo features a teal, black and gray shark.

The MISL Collegiate Amateur Draft will take place on March 8. Following the completion of the 2006-07 MISL season, a dispersal draft of unprotected current MISL players will be held to help fill the rosters of the Orlando and Newark, N.J. teams, as well as for any other new expansion clubs scheduled to play during the 2007-08 season.

Later this spring, the team will announce a series of local try-outs to be held over the summer throughout nine counties in Central Florida, as well as unveil the team's head coach, uniforms and mascot.

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Dempsey Off To England, While Reyna Returns Home

Former Furman University star Clint Dempsey has been granted a work permit to play in England and became the third American on Fulham’s English Premier League roster. He joins fellow U.S. men’s national teammates striker Brian McBride and defender Carlos Bocanegra.

It has been reported that former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna, a midfielder with Manchester City, has bought out the remainder of his contract, reported to be $1.5 million a year, and will return home to New Jersey to play with the MLS Red Bulls for his former collegiate coach at the University of Virginia, Bruce Arena.

Reyna’s move to the Red Bulls has been called a “family decision”, as he and his wife Danielle, who has five caps herself with the U.S. WNT, are expecting their third child.

Reyna, 33, has played his entire professional career abroad and has been with Manchester City since the 2003-04 season. He has been hobbled by injury with Manchester, having never played more than 22 games in a season, which consists of 38 matches.

He has also played with Sunderland in England, the Glasgow Rangers in Scotland and Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg in Germany.

Reyna, who had 112 appearances for the U.S. MNT before his retirement after the 2006 World Cup, is expected to sign with the Red Bulls under the new MLS Designated Player Rule, which allows a club to sign a player outside of the salary cap. New York has two exceptions, one coming in a trade.

Dempsey’s transfer fee from Major League Soccer is reported to be $4 million, which would be the largest in MLS history. The league received $3 million when goalkeeper Tim Howard moved from the MetroStars (now the Red Bulls) in 2003 to Manchester United.

Another U.S. player, central defender Oguchi Onyewu remains a hot item, but he also remains with Standard de Liege of Belgium. Fulham also sought to obtrain him, but that effort failed. EPL champion Chelsea also sought a deal for Onyewu, but the Blues manager Jose Mourinho could not obtain the funds to sign him.

It has been said that Italian power AC Milan is the latest club to express interest in the former Clemson standout, a native of Olney, MD.

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D.C. United Signs Brazilian Goal-Scorer

D.C. United has announced the signing of Brazilian forward Luciano Emilio, one of the most prolific goal scorers in the Honduran First Division during the past five years. The 28-year-old joins United from Honduras side CD Olimpia and will occupy a Senior International slot on United’s roster and will be available for selection upon receiving his international transfer certificate and P-1 visa. Per League policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are very pleased that Luciano is officially part of D.C. United,” said United Technical Director Dave Kasper. “He is a strong target striker and an accomplished goal scorer who has been part of several championship teams. We look forward to his future contributions to our club.”

The 5-foot, 11-inch, 175-pound forward signed for a second stint with Olimpia midway through 2005 and led the Lions to the 2005 Apertura crown. He won his fourth scoring title with 13 goals and helped Olimpia capture the championship in the 2006 Clausura tournament. Most recently, Emilio scored eight goals for Olimpia during the 2006 Apertura tournament. For his career, Emilio tallied 91 goals in the Honduran league, 45 with Real España and 46 with Olimpia. He was also the recipient of the Golden Boot of the 2006 UNCAF tournament, the Central American clubs cup competition, tallying eight goals in seven games for Olimpia. Overall, Emilio amassed 16 goals in three UNCAF tournament appearances.

After having amassed 45 goals in league play with Real España, Emilio joined powerhouse CD Olimpia of Tegucigalpa, where he immediately paid dividends and won his third scoring crown after tallying 16 goals in the 2004 Apertura Tournament. Emilio joined Mexican Second Division side Queretaro for one season, scoring 10 goals and helping the club capture the Clausura championship in 2005.

In 2001, Emilio returned to his native Brazil and after a stint with Union Barbarense, he joined Real España of Honduras in August 2002. He became an instant success with Real España, winning two goal scoring titles (Clausura 2003 and Clausura 2004) and helping the club capture the 2003 Apertura championship.

Emilio began his professional career at age 16 with Brazilian First Division club XV de Piracicaba and one year later transferred to Rio Branco, another Sao Paolo-based First Division club. In August of 1997, the then 18-year-old forward signed a contract with FC Cologne of the German Bundesliga. Emilio starred for Cologne’s U-23 team and eventually played in several matches for the first team in Bundesliga competition. After his time at Cologne, Emilio moved to Second Division side Aachen in 1999, where he played until 2001.

Born December 12, 1978 in Ilha Solteira, Sao Paolo, Brazil, Luciano and his wife Elenice are the proud parents of three-month old daughter, Emily.

“Our technical staff has successfully signed a player that D.C. United has long coveted,” said United Co-Managing Partner Will Chang. “We feel that his strengths as a player will work well in our system and will compliment those of Jaime Moreno, Christian Gomez and our other attacking players. We're excited to have Luciano in our organization and look forward to seeing him in uniform.”

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Claudio May Be Headed Home

With the 2007 MLS SuperDraft less than a week away, the New York Red Bulls could be close to obtaining veteran help at midfield, and a marquee player in former U.S. MNT captain Claudio Reyna.

Reyna is reported to be in the final stage of negotiations with Manchester City to cancel the last six months of his contract, which would make it possible for him to sign with the Red Bulls. That move would reunite him with former U.S. MNT coach Bruce Arena, Reyna’s collegiate coach at the University of Virginia.

Reyna earned 108 international caps with the U.S. National Team. Most came with Arena as the head coach.

Articles in the London Daily Mail confirmed negotiations, and Manchester City coach Stuart Pearce was quoted as saying that Reyna’s departure from the English Premier League club “looked inevitable.”

He also said that the move would occur only if it was “in the best interests” of the club.

Reyna, 33, is a New Jersey native. After an outstanding prep career at St. Benedict’s Prep, he was an All-America standout at Uva. He is married to the former Danielle Egan of Long Island, who played collegiate soccer for UNC Chapel Hill.

Pearce did say that Reyna wanted to return to the United States due to personal reasons. He is a native of Springfield, N.J. and a graduate of St. Benedict's Prep. He married the former Danielle Egan of Long Island.

Reyna was signed by Manchester City by former City manager Kevin Keegan from Sunderland in 2003. He made 77 English Premiership and F.A. Cup starts in 3 1/2 seasons, scoring four goals

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Dempsey Set To Move To England

Fulham is close to adding a third American to its roster.

Midfielder Clint Dempsey of Major League Soccer's New England Revolution could soon been joining World Cup teammates, striker Brian McBride and defender Carlos Bocanegra, on the English Premier League club's roster, the Boston Globe reported.

The transfer fee of $4 million, has been accepted and is the highest payment in Major League Soccer history.

The only thing pending, now that Fulham and MLS have reached agreement, is securing a work permit for Dempsey.

Dempsey, 23, had one year left on his MLS contract, and has played three seasons for the Revolution. He played in nine of 13 U.S. Men’s National Team games last year, missing one with injury. He scored against Italy in the World Cup in a 1-1 draw with the eventual World Cup champions.

Players from outside the European Union are required to have played in at least 75 percent of their recent national team games in order to receive a work permit. A tribunal will make a ruling on Dempsey’s case within the coming week.

The previous record for an MLS transxfer was about $3.5 mill, when Stern John, a Trinidad & Tobago forward went from the Columbus Crew to Nottingham Forest in 2000. Tim Howard’s transfer from the Metrostars in 2003 to Manchester United was work about $3 million.

"Clint's a wide player up front, can play either flank, strong with pace, a good player, good touch," Fulham manager Chris Coleman told the Boston Globe. He has all the attributes to be a good player in the Premier League, is the right age and was in our price range."

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Freddy Traded To Real Salt Lake

Freddy Adu has been looking for a place where he could play a bigger role, and the 17-year-old midfielder has found it.

Not in England with Manchester United, but in Salt Lake City Utah with Real Salt Lake.

Adu was traded by D.C. United to Real Salt Lake, along with the rights to reserve goalkeeper Nick Rimando, with his former club receiving a major player allocation in return as well as the rights to goalkeeper Jay Nolly and future considreations.

“I’m definitely looking forward to this,” Adu told the Salt Lake Tribune.

The move reunites Adu with his former U.S. Under-17 national coach John Ellinger, who is RSL’s head coach.

If Adu does move to Europe by way of transfer during the upcoming MLS season, United would receive a portion of the compensation package the league would receive in transfer fees.

If Adu stays with RSL for the entire season and does well, United would receive a conditional draft pick at a position determined by how well he plays.

Adu was signed my Major League Soccer as a 14-year-old, and became the highest paid player in MLS at about $500,000 a year.

While Adu has expressed a strong interest in playing in Europe, he could not sign with a club there until his 18th birthday, which is June 2, right in the middle of the MLS season.

“Freddy wanted to play central midfield or withdrawn forward,” United president and general manager Kevin Payne told The Washington Post. “On our team, that’s Christian Gomez and Jaime Moreno and that wasn’t likely to happen.”

Adu has 11 goals and 17 assists and has played in 87 regular season game with 59 starts.
“I just felt like I needed to go to an environment where I would get an opportunity to play my natural position and I’ll get that here,” Adu told the Tribune.

“I’m just real excited about it, because I also get to be with the coach I started with, who knows me. We have an amazing relationship, and when I have a great relationship with my coach, I play my best soccer, so hopefully that’s the case.”

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Houston Wins MLS Cup On PKs

FRISCO, Texas (Sunday, November 12, 2006) – It came down to a penalty kick shootout. New England appeared to have the edge on goalkeeper Matt Reis’ history of saving kicks from the mark. However, it was the Houston Dynamo that came away the winner.

Never before had the MLS Cup been determined by PKs, but the Dynamo made four kicks, while the Revolution made only three. Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad, before a crowd of 22,427 at Pizza Hut Park, drove to his right to save Revs defender Jay Heaps’ weak attempt.

Both goals in regulation came within 71 seconds of each other in overtime. Taylor Twellman found the back of the net in the 113th minute and New England had its first goal in three MLS finals. Brian Ching’s header equalized just over a minute later. Ching, who scored the deciding kick in the shootout, was named the game’s MVP.

“It’s the best award I've ever won, because it came in the course of our team winning a championship," Ching said. "We have a lot of MVPs on this team, but there's only one award. I'm happy to accept it as a reflection on our group of guys who just kept battling when things looked bad."

Three of MLS's first 10 title games were decided in sudden-death overtime, including last November when the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Revolution 1-0 in extra time, a repeat of the 2003 Cup final result.

Sudden death was no longer a possibility because MLS converted to world governing body FIFA's recent move from golden goals to a required 30 minutes of overtime. This worked out well for Houston, which was allowed the opportunity of responding to Twellman's fine strike.

Twellman scored his goal when he touched the ball forward once with his right foot, entering the top left of the penalty area before striking a perfect low, bouncing left-footer that tucked just inside the far post, well beyond Onstad's dive to make it 1-0.

Twellman's celebration, pumping his fist while making a 50-yard dash, consumed almost a minute. Immediately after the restart, Houston midfielder Brian Mullan took a pass, pushed the ball forward and then lofted a slightly deflected pass right to the penalty spot. Ching, who had slipped behind Heaps by a couple yards, elevated and nodded his shot inside the left post, past the reach of extended keeper Matt Reis and suddenly it was 1-1.

"I knew Mullan was going to cross the ball," Ching said. "We were fortunate to get a little deflection. I just got in the box and did the things that make me a goal scorer. The ball fell right to me and I was fortunate enough to put it in.

"I didn't think we were going to get one, but we were going to die trying."

New England is now 0-for-3 in the MLS title contest. "We've lost every possible way we can lose in the finals," Twellman said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Houston 0, New England 0

Lineups: Houston Pat Onstad, Craig Waibel, Ryan Cochrane (Kelly Gray 102), Eddie Robinson, Wade Barrett (captain), Brian Mullan, Adrian Serioux (Stuart Holden 116), Dwayne De Rosario, Brad Davis, Brian Ching, Paul Daglish (Alejandro Moreno 81); New England - : Matt Reis, Avery John, Michael Parkhurst, Jay Heaps, Joe Franchino - captain (Khano Smith 53), Shalrie Joseph, Daniel Hernandez (Jeff Larentowicz 111), Steve Ralston, Andy Dorman (Clint Dempsey 62), Pat Noonan, Taylor Twellman.

Scoring:
New England - Twellman (Smith) 113.
Houston - Ching (Mullan) 114.

Penalty kicks summary:
Houston - Gray (goal), Holden (goal), De Rosario (goal), Davis (saved), Ching (goal).
New England - Joseph (goal), Reis (goal), Noonan (missed), Twellman (goal), Heaps (saved)

Total shots: Houston 15 (Davis 4), New England 15 (Twellman 4). Shots on goal: Houston 4 (Ching 2), New England 7 (Twellman 3), Saves: Houston - Onstad 5; New England - Reis 3. Fouls: Houston 24 (Davis 6), New England 20 (Dempsey 5). Offside: Houston 4 (Ching 4), New England 1 (Noonan). Corner kicks: Houston 10 (Davis 9), New England 10 (Ralston 9). Yellow card cautions: Houston - Davis 23, Cochrane 99, Waibel 103; New England - Franchino16.

Referee: Jair Marrufo. Referee's assistants: Craig Lowry, Nate Clement. Fourth official: Kevin Stott. Time of game: 2:46. Attendance: 22,427 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Weather: Sunny, 61 degr

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Red Bulls Hire Arena

It didn’t take long for Bruce Arena to land a new job. What had been rumored became fact when Arena signed on as head coach and sporting director of Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls.

The announcement came four days after the Unied States Soccer Federation announced it would not renew his contract as manager of the U.S. Men’s National Team.

Arena's contract with the USSF does not expire until December 31. But U.S. Soccer Sunil Gulati, that even though he expected Arena to fulfill that contract, he said he would not allow that obligation to prevent the coach from accepting a new job.

Richie Williams, who played for Arena at D.C. United and at the University of Virginia, had served as interim head coach since Mo Johnston was fired by the Red Bulls on June 21.

When Arena accepted the new position, New York was 3-6-8 overall with 17 points, last in the Eastern Conference. Only Real Salt Lake, last in the Western Conference at 4-9-4 with 16 points, has a worse record.

The Red Bulls, who were the MetroStars until this season, have been one of MLS's most underachieving franchises and have gone though eight prior coaches, not including Williams, in the club's 11-year history.

At 71-30-29 (.658), Arena was the most successful coach in U.S. history, posting twice as many victories as any of his predecessors with, by far, the best winning percentage. In 2002, the Americans advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals, but could not live up to the expectations that followed that historic run in the recently-completed Germany 2006.

The 130 matches were the most under one coach in U.S. history, coming in a tenure of almost eight years. Arena was hired on October 27, 1998, coaching the Americans to a 0-0 draw with Australia in his debut November 6, 1998, at Spartan Stadium in San Jose., Calif.

In the 2006 World Cup, the U.S. was 0-2-1, last in the tough Group E and winding up officially finishing 25th in the 32-nation field. The Americans managed only two goals, one of which was an own goal.

Arena was the coach of D.C. United from 1996-98, advancing to the first three MLS Cup finals and capturing the initial two championships in 1996 and 1997. Under Arena, United also won the 1996 U.S. Open Cup, the 1997 CONCACAF Champions Cup and the 1998 Interamerican Cup.

Prior to that, Arena was coach at University of Virginia for 18 years, becoming the first coach to lead his team to four consecutive NCAA Division I titles. A fifth championship was shared with Santa Clara, which was coached by Steve Sampson, Arena's predecessor as U.S. manager.

"He has been extraordinarily successful at every level he's coached at," Gulati said Friday. "Bruce has nothing but the strongest possible compliments for his accomplishments, for his achievements, for his integrity and everything he's done with us."

With the Red Bulls, Arena inherits a club with a multitude of problems. Midfielder Amado Guevara, disgruntled by his contract, engaged in a war of words with then-president and general manager Alexi Lalas (now serving in a similar job with the Los Angeles Galaxy) prior to this season. The MetroStars 2004 "Most Valuable Player," who scored 26 goals and added 31 assists in his first three years with the team, including 11 goals and 11 assists in 2005, has two goals and no assists in 14 matches this year.

Midfielder Youri Djorkaeff, the MetroStars' 2005 MVP and a member of France's 1998 World Cup champions, had 10 goals and seven assists last season, his first with the MetroStars, but grew increasingly unhappy with what he saw as less-than-professional management.

Around July 1, he asked for a leave of absence to attend to personal matters in France, then turned up on international television, seen with his wife in stands watching France's World Cup semifinal victory against Portugal in Munich. Though it has been confirmed Djorkaeff's mother is ill, Red Bulls management released a statement saying he had never informed the team his plan included attending the World Cup.

Djorkaeff has yet to return to the team and as only two goals and three assists in 13 outing in 2006.

Guevara ($281,250) and Djorkaeff ($207,000) are the two highest-paid players on a club where 15 players on the opening-day roster make $60,000 or less.

Recent injuries to goalkeeper Tony Meola and midfielder Mark Lisi have not helped New York's fortunes.

(See www.SoccerTimes.com)

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Spector, Whitbread Sign With New Clubs

Two young American players recently signed contracts with two new professional clubs in England.

West Ham United signed 20-year old defender Jonathan Spector from Manchester United for a transfer fee of $926,000 in a deal between English Premier League clubs.

Spector was on the short list for the U.S. World Cup team before being sidelined with a dislocated shoulder. He spent the last season on loan to Charlton Athletic, which is West Ham’s London rival. He signed a four-year contract with West Ham after the final year on his contract with Man U was cancelled.

"I see it as a great opportunity for myself to become part of a young and exciting team, and I'm excited about playing under (manager) Alan Pardew, who has done a fantastic job in his time at West Ham," Spector told the West Ham web site. "The guys have just had a great year and hopefully I can be a part of helping the team to build on that success next season.”

Spector joined Manchester United at 17 and became a stalwart of the club's youth teams before graduating to the reserve side. In 2004-05, Spector made four appearances for Man. U.'s senior team in various competitions and was loaned to Charlton after the season.

Zak Whitbread, another young American defender, has signed to play with Millwall. He played on loan for the Lions last year and was on contract with Liverpool of the EPL.

Millwall had a poor season last year and was relegated to third-division League One. Whitbreak, who was born in Houston but lived for less than a year in the U.S., played in 25 matches for the Lions, all starts.

“I really enjoyed myself last season at Millwall and I just felt that this was absolutely the right move for me,” said Whitbread on the club’s website. “Im really looking forward to the new season and trying to help the club get back into The Championship at the first attempt.”

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Sampson Fired By Galaxy

It would appear that the “from first to worst” slide by the MLS Los Angeles Galaxy has cost the job of another head coach.

Galaxy President and General Manager Alexi Lalas has announced that the club has relieved Steve Sampson of his duties as head coach, effective immediately.

“Steve Sampson has worked tirelessly for this organization, but our 2006 campaign has yet to live up to the high standards that Galaxy fans have come to know and expect from their team,” said Lalas. “The Galaxy is the jewel of MLS, but with that distinction comes a responsibility to continuously set the bar, on and off the field. I want to thank Coach Sampson for all he has done for the Galaxy including winning an MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup championship, and I wish him only the best as he continues his coaching career.”

Sampson became the fourth coach in team history, succeeding Sigi Schmid on August 18, 2004. The 48-year-old Sampson finished with a regular season record of 17-24-10 (.431) and a playoff record of 4-2-1 (.643), which included a 2005 MLS Cup Championship and 2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship.

“It has been an honor to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy for the last two years. It was truly a privilege to bring two championships to the fans of Los Angeles,” said Sampson. “I would like to thank AEG and the entire Galaxy organization, from the front office, to the coaches, to the players for all of their support and hard work. I truly enjoyed my time here and wish everyone all the best in the future.”

The L.A. Galaxy sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 2-8-1 record (7 points) and three points behind Chivas USA. The Galaxy is in the midst of a six-game losing streak dating back to April 29th and has yet to win a 2006 home game.

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USL First Division All Star Game returns

United Soccer Leagues and Triangle Professional Soccer have announced the addition of a USL First Division All Star match against English Coca-Cola Championship League side Sheffield Wednesday in Cary, North Carolina on Wednesday, July 19 at SAS Soccer Park.

“We are excited about the return of the USL First Division All Star game,” said USL Director of Pro League Operations Steven Thompson. “The level of talent and stars in the USL First Division has grown tremendously since 1999 and the return of a showcase event like this is overdue.”

The match marks the return of the All Star game. The game was previously held three times with Rochester hosting the East versus West game in 1997, Hershey hosting the All Stars versus Hershey Wildcats match in 1998 and Virginia Beach hosting the All Stars versus the Virginia Beach Mariners in 1999.

Unbeaten in their last four league matches and with one loss in their last nine, Sheffield Wednesday closed out the 2005-06 campaign in the Coca-Cola Championship, England’s second division, over the weekend with a 2-0 victory over Derby to finish the season 13-20-13 (W-L-D). It was the club’s first season back after spending two campaigns in League One, the third division. The team leaders in scoring were Chris Brunt and Marcus Tudgay and features American defender Frankie Simek, who saw action in 42 games and scored one goal.

Founded in 1867, Sheffield Wednesday is the fifth oldest professional soccer club in England and goes by the nickname the Owls.

The club is famous from a United States perspective as John Harkes became the first American to play in the English FA Cup Final in 1990 while he was a member of the club. Harkes is currently Director of Youth Development at DC United, which fields teams in the USL Super Y-League.

Triangle Professional Soccer will also be announcing the name, logo and colors of its expansion USL First Division franchise at the All Star game. The club will begin play at SAS Soccer Park in 2007.

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Miami FC Signs Brazilian Stars Romario, Zinho

Miami FC, the new USL First Division franchise, has announced the signing of the second leading scorer in world soccer history and 1994 World Cup Champion from Brazil, Romario de Souza Faria (“Romario”), as its star striker for its inaugural season.

Romario, known in Brazil as “Baixinho” (“Shorty” in Portuguese), has had a prolific professional career. Romario became a national hero when he played a key role in helping Brazil win the 1994 World Cup in the United States. He was named the Best Player of that World Cup and received the “Golden Ball” for his efforts.

Romario also went on to win the “FIFA Player of the Year Award” that same year. In addition to the World Cup, Romario won the 1989 and 1997 Copas Americas with the Brazilian National Team. During his 21-year career, Romario has played for several of the top clubs in the world including Vasco da Gama, Flamengo, Fluminense, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Valencia.

Romario arrives to Miami FC fresh off of being the leading scorer in the 2005 Brazilian Championship in which he scored 22 goals for Vasco da Gama. Boasting a total of 959 career goals, Romario is rapidly approaching the magical number of 1,000, a feat which only “The King” Pelé has achieved.

Romario joins his teammates at Miami FC including most notably his World Cup 1994 teammate Zinho, Guatemalan international Mario “El Loco” Rodriguez, Jamaican international and 1998 World Cup player Onandi Lowe, Jamaican international Sean Fraser and Haitian international Stephane Guillaume.

Julio Mariz, President of Traffic Sports and Miami FC, proudly commented about the signing of this world soccer icon, “Our objective with Miami FC is to build a winning team of international transcendence. Today with the signing of Romario, we have taken an important step in that direction. We invite all soccer fans to follow and support us in our quest for victory.”

On behalf of USL, Vice President Tim Holt reacted to this signing by stating, "It would not be an overstatement to categorize Miami FC’s signing of Romario as the most significant in USL First Division history. For a player of his stature and pedigree to display his talents in our markets throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean this season will be a special treat for our dedicated supporters and also immediately serve to raise the quality of play within our competition. The fact the ownership/management of Miami FC is able to attract such an important international star is a testament to their relationships in the soccer world."

"The signing of Romario is another sign of USL's growth on an international level," said USL President and founder Francisco Marcos. "USL and its teams have been increasingly involved in the game outside of the US and Canada - witnessed by Miami's training camp in Brazil, the Puerto Rico Islanders' preseason camp in Chile and the recent signing of an Argentinian in Montreal - after many years of relationships with organizations in Europe."

The signing of Romario is complete simply pending the formality of international clearance which should be granted within a couple of days.

Miami FC will make its US debut in a pre-season friendly on April 16 against current Jamaican and Caribbean Champions, Portmore United. The game will be held at 4PM at Miami FC’s home stadium, Tropical Park Stadium in the heart of Miami. Miami FC will host a series of activities all day in and around the stadium to celebrate its inaugural match and Easter Sunday.

Miami will then play its first official match when it opens its USL Regular Season against 2004 league champion Montreal Impact on Sunday, April 23 at 4PM at Tropical Park Stadium.

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Atlanta vs Washington 'rematch' scheduled for Cary, NC

ATLANTA, GA -- In the final season of WUSA the Atlanta Beat and the Washington Freedom battled for the Founders Cup Title, with Washington coming out on top with a dramatic 2-1 win in overtime.Although the Beat had an overall 6-3-1 record against Washington, the Freedom has held on to the title for the past three years. The Atlanta Silverbacks and the Washington Freedom SC will face off on June 29 at SAS Park in Cary, NC.

Although it’s not a complete rematch of the 2003 Founders Cup match, many of the same players will play in the game as the battle for bragging rights continues. Both teams say they’re looking forward to the summer’s game.

Silverbacks’ Executive Director Laura Fedrigo, “We’re really excited about the opportunity to play the Freedom, they have an amazing club and it’s great to see two teams with phenomenal players match up against each other, hopefully it’s something we can continue to do in the future.”

Washington Freedom SC Head Coach Jim Gabarra, “The Washington Freedom SC are excited about returning to SAS Soccer Park for our match against the Atlanta Silverbacks. The quality of the facility and the opponent will provide a great event and bring back WUSA memories for us all."

The Atlanta Silverbacks launched the W-League team last year and the line-up currently boasts seven former WUSA players, including Canadian National Team members Sharolta Nonen (Beat) and Christine Latham (San Diego Spirit), along with former WUSA stars Nel Fettig (Carolina Courage), Mel Wilson (Beat), Leslie Gaston (Beat), Tara Minnax (Beat), Nikki Lamb (Beat) and Julie Augustyniak (Beat).

These players, and the rest of the team, will take on the Freedom SC’s stellar line-up which also combines former WUSA stars with rising collegiate standouts. The Freedom SC line up includes: Nicci Wright (Freedom), Lori Lindsey (Freedom), Casey Zimney (Freedom), Emily Janss (New York Power), Joanna Lohman (US U-21 National Team), Kimmie Francis (Maryland), and Mallory Mahar (Maryland).

Silverbacks’ midfielder Nel Fettig will head back to familiar territory when her team takes on the Freedom SC. Fettig played for the Carolina Courage at SAS Park and also played just down the road for the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. SAS Park, the former home of the Courage, was built in 2001 and will soon be home to the newest expansion team in the USL First Division professional men’s league.

Triangle Professional Soccer will host the highly anticipated match-up between the Silverbacks and the Freedom SC. Chris Economides, Managing Partner of Triangle Professional Soccer, commented on the event, “Triangle Professional Soccer is very excited to host the game between the Washington Freedom SC and the Atlanta Silverbacks. Considering the previous success of the Carolina Courage here at this state-of-the-art venue, the women’s soccer fans of the Triangle are sure to want to come to SAS Soccer Park and support these great athletes.”

USL W-League Director of Operations Kristin Lettiere says the game is good for all, “I'm thrilled to see that the rivalry between Atlanta and Washington remains strong and the match is being played in Cary, an area where US women's soccer was cultivated and brought to the main stage. As Triangle Professional Soccer continues to host successful, high caliber soccer events, a women's team returning to build on this foundation is the next step."

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Dynamo Blank Bulls For Challenge Cup Title

The Houston Dynamo won the 2006 Carolina Challenge Cup Saturday night at Blackbaud Stadium in front 4,032 with a 3-0 victory versus the New York Red Bulls. In the second game of the evening the Charleston Battery spoiled DC’s hopes for the trophy with a 1-1 tie.

Houston’s first goal was scored by forward Brian Ching in the 29th minute. Brian Mullan crossed from the right side and Ching re-directed the ball past veteran goalkeeper Tony Meola into the left side of the goal.

The second goal came in the 70th minute after New York failed to fully clear a corner. Craig Waibel slipped a pass to fellow defender Ryan Cochrane who blasted home from six-yards out.

Houston sealed the win 10 minutes later as Brian Mullan converted to give the Dynamo its third goal of the night.

Charleston Battery 1 – DC United 1

DC needed to match Houston’s three goal win to claim a share of the trophy but in the end were fortunate to share the points with the Battery.

United started brightly and were ahead inside 20 minutes after Jaime Moreno was felled in the box by Ugo Okoye. Moreno sent Battery goalkeeper Keith Wiggins the wrong way from the spot, chipping the ball straight down the middle into the goal.

Charleston replied in the 67th minute as midfielder Jeff Matteo slipped a neat pass through to Ben Hollingsworth in the box. Hollingsworth latched onto the pass and finished neatly past DC goalkeeper Troy Perkins.

The Battery almost scored a winner in the 88th minute when substitute midfielder Armando Romero lifted a cross in from the left side. Hollingsworth met the pass but his shot looped over the bar.

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Doug Hamilton, LA Galaxy Executive, Dead At 43

Doug Hamilton, president and general manager of the defending MLS champion Los Angeles Galaxy, died March 9 after an apparent heart attack while flying back from the team's CONCACAF Champions Cup match in Costa Rica.

A two-time Major League Soccer Executive of the Year, Hamilton died aboard a Lacsa Airlines flight after it left San Jose airport Thursday evening, airline spokeswoman Sofia Valverde said.

It was reported that Hamilton had slumped over in his seat only four minutes into the flight. One of the Galaxy's team doctors, Howard Liebeskind, tried to resuscitate him as the pilot returned the plane to San Jose, according to Michael Roth, vice president of communications for AEG, the investor-operator of the Galaxy.

Hamilton was returning to the United States after the Galaxy's 3-2 overtime loss to Saprissa of Costa Rica in a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal Wednesday. He had turned 43 on Monday, Roth said.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of the leaders of American soccer and a truly terrific individual," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. "The thoughts and prayers of all of MLS, our teams, our players and our fans are with the Hamilton family. Doug will be dearly missed as his legacy of passion and dedication to the sport will always be remembered."

Hamilton had become one of Major League Soccer's brightest and most successful executives during his seven years in the league. He guided the Galaxy to championship seasons in 2002 and 2005, when the team also won the U.S. Open Cup.

He twice was named the league's executive of the year, and under him the Galaxy became the first team to show a profit in the 10-year history of MLS.

"His passion was the Galaxy," Galaxy coach Steve Sampson said in an article in the Los Angeles Times. "In retrospect, it's fitting that we won a championship for him this past year because he was so passionate about this team and loved every single player and the organization.

"He will be dearly, dearly missed. This team is in absolute shock right now."

The Galaxy had planned to remain in Costa Rica for training, but decided to return to Los Angeles on Friday.

Hamilton joined the Galaxy four seasons ago after spending two years as executive vice president and GM of the Miami Fusion.

He previously worked for adidas America for six years. He graduated from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, where he played for the late Mike Berticelli.

Ironically, Berticelli, then the men’s soccer coach at Notre Dame, died in January, 2000, of a heart attack. Both Hamilton and Berticelli were in apparent good health prior to their untimely deaths.

Hamilton is survived by his wife, Paige, and a 5-year-old son, Aedan.

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Miami takes Rodrigues first in USL-1 College Draft

TAMPA, FL -- USL First Division expansion side Miami FC picked defender John Paul Rodrigues of the PDL's Nashville Metros and Belmont University with the first overall selection in the USL First Division College Draft Tuesday afternoon. The two-year Metro played in 33 games for Nashville.

Nine players with two or more years of PDL experience were taken in the draft. Thunder Bay Chill midfielder Vasilis Androutsos boasts the most experience with 49 games played over the last three seasons, scoring eight goals and 10 assists. Androutsos of Fairfield was taken by the Montreal Impact with the final selection of the 24-player, two-round draft.

Brooklyn Knights forward/midfielder Danny Kramer of Duke was the player with the third-most PDL experience taken in the draft, going to the Rochester Raging Rhinos with the fifth overall selection. Kramer logged 27 games, three goals and two assists for the Knights from 2003-04.

The Raleigh Elite and defunct Seattle Sounders Select were the only PDL teams with two players selected in the draft. Raleigh’s Aaron King went 15th overall to the Virginia Beach Mariners and John Queeley going 19th to the Puerto Rico Islanders. Both attended NC State. Both Sounders Select players were taken by the defending USL First Division champion Seattle Sounders.

Two players from the NCAA Division I champion Maryland Terrapins were selected in the draft with Chris Lancos going to Puerto Rico seventh overall and Kenneth Bertz to the Portland Timbers 20th.

2006 USL Draft Results

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USL First Division Headed To SAS Stadium In ’07

United Soccer Leagues, the Town of Cary and Triangle Professional Soccer have announced that Cary, North Carolina will be home to a USL First Division expansion franchise that will kick off its first season in the spring of 2007 at SAS Soccer Park.

In a news conference today at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, Cary Mayor Ernie McAlister joined Rochester Rhinos Co-Owner Chris Economides and USL Vice President Tim Holt in announcing a deal that will bring the first men’s USL First Division expansion team to the Town of Cary. The formal agreement is expected to be signed and finalized tonight immediately following the Cary Town Council’s vote.

“We are excited about our adding Cary and SAS Soccer Park to the USL First Division,” said Holt. “All of the elements necessary for a successful professional soccer franchise are in place, including a first-class venue, the full support of the Town of Cary, proven sports ownership and management, and a community passionate for soccer.”

Negotiations for the agreement moved ahead after the July 2005 exhibition game between the Rochester Raging Rhinos and DC United at SAS Soccer Park. Following that successful event, the Rhinos owners Chris Economides, Steve Donner, and Frank DuRoss incorporated in North Carolina in October 2005 as Triangle Professional Soccer, LLC, with the intention of launching a new team.

Also part of the LLC ownership group is Atlanta Silverbacks Chairman Boris Jerkunica. There are no local Wake County residents included in the new ownership group. Economides will relocate to Cary in the coming months from Rochester to head up the new club’s operations.

“I am sure that Cary citizens and soccer fans throughout the nation share our excitement and enthusiasm about this new chapter in sports history,” said Mayor McAlister.

“We are extremely excited about the partnership with the Town of Cary,” said Economides. “The negotiations have been pleasurable and it has been a very good experience working with everyone from the Town of Cary, as well as the business and soccer community, to bring professional soccer back to the Triangle area. We look forward to a long relationship with the great fans in the Triangle that we have heard so many wonderful things about.”

As part of the six-year agreement with the Town of Cary, Triangle Professional Soccer will spend the 2006 season developing the team, including hosting 6-10 exhibition matches. After the first year, the team will play 16-20 home games annually. The agreement also calls for revenue sharing in areas such as concessions and sponsorships.

SAS Soccer Park (originally called State Capital Soccer Park) is on 150 acres and was built by Wake County. The stadium includes a 7,000-seat stadium, seven fields, locker rooms, concessions, and a nationally recognized competitive cross-country course. The facility opened in May 2002 and was home to the Carolina Courage of the Women's United Soccer Association until the league suspended operations in September 2003. The stadium is also home to the USL Premier Development League’s Raleigh Elite.

The US Men’s National Soccer Team will hold their final training camp at the Park in May 2006 before heading to the FIFA World Cup in Germany in June and July.

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Washington Freedom To Play In W-League

The Washington Freedom Soccer Club, which evolved from the Women’s United Soccer Association’s Washington Freedom will participate in the 2006 W-League season as an Associate Member of the league.

“We are excited about this announcement,” said USL Vice President Tim Holt. “The Freedom SC staff and players were leaders in the WUSA and we hope that their participation as an associate member of the W-League this upcoming season will lead to full membership in the future.”

The Freedom SC will play a 14-game W-League schedule, seven home and seven away, against eight W-League teams. As an associate member of the league, the matches will not count toward the standings and the Freedom SC will not be eligible for the postseason.

“As part of our mission to develop players and coaches through our unique club concept and entertain our loyal fans, playing in the W-League is an ideal addition for our organization at this time,” said Washington Freedom Head Coach and Director Jim Gabarra. “As the top women’s league in North America, the W-League will provide high-quality opposition for our fans to enjoy this summer.”

With the coaches and many of its players intact from the 2003 WUSA champion team, the Freedom SC has developed a comprehensive club that offers a wide range of programs and services to the female player and fans of women’s soccer. In anticipation that women’s professional soccer will return when the WUSA re-launches in the future, the Freedom SC has continued to play an exhibition schedule since the WUSA ceased operations in the fall of 2003, facing the New Jersey Wildcats, Hampton Roads Piranhas, Northern Virginia Majestics and Vancouver Whitecaps over the past two years. Once the WUSA returns, the Freedom intends to be part of the re-launch and still field a Reserve Team in the W-League, giving more women the opportunity to play all the way to the professional ranks.

In 2006, the Freedom will face the New York Magic, Northern Virginia Majestics, South Jersey Banshees, 2005 finalist Ottawa Fury, two-time champion Long Island Lady Riders, 2003 champion Hampton Roads Piranhas and current defending champion New Jersey Wildcats.

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WPSL Expands Into Florida
By Adam Minichino

Jerry Zanelli never has believed in three-or-five-year plans for sports leagues. Instead, Zanelli prefers to take a steady, reasoned approach because he knows growth never can be predicted.

But the commissioner of the Women’s Premier Soccer League admits the state of Florida has been a special case for his league.

Zanelli has tried for the past few years to expand his league, which started on the West Coast in 1998, into the “Sunshine State,” only to have hurricanes get in his way.

This year, though, the state of Florida could explode onto the WPSL scene with as many as six expansion teams for the 2006 season.

The Central Florida Strikers, the Orlando Falcons, the Miami Surf and the South Florida Breeze are set to play this season, and Zanelli said teams in Tampa and West Palm Beach also could be on the schedule when the league begins its season on May 1.

“You go into an area and you never know,” said Zanelli, who is coach and owner of the WPSL’s California Storm of Sacramento and is in his ninth year as the league’s commissioner. “Central Florida took the lead by having a lot of people who were involved with the W-League coming to our league because they saw a vision of the future that was very different.”

The WPSL is an independent national league whose primary focus is the development of competitive amateur women’s soccer teams. The WPSL is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and is an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the ruling body of soccer in the United States and FIFA, the world’s ruling body for soccer.

Zanelli said each WPSL team gets one vote and the league operates in a democratic fashion to come to a consensus on issues and problems. He said all league information about its constitution, by-laws, forms, meeting minutes is posted on its Web site, www.wusl.info.

The WPSL season runs from May 1 to Aug. 1, and teams can play 14-18 games in the regular season. There also is a league championship tournament held the last weekend of July.

More than 80 former WPSL players were on WUSA teams, and many former and current U.S. and International National Team players have played on WPSL teams including: Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Shannon Boxx, Shannon MacMillan and Sissi.

The W-League is the first national soccer league for women. Zanelli was a founding member of the W-League, but he said you couldn’t have a women’s league combined with a men’s league because everyone will pay attention to the men’s league.

The focus in the WPSL is only women’s soccer, and despite an uncertain future for the return of a national women’s professional league, the WPSL continues to grow.

The WPSL had 20 teams in the 2005 season. Thirty-six teams are listed on the league’s Web site for the 2006 season, and Zanelli said the one-team, one-vote approach has helped the WPSL maintain financial stability and do what is best the league as a whole for the past eight years.

Stephen B. DeLuca, the managing general partner of Central Florida Strikers, said he is eagerly awaiting the high level of soccer and professionalism that the WPSL brings to the equation. His franchise, which is located on the North side of Orlando, draws players from Orange and Seminole counties.

Like all WPSL teams, the Strikers will be able to attract college players from anywhere in the country. There also is no limit on the number of foreign or National Team players a WPSL can have.

“It took about three months to put the pieces in place, to find people of like mind and to lay out a mission for the benefit of the soccer club and the benefit of the girls,” DeLuca said. “We have the folks involved, and it looks like an appropriate marriage.”

Two people DeLuca has convinced to join him with the Strikers are Bill Eissele and Kim Montgomery.
Eissele, the longtime girls soccer coach at Lake Mary High School (Fla.), coached the Central Florida Krush in the W-League last year.

Montgomery, a former player at North Carolina State and with the W-League’s Raleigh Wings and the Women’s United Soccer Association’s Carolina Courage, played with the Krush last year.

Eissele said his decision to coach the Strikers this year was based on the Florida Soccer Alliance’s objective to continue to develop its best women’s players at the highest level.

The Seminole Soccer Club (out of Lake Mary, Altamonte Springs, Longwood and Sanford) and the Florida Thunder (out of Winter Springs) agreed in June 2005 to merge to form the Florida Soccer Alliance.

The FSA has more than 800 players ages 5-19 at the recreational and select levels. The club owns and runs the Seminole Soccer Complex, a 12-field, 40-acre soccer-only facility that is one of the largest privately owned soccer sites in the Southeast.

The Krush, who advanced to the W-League’s Final Four, played their games at the Seminole Soccer Complex last year.

Eissele said the strength of soccer in the state of Florida would help the WPSL continue to grow.

“We have a strong base of young, talented players in high school, college and beyond college,” Eissele said. “I think we have enough numbers for five or six teams to come into the league and be competitive in the state.”

DeLuca said he hopes to add a National Premier Soccer League team that would join the Central Florida Strikers at Seminole Soccer Complex. He said a NPSL team could join the Strikers for the 2007 season.

The NPSL has 13 teams located in the Midwest and West. The NPSL is the successor of the Men’s Premier Soccer League, which was formed in 2002 as a regional league of teams in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Idaho. It is sanctioned by the USASA and is an affiliate of the USSF.

Zanelli said more WPSL teams – including franchises in Tampa and West Palm Beach – might be added by the Jan. 21 deadline for prospective owners to submit paperwork.

Zanelli said ownership groups in Tampa and West Palm Beach are working on meeting that January deadline. He said he is “pretty confident” they will be in place for the ‘06 season.

Ron Clark is another one of the WPSL’s new owners. Clark, who has lived in the Miami Lakes area of Florida for 29 years, is the owner/general manager of the Miami and South Florida franchises. He has a full-time job as a political strategist, but he also has a background as a soccer referee and as an administrator in local soccer leagues.
In November, he said he traveled to Las Vegas to examine the possibility of purchasing two WPSL expansion teams. He said he was impressed by the WPSL’s inclusive nature and the fact that all of the team owners want to help each other to make the league a success.

He also said the cost of a WPSL franchise ($5,000) was significantly lower than purchasing a new team in the W-League.

Clark said he has associated himself with several private investors who are helping him financially, but he said he would pay most of the teams’ operating costs. He said he is confident there is a healthy and untapped soccer market in South Florida that would help his teams succeed.

“I have had a huge response from the initial launch (from a Dec. 15 press release) from former professional and national teams players and college players,” said Clark, who said players from England, Scotland, Norway, Denmark, Spain and Central and South America have contacted him. “It was surprising the response I got.”
The Miami Surf will be based in the northern part of Dade County, while the South Florida Breeze will be based out of Fort Lauderdale.

Clark said part of his reasoning for having two teams is to give more women opportunities to play.
“There are eight or nine universities in this area, and they are all decent programs,” Clark said. “There are also a lot of youth programs, and if we can have the support of the colleges and the youth leagues, I think we will be successful.”

The Surf and Breeze will have another round of tryouts later this month. The Surf will hold tryouts Jan. 21-22, and the Breeze will hold tryouts Jan. 28-29. Check the teams’ Web sites for details.

Clark said he expects to finalize rosters by the first week of February.

With four to six new teams set to take the field, players from all over the state of Florida should have plenty of opportunity to showcase their skills and to continue their development.

“It’s just an exciting opportunity to allow the female player to again have another avenue to pursue the game she loves,” Eissele said.

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Houston, We Have A Name!

Houston’s new Major League Soccer team will be called HOUSTON 1836, commemorating the year that the City was founded. HOUSTON 1836 President Oliver Luck was joined at a press conference at Houston’s Lanier Middle School by MLS Commissioner Don Garber, AEG President & CEO Tim Leiweke, (AEG is investor/operators of the Club), team captain Wade Barrett and goalkeeper Pat Onstad to ‘reveal’ the team’s name, logo and colors. Several hundred youth soccer players cheered the announcement and received some of the first apparel available with the classy logo and sharp colors of HOUSTON 1836.

“While the name HOUSTON 1836 refers to the year that our City of Houston was founded by brothers Augustus C. and John K. Allen, we also incorporated the star and silhouette of General Sam Houston which clearly are iconic symbols of Houston which will remind fans that this team represents their City,” said Luck. “From this day forward, the HOUSTON 1836 logo will be a symbol of a hard working team that reflects the pride, loyalty, heritage, bravery and most of all…winning spirit and ‘wildcatter, go-get-em’ attitude of Houstonians and all of Texas.”

“While our research indicated that Houston was not only one of the country’s great sports towns with soccer, in particular, a fan favorite, we are still blown away by the tremendous local support, attitude and excitement that this team has already generated before even kicking one ball into the goal,” said Leiweke. “We are so pleased to bring to Houston a club, in-tact, that has year-after-year established itself as one of MLS’ most successful teams and one that will compete for the Cup in its very first season here. On behalf of AEG, Oliver Luck and the great staff he has begun to assemble, we thank the City and in particular Mayor White, the members of the City Council and the other officials who we have worked so closely with to make HOUSTON 1836 a reality.”

Guided by Head Coach Dominic Kinnear, the 2005 MLS Coach of the Year, HOUSTON 1836 last week selected defender Patrick Ianni, (U.C.L.A., 8th overall pick) – a powerful marking back who played for the U.S. Under-20s in last summer’s world championship in Holland – forward Andre Schmid, (St. John’s, 32nd overall pick) and midfielder Mike Chabala, (University of Washington, 44th overall) in the MLS SuperDraft. Those young players look to join a team stocked with MLS All-Stars and international players including Barrett, Onstad, the 2005 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, U.S. National Team forward Brian Ching, Venezuelan forward Alejandro Moreno and Canadian midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, a finalist for 2005 MLS Honda MVP honors.

“Houston is a proud City with a diverse, enthusiastic soccer community,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “This name and these colors forge an identity inspired by the City’s entrepreneurial founders and worthy of its rich soccer tradition. As the team seeks excellence on the field, MLS and AEG will apply equal vigor in collaborating with investors and local leaders to build a stadium specifically for HOUSTON 1836.”

Since the club’s initial press conference less than six weeks ago, the team has received over 1,500 deposits for season seats and tremendous interest from the local corporate community with regards to sponsorship opportunities according to Luck. Additionally, over 11,000 fans cast votes as part of a “Name the Team” contest sponsored by the Houston Chronicle, with HOUSTON 1836

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Garey, McCarty, Moose Go In Top Seven Of MLS Draft

UCLA defender Marvell Wynne was taken by the MetroStars with the first pick of the 2006 Major League Soccer, while three of the top seven picks played in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Jason Garey, Maryland’s Hermann Trophy winner and the #1 scorer last fall in Division I men’s soccer, was selected third overall by the Columbus Crew. Dax McCarty, who is leaving UNC Chapel Hill early for a pro career, was the #6 overall pick, taken by FC Dallas.

The #7 pick and D.C. United’s first-round selection, was Wake Forest midfielder Justin Moose. Alabama-Birmingham midfielder Leandro de Oliveira was the top pick by the New England Revolution, taken #11 with Clemson’s Nathan Sturgis, picked #12 by Los Angles in the final first-round selection. Sturgis, the ACC Defender of the Year, is also leaving the Tigers as an undergraduate.

Clemson’s Justin Moore was the #15 overall pick, selected by FC Dallas, and Josmer Altidore (Boca Raton, FL) was the first U.S. U-17 player taken, going to the MetroStars. Blake Wagner (Tampa, FL), a U.S. U17 teammate was the next player selected with the #18 overall pick by FC Dallas.

Georgetown’s Jeff Curtin was also taken in the second round by the Chicago Fire, and Virginia Commonwealth forward Dominic Oduro went in the second round to FC Dallas. Forward Marc Busch was the second Maryland Terp draft, going #24 as the final selection in the second round to the Galaxy.

VCU’s Stephen Shirley was selected in the third round (#29) by Kansas City and University of Memphis M-F Dayton O’Brien went to Columbus with the #33 overall pick.

Duke midfielder Blake Camp was selected by the MetroStars in the fourth round, one spot ahead of Maryland midfielder Michael Dello-Russo by FC Dallas. A fourth Terp, Kenney Bertz, was taken by D.C. United with the #47 pick and N.C. State forward Aaron King was the final player selected in the draft, going to Los Angeles.

Marshall midfielder Jeremy Ashe, taken by Chicago, also went in the fourth round.

Wynne's father, also named Marvell, played eight seasons in major league baseball with Pittsburgh, San Diego and the Chicago Cubs in the 1980s. To get Wynne, the MetroStars traded the fifth pick in the draft and second-year defender Jason Hernandez to Chivas USA for the first pick.

"There were some rumors about me being the first pick, but the MetroStars, that was out of the blue. A complete surprise," Wynne said. "Being the No. 1 pick, I know people are going to have high standards for me, and I plan to live up to them."

The 19-year-old Wynne, of Poway, Calif., played two years at UCLA and was an All-America last fall, when the Bruins had a goals-against average of 0.67. He also has made 12 appearances with the U.S. under-20 national team and was on the roster for last year's FIFA World Youth Championship.

"We are very excited to get Marvell," MetroStars coach Mo Johnston said. "He has strength and pace, and those two qualities will make for a very good defender in this league."

Salt Lake took Santa Clara midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy with the second pick, and Kansas City took Pasadena City College forward Yura Movsisyan with the fourth pick, behind Garey.

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