How’s the old saying go about the apple not falling far from the tree.
That was sorta what Reed Matte did after a stellar prep career at John Carroll High School when he decided to stay home in Birmingham for his college career.
His father, Frank, played at the University of Alabama Birmingham from 1983-84, and his son decided that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps.
And now as a UAB senior, he is making footprints all his own after being drafted by the Columbus Crew in the first round of the 2013 Major League Soccer Supplemental draft.
Matte, a defender, was selected ninth overall, and was the first of four former Conference USA student-athletes to be picked in the supplemental draft. Joining Matte is Marshall’s Daniel Withrow (28th), Kentucky’s Cam Wilder, and SMU’s T.J. Nelson (64).
Matte is the 11th Blazer to be drafted by the MLS, and the fifth in the last three years.
He was one of the driving forces of the Blazers’ back line, and also scored a pair of goals in his senior season , which ended with UAB’s sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the last 14 years. The Blazers finished the season with a 10-8-2 record, and a 4-4 mark in conference action.
Matte played in all 20 matches in 2012, and earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Midwest third-team recognition, and was selected to the All-C-USA Second Team and the C-USA All-Academic Team.
For his career, he played in 59 games for UAB, starting 43 of those.