SuperDraft crop grows by six
MLS added six more players to the pool for the SuperDraft on Monday, announcing the Generation adidas signing of Indiana sophomore Eriq Zavaleta, along with five college seniors who have signed contracts ahead of next week’s SuperDraft.
Zavaleta, 20, had 18 goals last year for the Hoosiers and one of his four assists on the season was on the lone goal in Indiana’s National Championship win over Georgetown. In two seasons at Indiana, the 6-foot-1 forward had 28 goals and nine assists.
The others signed included Ryan Finley and Dillon Powers from Notre Dame, Carlos Alvarez from Connecticut, John Sterzer from Maryland and Boston College’s Kyle Bekker.
Finley played his first two seasons at Duke, where the forward netted 28 goals and eight assists in 39 matches, mostly as a starter. In 2011, he moved to Notre Dame, where he thrived despite playing exclusively off the bench. In 39 substitute appearances for the Irish, he tallied seven goals in 2011 and 21 goals in 2012, giving him 56 career goals to go with 14 assists.
Powers was a three-year starter in the midfield at Notre Dame, having seasons of four goals and four assists as a sophomore, one goal and four assists as a junior and five goals and nine assists as a senior.
Alvarez, 22, was an assist machine for the Huskies. A four-year starter, the midfielder finished his career third all-time at UConn with 42 assists, including nine as a senior. He also had a career-high seven goals in his senior season, giving him 20 goals on his career.
Stertzer, a midfielder, had 14 goals and four assists in a breakout junior season in 2011, following it up with seven goals and seven assists in his senior year at Maryland.
Bekker represented Canada in the 2012 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying tournament last March following a season that saw him nab eight goals and seven assists. He finished his career at Boston College with 17 goals and 22 assists.
The SuperDraft is Thursday, January 17 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Sounders pick 16th overall in the first round and also hold the 35th overall pick in the second round.
Zavaleta, 20, had 18 goals last year for the Hoosiers and one of his four assists on the season was on the lone goal in Indiana’s National Championship win over Georgetown. In two seasons at Indiana, the 6-foot-1 forward had 28 goals and nine assists.
The others signed included Ryan Finley and Dillon Powers from Notre Dame, Carlos Alvarez from Connecticut, John Sterzer from Maryland and Boston College’s Kyle Bekker.
Finley played his first two seasons at Duke, where the forward netted 28 goals and eight assists in 39 matches, mostly as a starter. In 2011, he moved to Notre Dame, where he thrived despite playing exclusively off the bench. In 39 substitute appearances for the Irish, he tallied seven goals in 2011 and 21 goals in 2012, giving him 56 career goals to go with 14 assists.
Powers was a three-year starter in the midfield at Notre Dame, having seasons of four goals and four assists as a sophomore, one goal and four assists as a junior and five goals and nine assists as a senior.
Alvarez, 22, was an assist machine for the Huskies. A four-year starter, the midfielder finished his career third all-time at UConn with 42 assists, including nine as a senior. He also had a career-high seven goals in his senior season, giving him 20 goals on his career.
Stertzer, a midfielder, had 14 goals and four assists in a breakout junior season in 2011, following it up with seven goals and seven assists in his senior year at Maryland.
Bekker represented Canada in the 2012 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying tournament last March following a season that saw him nab eight goals and seven assists. He finished his career at Boston College with 17 goals and 22 assists.
The SuperDraft is Thursday, January 17 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Sounders pick 16th overall in the first round and also hold the 35th overall pick in the second round.
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