Fifty-two college seniors from 31 Division I schools across the nation will attempt to show MLS coaches and scouts that they have what it takes to succeed in the pro ranks when they descend on Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for the annual adidas MLS Player Combine from Jan. 6-10.
As often is the case, Monday’s release of the initial list featured a high number of Chicago Fire Premier alumni -- 13 to be exact, or exactly one-quarter of the first group have spent at least one summer training and playing with the club’s amateur setup for players 18 and older.
The leading scorer for the PDL side in 2011, Indiana University defender Chris Estridge (Indianapolis) is joined by midfielders Brendan King (Naperville, IL; Notre Dame), Callum Mallace (Torphicen, Scotland; Marquette) and Kenney Walker (Wickliffe, OH; Louisville) as the group of four players that featured in the team’s run to the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this past season where they eventually fell 3-0 at Sporting Kansas City.
Additionally, King and Creighton defender Andrew Duran (Mokena, IL) were members of the Fire Premier side that won the 2008 USL Super-20 North American championships in Rockford, IL.
Duran will be joined at the Combine by Creighton teammates, midfielder Greg Jordan (Naperville, IL) and forward Ethan Finlay (Marshfield, WI). Finlay, who spent 2009-10 with the Fire Premier, was named a semi-finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy – college soccer’s equivalent to the Heisman – earlier this week. The trio will take on Charlotte in Friday’s first semifinal at the NCAA College Cup in Hoover AL.
Naperville product Kirk Urso will join the three Blue Jays at this weekend’s as the midfielder leads his top seeded North Carolina side against UCLA Friday’s second semifinal.
See below the full list of Fire Premier players headed to next month’s MLS Combine in Ft. Lauderdale:
DEFENDERS: Aaron Maund (Dorchester, MA; Notre Dame; Fire Premier 2009), Andrew Duran (Mokena, IL; Creighton; Fire Premier 2008-11), Austin Berry (Cincinnati, OH; Louisville; Fire Premier 2010), Chris Estridge (Indianapolis; Indiana; Fire Premier 2011), Tommy Meyer (St. Louis; Indiana; Fire Premier 2010)
MIDFIELDERS: Brendan King (Naperville, IL; Notre Dame; Fire Premier 2008-11), Callum Mallace (Torphichen, Scotland; Marquette; Fire Premier 2009-11), Greg Jordan (Naperville, IL; Creighton; Fire Premier 2010), Kenney Walker (Wickliffe, OH; Louisville; Fire Premier 2010-11), Kirk Urso (Naperville, IL; North Carolina; Fire Premier 2010), Tony Walls (Wauwatosa, WI; UW-Green Bay; Fire Premier 2010)
FORWARDS: Bryan Gaul (Naperville, IL; Bradley; Fire Premier 2009), Ethan Finlay (Marshfield, WI; Creighton; Fire Premier 2010)
The final player list of approximately 66 players, including international invitees and Generation adidas signings, additional Combine coaches and team assignments, will be announced at a later date.
The initial list for the MLS Player Combine is as follows:
2012 adidas MLS Player Combine Coaches List
Jim Barlow (Princeton); Jamie Clark (University of Washington); Brian Tompkins (Yale)
**additional coaches will be announced at a later date.
2012 adidas MLS Player Combine List by Position
GOALKEEPERS (4): Brian Rowe (UCLA); Chris Blais (University of South Florida); Jhojan Obando (Providence); Ryan Meara (Fordham);
DEFENDERS (16): Aaron Maund (Notre Dame); Andrew Duran (Creighton); Aubrey Perry (University of South Florida); Austin Berry (Louisville); Charles Rodriguez (UNC Charlotte); Chris Estridge (Indiana); Diogo de Almeida (SMU); Hunter Jumper (Virginia); James Kiffe (UC Santa Barbara); Justin Chavez (Tulsa); Matt Hedges (UNC); Mykell Bates (Santa Clara University); Nick Blake (UConn); Pat Sigler (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo); Shawn Singh (UCLA); Tommy Meyer (Indiana);
MIDFIELDERS (19): Alec Purdie (Indiana); Andy Rose (UCLA); Arthur Ivo (SMU); Brendan King (Notre Dame); Calum Mallace (Marquette); Christian Barreiro (UPenn); Eder Arreola (UCLA); Greg Jordan (Creighton); Kenney Walker (Louisville); Kevan George (UCF); Kirk Urso (UNC); Lance Rozenboom (New Mexico); Luis Silva (UC Santa Barbara); Michael Green (New Mexico); Miguel Ibarra (UC Irvine); Nick DeLeon (Louisville); Rafael Garcia (Cal State Northridge); Tony Walls (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay); Warren Creavalle (UCF)
FORWARDS (13): Antoine Hoppenot (Princeton); Billy Schuler (UNC); Brian Ownby (Virginia); Bryan Gaul (Bradley); Casey Townsend (Maryland); Colin Rolfe (Louisville); Ethan Finlay (Creighton); Evan James (UNC Charlotte); Evans Frimpong (Delaware); Karo Okiomah (High Point); Luckymore Mkosana (Dartmouth); Luke Holmes (Akron); Tony Cascio (UConn).
