FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.-- The MetroStars made UCLA
defender Steve Shak the top pick in Sunday's MLS SuperDraft.
Held at an area hotel, players from all levels -- high school,
college, developmental youth, and USL and international
professional -- were selected in the MLS' first integrated draft
since 1996.
Shak is a two-time NCAA All-America who earned distinction in
the Bruins' vaunted program despite not playing a minute during
his freshman season, when he was a walk-on.
He was one of three UCLA players selected in the first round as
Bruins defender Carlos Bocanegra went fourth to the Chicago Fire
and midfielder Sasha Victorine went 11th to the Los Angeles
Galaxy.
Spring training begins here Monday for all 12 MLS teams.
The Colorado Rapids were Sunday's most active team, trading up to
acquire the third overall pick and selecting highly touted U.S.
Under-23 goalkeeper Adin Brown of William & Mary. Brown will
challenge four-year veteran David Kramer, acquired in a trade
earlier this week.
The Rapids also selected University of Washington midfielder Wes
Hart seventh overall and used New England's 10th pick to select
Clemson defender Alan Woods. Colorado traded Jamaican forward
Wolde Harris for New England's first-round pick and the teams
also swapped third-round picks.
Rapids coach Glenn Myernick and general manager Dan Counce made
four deals in as many days to reshuffle Colorado's roster.
Harris was not the only veteran MLS forward to change teams in
the first round as the Dallas Burn sent two-time All-Star Dante
Washington to the Columbus Crew for the pick it sent to
Colorado. Washington played for the Crew in 1996 before heading
to Dallas for three years.
The 2000 SuperDraft marked the first time MLS had unified its
February player selection processes formerly known as the MLS
college and supplemental drafts. Beginning this year, all
collegiate, Project-40 and professional players who entered the
pool were eligible for selection in the six-round SuperDraft,
regardless of their domestic or international playing status.
Four Project-40 signees were chosen in the first round. Nick
Garcia was taken second by the Kansas City Wizards and after
Bocanegra, Danny Califf went sixth to the Galazy. Bobby Convey
was tabbed 12th by D.C. United.
At 16 years, eight months, Convey is the youngest player ever
signed by MLS. He was one of three Project-40 players taken by
the three-time champion United.
Three players of Trinidad -- all from Joe Public FC -- joined
the MLS as youth internationals via the league's emerging
relationship with the Caribbean Football Union. Midfielder
Travis Mulraine was tabbed eighth by the San Jose Earthquakes.
College and Project-40 players signed by MLS following the
SuperDraft will be distributed through a lottery of interested
teams. The lottery will be weighted so teams with poor records
have a better chance of success.
Copyright 2000 SportsTicker Enterprises, L.P.