Simon Bird and Adrian Cann Invited to MLS Combine
December 05, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Dec. 5, 2003
Louisville, Ky. - University of Louisville seniors Simon Bird and Adrian Cann are among 54 college players invited to attend the 2004 adidas MLS Player Combine from Sunday, Jan. 11 to Tuesday, Jan. 13. MLS general managers and members of all 10 coaching staffs will be in attendance to scout talent at the event leading up to the 2004 SuperDraft, which will be held on Friday, January 16 at the Charlotte Convention Center (10:00 a.m. ET - 2:00 p.m. ET). For the second consecutive year the SuperDraft will be held in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Convention, one of the largest annual soccer gatherings in the United States.
Bird finished the season with 12 goals and was named Conference USA Player of the Year. He ranks third all-time with 29 career goals, in his three seasons with the Cardinals. Bird was also named first team All-Conference USA this season.
Cann, the preseason Conference USA Player of the Year, was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Cann helped the Cardinal defense to seven shutouts on the season. He was only player in school history to become a first team All-Conference USA selection for four consecutive seasons.
The 54 college invitees (49 from Division I, two from Division II, two from Division III and one from the NAIA), who will later be joined by select Project-40 players, have been divided into four squads for the three-day, round-robin tournament.
The field of players was determined by a select panel of Division I college coaches in conjunction with MLS coaches and the consultation of select Division II, Division III and NAIA coaches. Below is a team-by-team breakdown of the college players who have been selected for the round-robin tournament:
adidas Aveiro GOALKEEPER: Zack Wells (UCLA); DEFENDERS: Phil Hucles (College of William & Mary), Seth Stammler (University of Maryland), Leonard Griffin (UCLA); MIDFIELDERS: Adam Crew (Brown University), Garthfield Whyte (Lynn University), Lindon Pecorelli (University of Connecticut), Jay Alberts (Yale University), Luke Vercollone (Seton Hall University), Andy Dorman (Boston University); FORWARDS: Alan Gordon (Oregon State University), Kevin Ara (Harvard University), Simon Bird (University of Louisville)
adidas F50 GOALKEEPER: Troy Perkins (University of Evansville); DEFENDERS: Jason Perry (Oakland University), Kevin Wickart (St. Louis University), Edwin Miranda (Cal State Northridge); MIDFIELDERS: Jack Cummings (University of South Carolina), Mario Alberto Gonzalez (University of Tulsa), John Pulido (Florida International University), Marin Pusek (University of Alabama Birmingham), Scott Buete (University of Maryland), Angelo Joaquin Herrera (University of Maryland); FORWARDS: Aaron Paye (Fairleigh Dickinson University), Joseph Ngwenya (Coastal Carolina University), Kirk Harwat (Akron University), Jamal Sutton (SW Missouri State)
adidas Predator Pulse GOALKEEPER: Matt Pickens (SW Missouri State); DEFENDERS: David Wagenfuhr (Creighton University), Nick Gannon (St. Louis University), Chris Aloisi (Syracuse University); MIDFIELDERS: Victor Guerrero (Cal State University Dominguez Hills), Andrew Pusateri (St. Louis University), Kevin Hudson (Southern Methodist University), Sumed Ibrahim (University of Maryland), Eric Cronkrite (University of Portland), Tighe Dombrowski (University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee), Guillermo Memo Arzate (University of California Santa Barbara); FORWARDS: Attilo Vendegh (Old Dominion University), Jeremiah White (Wake Forest University), Malcom Cephas (Virginia Commonwealth University)
adidas Supernova GOALKEEPER: Matthew Haefner (University of Pennsylvania); DEFENDERS: Josh Smith (Trinity University), Tony McManus (University of Alabama Birmingham), Gary Sullivan (Adelphi University), Adrian Cann (University of Louisville); MIDFIELDERS: Khari Stephenson (Williams College), Kenny Cutler (Clemson University), Ty Maurin (UCLA), Adolfo Gregorio (UCLA), Joshua Gros (Rutgers University); FORWARDS: Matt Taylor (UCLA), Justin Detter (University of Notre Dame), Steven Kehoe (Rio Grande University)
