Real Salt Lake Selects MF Anthony Beltran #3 Overall in 2008 MLS SuperDraft
January 18, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release
BALTIMORE (Friday, January 18, 2008) - Real Salt Lake today selected 20-year old MF Anthony "Tony" Beltran from UCLA, as the recent U.S. U-20 National Team standout was the #3 overall selection in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft held today at the Baltimore Convention Center. Find out more on Real Salt Lake's newest player by logging on to USsoccer.com's "Roster Spot" feature at http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/mens/fwc/launchStudio90.jsp_4.html.
"I'm overwhelmed right now," said Beltran, who met with the RSL technical staff earlier this week at the MLS Combine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. "I had a lot of hope that I would go to Utah. It seems like a great situation for me to start my professional career. I know (RSL goalkeeper) Chris Seitz likes it there, and one of my UCLA teammates, James Jaramillo, is from Utah, as well as my sister's best friend. I'm ready to get started."
UCLA Class: Junior
Hometown: Claremont, CA
High School: Claremont HS
Last College: St. John's University
Height / Weight: 5-9 / 150
D.O.B.: 10/11/1987
Position: Midfielder
Experience: 3 varsity years
U.S. National Team -- Starter on the U.S. squad that advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup ... Recorded an assist in the 6-1 win over Poland ... Started all three games for the U-20s at the 2006 Milk Cup ... Starter for the U-18 team that won the 2005 Milk Cup ... Member of the U.S. National Team pool since 2003.
2007 -- First-team All-Pac-10 selection ... Second-team honoree on Top Drawer Soccer's Team of the Season ... Starter in all 21 games and played in all but four minutes ... Versatile player who has played at both right back and central midfield ... Assisted on the game-winners against Cal and at home against Oregon State.
2006 -- Starting midfielder for seven of the first eight games of the year and a starter in 14 games overall ... Missed nearly a full month after undergoing an ankle arthroscopy on Sept. 29 ... His return to the lineup in the second half of the Oct. 27 game against Stanford coincided with the Bruins' post-season run to the title game ... Recorded his first point for the Bruins with an assist in the Championship match ... Earned College Cup All-Tournament honors.
2005 (St. John's) -- Played in 21 games with 10 starts at St. John's University ... Scored two goals with three assists for a total of seven points, which ranked him fifth on the team Red Storm team in scoring ... Recorded a goal and an assist against Louisville ... Scored a goal in the 4-1 win over second-ranked Duke ... Assisted on the game-winning goal against 17th-ranked Cincinnati.
High School -- Two-time Parade All-American at Claremont HS under coach Fred Bruce Olivier ... Also named to the 2004 NSCAA/adidas high school All-America squad ... Listed as the No. 2 prospect at the forward position in 2005 ... Adidas ESP All-Star in 2004 and an adidas All-Star selection in 2003 ...Served as team captain in 2005 and also earned Baseline League MVP honors ... Received first-team all-league honors as a senior and junior and second-team acclaim as a freshman ... Region IV team member from 2002-05 and captain of the 2004 squad ... ODP State team member from 2001-05 and helped lead that team to the national championship in 2003 ... Played club soccer with Arsenal FC.
Personal -- Lists playing for the U.S. at the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup as the most thrilling moment in his athletic career ... Admires midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo ... Full name is Anthony Benjamin Beltran ... Born Oct. 11, 1987 in Whittier, CA ... History major.
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