Blast Loses Five Players In Expansion Draft
Published on July 9, 2007 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Baltimore Blast News Release
Baltimore, MD - The Baltimore Blast lost five players in this afternoon's MISL Expansion Draft. The Expansion Draft took place today in order to fill the rosters for the three expansion teams that will take the field for the 2006-07 MISL season. The MISL Monterrey club, New Jersey Ironmen and the Orlando Sharks will join the MISL for the upcoming season. The Orlando Sharks selected midfielder Jonathan Steele and goalkeeper Brian Rowland in the first and second rounds of the draft, respectively.
"We are very happy with the core group of players we have coming back," Baltimore Blast President and General Manager Kevin Healey said. "We wish Jonny, Brian and Gordon the best of luck. They are good, young players with bright futures in the MISL. Orlando and California made good decisions selecting them."
Steele, 21, spent the last two seasons in Baltimore and set career highs for games played (25), points (24), assists (6), blocks (9) and penalty minutes (14) last season. Rowland, a member of the Blast's 2003-04 championship squad, played in Baltimore in 2003-04 and 2004-05, spent the 2005-06 season with California and Milwaukee and returned to Baltimore for the 2007-08 campaign. He played in 10 games last season and earned a 3-3 record as a backup to Sagu.
In the third round of the draft, the California Cougars selected Chin, 24-year-old midfielder. Chin, a native of Burnaby, British Columbia, played in 15 games last season and scored a goal in his first Blast game (December 9th, against the Cougars). Defender/forward Ibrahim Kante and forward Patrick Shamu were both on the Blast's inactive player lists.
The 10-round Major Indoor Soccer League Expansion Draft was held today via conference call in order for Monterrey, New Jersey and Orlando to fill their rosters with players from the current six MISL teams. Each of the six teams lost five players, with Baltimore being the first team to lose all five players.
The Baltimore Blast is currently conducting summer soccer camps throughout the summer at various sites in the Baltimore area. The Baltimore Blast Summer Soccer Camps will run until the week of August 13-17. The team will open training camp for the 2007-8 season in September.
Baltimore's 2006 MISL Expansion Draft Losses
Overall Pick Player Position Drafted By
1 Jonathan Steele Midfielder Orlando Sharks 6 Brian Rowland Goalkeeper Orlando Sharks
11 Gordon Chin Midfielder **California Cougars
16 *Ibrahim Kante Defender/Forward ***Milwaukee Wave
19 *Patrick Shamu Forward MISL Monterrey
* Kante and Shamu were on the Blast's inactive player list.
** The California Cougars received the 11th overall pick from New Jersey in a trade.
*** The Milwaukee Wave received the 16th overall pick from Monterrey in a trade.
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from July 9, 2007
- Chicago Storm Gets "Chile" - Chicago Storm
- Blast Loses Five Players In Expansion Draft - Baltimore Blast
- Philadelphia KiXX Select Four in 2007 MISL Expansion Draft - Philadelphia KiXX
- Dombrowski Taken In First Round Of Expansion Draft - Milwaukee Wave
- Veteran Torres Retires To Return To Alma Mater - Milwaukee Wave
- KiXX Prepare For MISL Expansion Draft - Philadelphia KiXX
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