MLS Colorado Rapids

Defender Nat Borchers' Transfer to Odd Grenland Finalized

Published on March 22, 2006 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


DENVER, CO (Wednesday, March 22, 2006) - The Colorado Rapids and Major League Soccer announced today that defender Nat Borchers has been transferred to Norwegian First Division club Odd Grenland.

Colorado will retain Borchers' rights if he ever returns to MLS. Per MLS policy, terms of the transfer were not disclosed.

Today's announcement ends two months of waiting for Borchers and the clubs involved as the Pueblo, Colo. native finally received his work permit in Norway.

Borchers, who began his professional career in 2003 when he signed a developmental contract with the Rapids, quickly turned the corner and transformed from rookie to starter in less than four months. He became a main player in the Rapids' central defense and a regular in the Mile High Club's backline before the end of that season.

His good sense of positioning and his natural defensive instinct secured him a starting job in the Rapids' lineup, and led him to be selected to the United States Under-23 National Team in 2004. Borchers was first called up to the Under-23's for a friendly match against Haiti on October 15, 2003 and immediately became a starter in that lineup as well. He was a mainstay with the US squad that participated in the 2004 CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers.

Continuing the fairy tale story of his quickly-ascending career, he earned his first cap for the full US National Team on March 9, 2005 in a 3-0 victory over Colombia as part of the USA's road to qualification for the 2005 World Cup.

The University of Denver graduate started in 82 of the 83 games that he appeared in for the Rapids, accumulating a total of 7,432 minutes played, scoring two goals and recording two assists during that time.

Off the field, Borchers was also one of the club's most community-minded players, having been named the Rapids' Humanitarian of the Year in addition to his Defensive Player of the Year award last season.

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