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MLS San Jose Earthquakes

Earthquakes Draft Three Stanford Standouts and Make Two Trades in Busy Day at MLS SuperDraft

January 17, 2003 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


San Jose (Friday, January 17, 2003) - The San Jose Earthquakes acquired eight players during today's MLS SuperDraft at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, MO. With their first round pick, the Earthquakes selected Stanford All-American defender Todd Dunivant and later drafted Dunivant's teammate and fellow All-American Roger Levesque in the third round. The Quakes also acquired Arturo Alvarez (13th pick), Brian Mullan (trade), Josh Saunders (36th), Jamil Walker (39th), Johanes Maliza (46th), and Frank Sanfilippo (56th).

"I feel we did well overall. It is not easy picking in the middle of the first round," said Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop. "I think that we got some good players at a number of positions."

Dunivant, 22, completed his stellar four-year career with Stanford by helping lead the Cardinal to the NCAA College Cup for the second straight season. As a senior, he was named an NSCAA/adidas first-team All-American, first-team All-Far West, second-team All-Pac-10, and a member of the NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team. A three-year starter, he played in 81 career games, and notched nine goals and 28 assists for 46 career points and was a two-time All-American.

"I couldn't be happier," said Dunivant. "San Jose is the one team that I knew I wanted to play for. I trained with them before, and I knew that it was the place where I would fit in. I am very excited about playing with San Jose."

"I've been watching Todd for the last year or two," said Yallop. "You look at the SuperDraft and I couldn't really pass him up. I've always liked him. We feel Todd is a very good player, great on the ball and loves to go forward."

Prior to the second round, the Quakes acquired the 13th overall pick from the Kansas City Wizards in exchange for defender Jimmy Conrad. With that selection, the Quakes tabbed Arturo Alvarez, a member of the United States Under-18 National Team, whose parents hail from El Salvador. The 17-year old forward is a Project-40 player and will not count on the Quakes senior roster. In 2002, he led the Under-18 team in scoring with seven goals. San Jose also received a conditional 2004 SuperDraft pick from the Wizards in the deal.

"I am very happy to go to San Jose," said Alvarez. "I just want to go out there and try and make a difference on the team. I believe that San Jose is a great soccer area and I know that they have a great team, so I am excited."

The Quakes made their second trade of the second round sending the 16th overall pick to the Los Angeles Galaxy for 24-year old forward Brian Mullan, who played college soccer at Creighton University with Richard Mulrooney. The two-year veteran was drafted in the first round of the 2001 MLS SuperDraft by the Galaxy and appeared in 31 games for them the past two seasons, scoring five goals and adding four assists.

In the third round, the Quakes picked up another member of the Stanford Cardinal, selecting forward Roger Levesque, who was the team's leading scorer the past two seasons. After being named the Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2001 as a junior, Levesque had another strong campaign as a senior, scoring seven goals and notching 13 assists for 27 points and helping the team to the final of the NCAA College Cup. Levesque recently tore ligaments in his knee while playing in Portugal with the U.S. Under-23 National Team, and he will be sidelined for approximately six months.

The Quakes continued selecting local players in the fourth round, as they took Josh Saunders (CAL) and Jamil Walker (Santa Clara). Saunders was the Pac-10 Player of the Year, finishing with 10 shutouts and leading CAL to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. He was called into the Under-23 National Team in December for two matches against Canada. Walker was an All-Far West second-team selection and was named to the first-team All-West Coast Conference, after leading Santa Clara with 14 goals and four assists.

With their final two selections, the Quakes picked up midfielder Johanes Maliza, who was second on Stanford in scoring in 2002 and Frank Sanfilippo a midfielder/defender from San Jose State.

Jimmy Conrad leaves the Quakes after four seasons, in which he appeared in 84 matches and recorded two goals and six assists. He played in central defense and at right back in 2002 and appeared in 25 matches.

Player Bios

Todd Dunivant (1st Round, 6th Overall)
Position: Defender, College: Stanford
Ht: 6-0, Wt: 174, Hometown: Wheat Ridge, CO, Born: December 26, 1980
Played in 81 games at Stanford, fourth-best in school history...His 28 career assists are fourth-best in school history. 2002: Named first team All-American NSCAA/adidas...Also named first team NSCAA/adidas All Far-West...Selected second team All Pac-10...Named first team All Pac-10 Academic...Selected to the all-tournament team at the NCAA College Cup... Started 19 games...Tallied 15 points, fourth-best on the Cardinal...His eleven assists were second-best on the Cardinal, and tops for a single season defender in school history...Scored the winning goal on a penalty kick at Washington (11/17/02)...Recorded two assists in Stanford's 2-1 double overtime win over Furman in the third round of the NCAA Tournament...Helped anchor a Cardinal defense that produced 12 shutouts...2001: A first team All Pac-10 selection...Fourth on the team in scoring with 19 points...All-Academic first team selection...Made the all-tournament team at the NCAA College Cup...Started 21 of Stanford's 22 matches...Named to the all-tournament team at the adidas Cal Legacy Classic...2000: Started all 21 games...Ranked second on the team and tied for second in the Pac-10 with nine assists...Named All Pac-10 first team...Also earned first team All-Academic Pac-10 accolades...1999: Played in 18 games... Posted his first collegiate goal against Oregon State.

Arturo Alvarez (2nd Round, 13th Overall)
Position: Forward, Club: Bear Creek United
Ht: 5'9", Wt: 145, Hometown: Houston, Texas, Born: June 28, 1985
The Under-18s leading scorer in 2002 with seven goals...Recorded two two-goal games in 2002...Scored the first goal of the 2002 for the U-18s, tallying the game's only goal in a 1-0 win over the U-19 IMG Academy team in February...Scored two goals in the third match of the year, a 5-0 win over the U-17 MNT and in a 7-0 win over Bayonne in Talence, France...Scored the game-winner in the final of the Talence International Tournament, which the U.S. won 2-0...Helped the U.S. record five wins and a tournament title in six matches in France...Scored four goals in the trip to France and finished as the tournament's second-leading scorer...Made three appearances with the U.S. Under-17s at the 2001 U.S. Soccer Festival in Chicago. Personal: Born in Houston, TX...Mayde Creek High School...Parents from El Salvador...Project-40 player.

Brian Mullan (Acquired from Galaxy in exchange for 16th overall pick)
Position:Forward,Last Club: Los Angeles Galaxy, College: Creighton
Ht: 5-8, Wt: 150,Hometown: Littleton, CO, Born: 4-23-78
2002: Finished the season with career high three goals and two assists for eight points...Ranked tied for third in goals (3) with Cobi Jones...Appeared in 20 games, starting 10...Registered his first career multi-assist game with two assists in a 4-0 win vs. COL on 8/1...Came on as a substitute in the 54th minute on 8/17 vs. COL, replacing an injured Gavin Glinton...Assisted on both of Mauricio Cienfuegos' goals...Played 18 minutes on 6/22 vs. DAL; scored third goal of the season in the 81st minute...Started and played 90 minutes on 5/18 @KC, scored his second goal of season...Started and played 90 minutes on 5/11 @ CHI, scored first goal of the season in 12th minutes...Earned his first start of 2002 vs. DAL on 4/13, played 100 minutes with two of four shots on goal...Came on as a substitute in the 82nd minute, replacing Mauricio Cienfuegos on 4/6 vs. CHI...2001: Appeared in 10 games on the season and amassed 809 minutes on the pitch...Underwent surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus on 3/30...Made his MLS debut on 4/21 starting against Colorado...Earned his second MLS start on 4/28, registering his first MLS assist... Mullan scored the first two goals of his career, including the game-tying strike with time running out versus Tampa Bay on 5/9...Only 39 seconds into the match, Mullan notched his first MLS goal and the second fastest goal by a Galaxy player on July 25, 1999...Rookie season cut short when Mullan underwent successful surgery to repair a torn peroneal tendon retinaculum in his right ankle on July 24.

Roger Levesque (3rd Round, 23rd Overall)
Position: Forward, College: Stanford
Ht: 6-2, Wt: 174, Hometown: Portland, ME, Born: January 22, 1981
Played in 76 games at Stanford, ninth-best in school history...Chalked up 30 career assists, third all-time at Stanford ... Ranks sixth all-time in points with 88...Also ranks sixth all-time at Stanford with 29 goals...His 13 assists are fifth-best for a single season at Stanford...2002: Selected third team All-America by NSCAA/adidas...Named first team NSCAA/adidas All-Far West ...Named first team All Pac-10 selection...Named to the all-tournament team at the NCAA College Cup...The team's #1 point-getter with 27 (7 goals, 13 assists)...Led the Cardinal in assists with 13...Named tournament offensive MVP at the Dartmouth Tournament...2001: A NSCAA second team All-American...Pac-10 Player of the Year...Second team All-Academic Pac-10...Voted the Stanford Pac-10 Conference Male Athlete of the Year, presented to the Stanford athlete who distinguishes himself in conference competition...Started 21 of 22 matches...Led the team and Pac-10 in the following categories: goals (14), points (37), assists (9) and game-winning goals (4), all career-highs... Team leader with 66 total shots...2000: Played in all 22 matches ... Ranked third on the team in points (21), fourth in goals (7), fifth in assists (7)...1999: Played in 12 games, two as a starter...Posted his first collegiate goal against Denver.

Josh Saunders (4th Round, 36th Overall)
Position: Goalkeeper, College: CAL
Ht: 6-4, Wt: 210, Hometown: Lake Forest, CA, Born: March 22, 1981
2002: First team All-Far West...2002 Pac-10 Player of the Year...Saunders is the first goalkeeper to be voted Pac-10 Player of the Year in the league's third season sponsoring men's soccer...10 shutouts led the Pac-10 and are the second-most in a single season in Cal history, one behind all-time leader Todd Harmon.Team tri-captain...2001: Named to the All-Pac-10 first team as a junior...Tallied a 10-8-1 record with a 1.13 GAA...88 saves and five shutouts...Named to the adidas Cal Legacy Classic all-tournament team.

Jamil Walker (4th Round, 39th Overall)
Position: Defender, College: Santa Clara University
Ht: 5-11, Wt: 165, Hometown: Pittsford, NY, Born: April 21, 1981
2002: First team All-West Coast Conference...Second Team All-Far West...Led Santa Clara with 14 goals and four assists...2001: Started all 19 of the matches he appeared in...Led the team in shots with 52, 27 of which were on goal...Finished second on the team in goals scored with three...Finished second on the team in points with eight...Earned Offensive MVP honors for his play at the FIU/UMBRO Classic...Named WCC Player of the Week on October 29 for his two goal performance against Gonzaga...2000: Played in all 17 matches during his first year at Santa Clara, starting 11...Scored goals in each of the team's first three games and four of the first five... Finished the year with four goals and three assists...Finished second on the team in goals, assists, points (11).

Johanes Maliza (5th Round, 46th Overall)
Position: Midfielder, College: Stanford
Ht: 5-8, Wt: 160, Hometown: Chicago, IL, Born: September 10, 1981
Played in 79 games at Stanford, sixth-best in school history. 2002: Named first team All-Far West by NSCAA/adidas...Named to the All Pac-10 first team...Also named first team All Pac-10 Academic...Scored 22 points (8 goals, 6 assists), second-best on the Cardinal...Attempted 44 shots, second-best on the team ... Scored the winning penalty kick against Portland in the second round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament...Named a first team District-8 All-Academic selection...2001: A second team All Pac-10 selection...All-Academic Pac-10 first team...Played in 19 games and started 13...Tied for third on the team with seven goals scored and fifth on the club with five assists...Third on the club with 19 total points and 38 shots.

Frank Sanfilippo (6th Round, 56th Overall)
Position: Midfielder, College: San Jose State University
Ht: 5-11, Wt: 165, Hometown: San Diego, CA, Born: September 8, 1981
2002: Started all 21 games for the Spartans...Recorded two goals and one assist...Anchored a defense that allowed an average of 1.34 goals per game and limiting the opposition to just 29 goals scored...An NSCAA first team "Far West" All-American...First team "All-MPSF"...Named top the MPSF "All-Tournament" team... 2001: One of two players to start all 20 games for the Spartans...Named a preseason honorable mention All-American by Collegesoccer.com...Earned honorable mention on the All-MPSF team...Scored one goal and had four assists...Was second on the team in assists and shots on goal.

Transaction - San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) - Earthquakes select D Todd Dunivant in the first round (6th) of the MLS SuperDraft. Earthquakes trade D Jimmy Conrad to the Kansas City Wizards for a second round pick (13th) in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft and a conditional pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. Earthquakes select F Arturo Alvarez in the second round (13th) of the MLS SuperDraft. Earthquakes acquire F Brian Mullan from the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for a second round pick (16th) in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft. Earthquakes select F Roger Levesque in the third round (23rd) of the MLS SuperDraft. Earthquakes select GK Josh Saunders (36th) and F Jamil Walker (39th) in the fourth round of the MLS SuperDraft. Earthquakes select M Johanes Maliza in the fifth round (46th) of the MLS SuperDraft. Earthquakes select M Frank Sanfilippo in the sixth round (56th) of the MLS Super Draft.

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