MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Eugene's Jaqua Among 10 Taken in Expansion Draft

Published on November 26, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


RENTON, WASH. - The Seattle Sounders FC is now stocked with 14 players following the selection of 10 individuals during today's Major League Soccer Expansion Draft.

Among the players chosen by general manager Adrian Hanauer and technical director Chris Henderson was a Northwest native and U.S. National Team member, forward Nate Jaqua (pronounced JAKE-wuh) of the Houston Dynamo.

In addition, three other draft selections have international experience at the senior level. Kahno Smith (pronounced KAHN-no), a midfielder from New England, has over 20 caps for Bermuda, including three World Cup qualifiers earlier this year. Jarrod Smith, a forward from Toronto FC, has represented New Zealand. Peter Vagenas (pronounced Vye-YAY-nuss), a midfielder from the L.A. Galaxy, earned the U.S. caps in 2000.

Also drafted were Brad Evans (midfielder, Columbus), Stephen King (midfielder, Chicago), Jeff Parke (defender, New York), James Riley (defender, San Jose), Nathan Sturgis (midfielder, Salt Lake) and Tyson Wahl (defender, Kansas City). Evans, Sturgis, Vagenas and Wahl have played for U.S. youth international teams, with Sturgis being named to the 2008 Olympic team.

"We feel like we got a great mix of players," said Adrian Hanauer, Sounders FC general manager. "We got an experienced veteran who has been there in the trenches and played lots of MLS games in Peter Vagenas. We got mid-tier experienced guys in Parke, Jaqua and Khano Smith. We're very excited about the young players we were able to select."

"We weighted the draft a little more defensively, rather than the attack," said Hanauer. "We feel very good about our expansion draft players as they complement our existing four players. Together, they comprise a very solid core."

Sounders FC has already signed four players for its inaugural season: Kasey Keller, goalkeeper; Sebastien Le Toux, forward; Freddie Ljungberg, midfielder; and Sanna Nyassi, midfielder.

Six of the new Sounders FC players started at least half of their teams' league games in 2008; Jaqua, who joined Houston in midseason, started 11 times.

Seattle's selections average 24.9 years of age, and 3.8 seasons of MLS experience. There were five midfielders, three defenders and two forwards selected.

Seattle, which will become the 15th MLS team in the 2009 season, could claim only one player from each existing team; four teams did not lose a player.

Listed below are thumbnail bios for those players selected in the MLS Expansion Draft by Seattle.

Nate Jaqua

Pronunciation: JAKE-wuh

Position: F

Height: 6-3

Weight: 180

Birthdate: October 28, 1981 (age 27)

Hometown: Eugene, OR

Last club: Houston Dynamo

College: Portland

MLS Seasons: 6

2008: Played in 14 games after joining team midseason, starting 11 ... Scored four goals and had four assists ... Played in two playoffs, starting one.

Career: Last 29 games over two seasons with Houston ... Previously played for SC Rheindorf Altach (Austria), 2008; L.A. Galaxy, 2007; Toronto FC, 2006-07; and Chicago Fire, 2003-06 ... Appeared in 131 games, starting 93 ... 32 goals and 17 assists in 6 regular seasons.

International: Three appearances for U.S. National Team since 2006, including at Wembley vs. England in May.

Jeff Parke

Pronunciation: PARK

Position: D

Height: 6-1

Weight: 185

Birthdate: 3/23/1982 (age 26)

Hometown: Downington, PA

Last club: New York Red Bulls

College: Drexel

MLS Seasons: 5

2008: Played in 24 games, starting 23 ... 0-0 (0-0)

Career: Appeared in 132 games, all for New York, starting 126 ... Named team's defender of the year in 2007... 2006 named Red Bulls Ironman of the Year for logging in a team-high 2,771 minutes and was named co-unsung player of the year by members of the soccer media.

Stephen King

Position: M

Height: 5-8

Weight: 153

Birthdate: 3/06/1986 (age 22)

Hometown: Medford, NJ

Last club: Chicago Fire

College: Maryland

MLS Seasons: 1

2008: In his first MLS season, played in 20 games, starting eight ... Scored two goals and had one assist ... Had first MLS goal against the New England Revolution (5/3/08).

College: College Soccer News First Team All-American and ESPN Academic All-American for Maryland as senior.

Nathan Sturgis

Position: M

Height: 5-10

Weight: 150

Birthdate: 7/06/1987 (age 21)

Hometown: St. Augustine, FL

Last club: Real Salt Lake

College: Clemson

MLS Seasons: 3

2008: Played in three games, starting two.

Career: Appeared in 32 games, starting 30 ... 2007 played nine games, starting eight with LA Galaxy before being traded to RSL (6/21/07), where he started five of six played ... 2006 started all of his 15 appearances for LA.

College: All-American and ACC Defensive player of the year for Tigers as sophomore ... 12th pick in 2006 MLS SuperDraft.

James Riley

Position: D-M

Height: 5-10

Weight: 150

Birthdate: 10/26/1982 (age 26)

Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO

Last club: San Jose Earthquakes

College: Wake Forest

MLS Seasons: 4

2008: Played 24 games, starting 23 ... Had two assists.

Career: Appeared in 77 games, starting 94 ... Scored one goal and had five assists ... Played first three seasons (2005-07) with New England Revolution ... Member of New England's Open Cup championship team in '07 and MLS Runner-up (2006-07).

Khano Smith

Pronunciation: KAHN-no

Position: M

Height: 6-3

Weight: 190

Birthdate: 1/10/1982 (age 26)

Hometown: Warwick, Bermuda

Last club: New England Revolution

College: Lees-McCrae

MLS Seasons: 4

2008: Played in 23 games, starting eighteen ... Had two goals and three assists.

Career: Appeared in 85 games, starting 54, all for New England ... Scored eight goals and had 11 assists ... Played in two MLS Cups (2006, 2007), starting in 2007 vs. Houston.

International: Bermuda National Team striker.

Tyson Wahl

Pronunciation: wall

Position: D

Height: 6-2

Weight: 185

Birthdate: 2/23/1984 (age 24)

Hometown: Newport Beach, CA

Last club: Kansas City Wizards

College: California

MLS Seasons: 3

2008: Played in 16 games, starting all 16 ... Started both playoff games.

Career: Appeared in 36 games, starting 26, all with Kansas City.

College: All-American defender at California, where he started every game of career.

Jarrod Smith

Position: F

Height: 6-1

Weight: 180

Birthdate: 6/20/1984 (age 24)

Hometown: Havelock North, New Zealand

Last club: Toronto FC

College: West Virginia

MLS Seasons: 1

2008: In first MLS season, played in 20 games, starting six ... Scored first and only career MLS goal at LA Galaxy (4/13/08) ... Selected first round, first overall in 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft.

College: Compiled 32 goals in 74 appearances ... Scored 14 goals in just 16 appearances as a senior.

International: Member of New Zealand National Team ... made debut vs. Malaysia (2/23/06).

Peter Vagenas

Pronunciation: vye-YAY-nuss

Position: M

Height: 5-8

Weight: 187

Birthdate: 2/6/1978 (age 30)

Hometown: Pasadena, CA

Last club: LA Galaxy

College: UCLA

MLS Seasons: 9

2008: Played in 14 games, starting 11 ... Scored one goal and three assists.

Career: Appeared in 183 games over nine seasons, starting 164, all with the Galaxy ... Scored 14 goals and 25 assists ... Captained Team to the 2005 MLS Cup, U.S. Open Cup double, while setting a career high with five goals.

College: Played first three years at UCLA with Sigi Schmid as head coach ... Had 15 goals and 30 assists in 82 career games ... Led Bruins to the 1997 NCAA Championship.

International: Led the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team in goals scored with three en route to a fourth place finish, the best U.S. finish ever ... Has made two U.S. National Team appearances.

Brad Evans

Position: M

Height: 6-1

Weight: 160

Birthdate: 4/20/1985 (age 23)

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Last club: Columbus Crew

College: UC Irvine

MLS Seasons: 2

2008: As a member of the MLS Cup champions, played in 26 games, starting 18, including a full 90 minutes in the championship game ... Scored five goals and one assist.

Career: Appeared in 30 games, starting 19 ... Scored five goals and two assists ... Made first career start at New York (5/19/07).

College: Started 66 of 75 games, scoring 31 goals and 7 assists in his four-year career for the Anteaters

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 26, 2008


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