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Freddy Adu Selected No. 1 in 2004 SuperDraft by D.C. United

January 16, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC (Friday, January 16, 2004) - The youngest player in modern professional team sports, 14-year-old Freddy Adu, was selected on Friday by D.C. United with the No. 1 selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. For the second consecutive year the 2004 MLS SuperDraft was held in conjunction with the 57th Annual National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Convention.

"I've been a fan of D.C. since I've been in this country and that's why I'm just extremely excited to be playing with them," Adu said. "Hopefully, I can do something to help the team get back to its winning ways, because it is a winning team. The first few years, D.C. was the team to beat. I still think that we have the talent and the team to win year-in, year-out. Things don't always go the way that we want them to. Hopefully, I can do something to help the team."

Adu, a resident of Potomac, MD, was the first of six Nike Project-40 players selected in the first round of the 2004 SuperDraft. The Dallas Burn and San Jose Earthquakes each had two selections in the first round with the Burn picking Dallas native Ramon Nunez (No. 6) and defender Clarence Goodson (No. 7) while San Jose tabbed two Santa Clara University products: Ryan Cochrane (No. 5) and goalkeeper Steve Cronin (No. 10). The University of Maryland matched Santa Clara with two players selected in the first round as Goodson (No. 7 - Dallas) and midfielder Scott Buete (No. 9 - Chicago) were among the picks.

Two trades were made involving three first round selections. Kansas City sent midfielders Eric Quill and Carey Talley along with the No. 7 pick to the Dallas Burn in exchange for defender Shavar Thomas, the No. 4 selection and a conditional second round selection in the 2005 SuperDraft. The New England Revolution and Chicago Fire engaged in the second trade of the morning with the Fire acquiring the No. 9 pick in exchange for a player allocation spot attributable to Peter Nowak's retirement. The two trades during the first round were the first of seven on the day (two in each of the first three rounds and one in the sixth and last round). All involved an exchange of SuperDraft picks except for one in the third round which saw Columbus also acquire the rights to former Rapids defender Steven Herdsman.

Among other highlights of the SuperDraft:

(a) The Chicago Fire led all team with 10 selections in the SuperDraft followed by the Los Angeles Galaxy (8). Four teams made six selections, the Dallas Burn made five while D.C. United and the New England Revolution had a SuperDraft low of four picks each;

(b) 42 colleges were represented on the day with Project-40 players Adu (No. 1) and Michael Bradley (No. 36) being the only players in the SuperDraft without college experience;

(c) Bradley was selected in the fourth round by the MetroStars (No. 36 overall) and will play for his father, Head Coach Bob Bradley. It marks the first father/son tandem on the same team in MLS history with the last one in the New York metropolitan area being Yogi and Dale Berra with the 1985 Yankees;

(d) 21 states were represented (California contributing a high of 11 players) while eight countries were also represented (Zimbabwe, Canada, Ghana, New Zealand, Jamaica, Ireland, Bermuda, Wales).

Legendary college soccer head coach Jerry Yeagley, who retired in 2003 after capturing his sixth NCAA title with Indiana University, was recognized at the SuperDraft by MLS Commissioner Don Garber for his contributions to the game. Yeagley, who started Indiana's soccer program in 1973, retired as the winningest head coach in NCAA history. The 2004 SuperDraft featured an overflow crowd of coaches and fans from around the country who were in attendance the NSCAA Convention.

For the first time in MLS' nine-year history, the League's annual SuperDraft was also telecast live by FOX Sports World, which enters the second season of a four-year partnership with MLS in 2004.

A round-by-round summary of the 2004 SuperDraft follows:

ROUND 1

# TEAM PLAYER POS. DOB HT WT HOMETOWN COLLEGE

1 D.C. United Freddy Adu (P-40) F 06-02-89 5-8 140 Potomac, MD U.S. Under-20

2 Columbus Chad Marshall (P-40) D 08-22-84 6-3 190 Riverside, CA Stanford

3 Los Angeles Joseph Ngwenya (TI) F 03-30-81 6-1 175 Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Coastal Carolina

4** Kansas City** Matt Taylor F 10-17-81 5-11 165 Irvine, CA UCLA

5 San Jose Ryan Cochrane (P-40) D 08-08-83 6-1 170 Portland, OR Santa Clara

6 Dallas Ramon Nunez (JI) M 11-14-85 5-5 143 Dallas, TX Southern Methodist

7** Dallas** Clarence Goodson (P-40) D 05-17-82 6-4 165 Springfield, VA Maryland

8 New England Clint Dempsey (P-40) F 03-09-83 6-1 170 Nacogdoches, TX Furman

9^^ Chicago^^ Scott Buete M 07-23-80 5-8 160 Bowie, MD Maryland

10 San Jose Steve Cronin (P-40) GK 05-28-83 6-2 195 Sacramento, CA Santa Clara

** = The Kansas City Wizards traded midfielder Eric Quill, midfielder Carey Talley and the No. 7 selection in the 2004 SuperDraft to the Dallas Burn in exchange for defender Shavar Thomas, the No. 4 selection in the 2004 SuperDraft and a conditional second round selection in the 2005 SuperDraft.

^^ = New England Revolution trade No. 9 pick to the Chicago Fire in exchange for a player allocation attributable to Peter Nowak's retirement.

ROUND 2

# TEAM PLAYER POS. DOB HT WT HOMETOWN COLLEGE

11 Chicago Leonard Griffin D 09-11-82 6-1 185 Palmdale, CA UCLA

12 Columbus Chris Wingert D 06-16-82 5-10 155 Babylon, NY St. John's

13 Los Angeles Josh Gardner (P-40) M 09-14-82 5-11 150 Houston, TX Cincinnati

14# Los Angeles Ned Grabavoy (P-40) M 07-01-83 5-7 155 New Lenox, IL Indiana

15 Colorado Adolfo Gregorio M 10-01-82 5-9 165 Hilmar, CA UCLA

16 Colorado Adrian Cann (TI) D 09-19-80 6-3 180 Thornhill, Ontario Louisville

17 Kansas City Will Hesmer GK 11-23-81 6-2 195 Wilson, NC Wake Forest

18@ MetroStars Seth Stammler D 09-29-81 5-10 166 Gahanna, OH Maryland

19 Chicago Matt Pickens GK 04-05-82 6-3 200 Washington, MO SW Missouri State

20 Chicago Sumed Ibrahim M 12-30-80 5-9 150 Tamale, Ghana Maryland

# = Chicago Fire traded the No. 14 overall pick (fourth of the second round) to the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for one of the Galaxy's three first round selections (to be determined by the Galaxy) in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft.

@ = Chicago Fire trade No. 18 overall pick (eighth of the second round) to the MetroStars in exchange for the MetroStars' 2005 natural second round pick

ROUND 3

# TEAM PLAYER POS. DOB HT WT HOMETOWN COLLEGE

21 MetroStars Zach Wells GK 02-26-81 6-2 187 Costa Mesa, CA UCLA

22 Los Angeles Guillermo Arzate M 11-22-81 5-8 150 Hawaiian Gardens, CA UC-Santa Barbara

23 New England Jeremiah White F 04-03-82 5-9 165 Lansdowne, PA Wake Forest

24% D.C. United Kevin Ara M 02-08-82 6-2 170 Upland, CA Harvard

25$ Colorado Kevin Taylor D 11-04-82 6-5 180 Miami, FL Michigan

26 MetroStars Olivier Occean F 10-23-81 6-1 180 Montreal, Quebec Southern Conn. St.

27 San Jose Mike Wilson M 11-25-80 5-11 165 Plimmerton, New Zealand Stanford

28 Chicago Khari Stephenson (TI) M 01-18-81 6-2 185 Kingston, Jamaica Williams College

29 Dallas Ty Maurin M 08-16-82 5-9 165 Chino, CA UCLA

30 San Jose Lindon Pecorelli M 01-01-82 5-9 170 LaCrescenta, CA Connecticut

% = Kansas City Wizards trade No. 24 selection (fourth in third round) to D.C. United in exchange for D.C. United's natural second and third round selections in the 2005 SuperDraft.

$ = Columbus Crew trade No. 25 pick (fifth in fifth round) to Colorado Rapids in exchange for rights to Steven Herdsman and the conditional pick in the 2005 SuperDraft that was originally sent to Columbus in the Robin Fraser trade on Jan. 14.

ROUND 4

# TEAM PLAYER POS. DOB HT WT HOMETOWN COLLEGE

31 Dallas David Wagenfuhr D 06-22-82 5-9 160 Colorado Springs, CO Creighton

32 Columbus Jamal Sutton F 03-22-82 5-9 160 Wichita, KA SW Missouri State

33 Los Angeles David McGill M 10-24-81 5-9 170 Dublin, Ireland UC-Santa Barbara

34 D.C. United Joshua Gros M 06-25-82 6-0 165 Mechanicsburg, PA Rutgers

35 Colorado Kevin Richards D 12-23-81 5-8 147 Warwick, Bermuda Notre Dame

36 MetroStars Michael Bradley (P-40) M 07-31-87 5-8 130 Palatine, IL U.S. Under-17

37 Kansas City Jay Alberts M 11-08-80 5-8 155 Sunset Hills, MO Yale

38 Chicago Denny Clanton D 04-04-82 6-0 190 Aurora, IL Dayton

39 Chicago Phil Hucles D 06-17-82 6-1 170 Virginia Beach, VA William and Mary

40 San Jose Marin Pusek M 06-29-80 5-9 160 Brampton, Ontario UAB

ROUND 5

# TEAM PLAYER POS. DOB HT WT HOMETOWN COLLEGE

41 Columbus Adom Crew F 08-04-82 6-2 175 Columbia, MD Brown

42 Columbus Luke Vercollone M 04-04-82 5-10 155 Kingston, MA Seton Hall

43 Los Angeles Jason Perry D 04-11-81 6-3 185 Southfield, MI Oakland

44 D.C. United Kevin Hudson M 10-22-81 6-3 210 St. Louis, MO Southern Methodist

45 Colorado Gary Sullivan D 06-24-82 6-1 195 West Islip, NY Adelphi

46 MetroStars Johnny David M 06-24-81 5-9 165 Hillside, NJ Fairleigh Dickinson

47 Kansas City Justin Detter F 08-07-82 5-11 189 South Bend, IN Notre Dame

48 Kansas City Ryan Barber D 08-16-81 6-2 180 Raymore, MO Missouri - KC

49 Chicago Ian Pilarski M 04-06-82 5-9 165 Pittsford, NY Cornell

50 San Jose Tighe Dombrowski M 03-03-82 5-8 155 West Allis, WI Wisconsin-Milwaukee

ROUND 6

# TEAM PLAYER POS. DOB HT WT HOMETOWN COLLEGE

51 Chicago Ryan McGowan M 06-10-81 5-8 155 Sparta, NJ Seton Hall

52 Columbus Matt Haefner GK 12-16-81 6-4 210 Amherst, NY Pennsylvania

53 Los Angeles Alan Gordon F 10-16-81 6-3 195 Gilbert, AZ Oregon State

54 Dallas Edwin Miranda D 01-28-81 6-0 170 Van Nuys, CA Cal State Northridge

55 Colorado John Pulido M 10-03-81 5-10 165 Miami, FL Florida International

56 New England Felix Brillant F 09-09-80 6-2 147 Montreal, Quebec Franklin Pierce

57 Los Angeles Chris Aloisi D 02-21-81 5-10 160 North Babylon, NY Syracuse University

58 New England Andy Dorman M 05-01-82 5-11 150 Flintshire, Wales Boston University

59 Chicago Tony McManus D 09-20-80 5-10 155 Memphis, TN UAB

60& MetroStars Jeff Parke D 03-23-82 6-1 160 Downington, PA Drexel University

& = San Jose Earthquakes trade 60th overall pick (10th of sixth round) to MetroStars in exchange for MetroStars' natural sixth round pick in 2005

KEY: P-40 = Nike Project-40 Player (roster protected player; DOES NOT count against [a] a team's 18-man senior roster limit or [b] against team salary budget)

JI = Junior International (roster protected player 22 years old or younger; DOES NOT count against [a] a team's 18-man senior roster limit [b] or against team salary budget; COUNTS against League-wide 20-man youth international number)

TI = Transitional International (24 years of age or younger; COUNTS against [a] a team's 18-man senior roster limit, [b] against a team's salary budget, and [c] against League-wide 20-man youth international number)

TEAM-BY-TEAM SELECTIONS:

Chicago Fire (10): M Scott Buete (Maryland), D Leonard Griffin (UCLA), GK Matt Pickens (Southwest Missouri State), M Sumed Ibrahim (Maryland), M Khari Stephenson (Williams College), D Denny Clanton (Dayton), D Phil Hucles (William and Mary), M Ian Pilarski (Cornell), M Ryan McGowan (Seton Hall), D Tony McManus (UAB)

Colorado Rapids (6): M Adolfo Gregorio (UCLA), D Adrian Cann (Louisville/TI), D Kevin Taylor (Michigan), D Kevin Richards (Notre Dame), D Gary Sullivan (Adelphi), M John Pulido (Florida International)

Columbus Crew (6): D Chad Marshall (Stanford/P-40), D Chris Wingert (St. John's), F Jamal Sutton (SW Missouri State), F Adom Crew (Brown), M Luke Vercollone (Seton Hall), GK Matt Haefner (University of Pennsylvania)

Dallas Burn (5): M Ramon Nunez (Southern Methodist/JI), D Clarence Goodson (Maryland/P-40), M Ty Maurin (UCLA), D David Wagenfuhr (Creighton), D Edwin Miranda (Cal State Northridge)

D.C. United (4): F Freddy Adu (P-40), M Kevin Ara (Harvard), M Joshua Gros (Rutgers), M Kevin Hudson (Southern Methodist University)

Kansas City Wizards (5): F Matt Taylor (UCLA), GK Will Hesmer (Wake Forest), M Jay Alberts (Yale), F Justin Detter (Notre Dame), D Ryan Barber (University of Missouri - KC)

Los Angeles Galaxy (8): F Joseph Ngwenya (Coastal Carolina/TI), M Josh Gardner (Cincinnati/P-40), M Ned Grabavoy (Indiana/P-40), M Guillermo Arzate (University of California-Santa Barbara), M David McGill (UC-Santa Barbara), D Jason Perry (Oakland), F Alan Gordon (Oregon State University), D Chris Aloisi (Syracuse)

MetroStars (6): D Seth Stammler (Maryland), GK Zach Wells (UCLA), F Olivier Occean (Southern Connecticut State University), M Michael Bradley (P-40), M Johnny David (Fairleigh Dickinson), D Jeff Parke (Drexel)

New England Revolution (4): F Clint Dempsey (Furman/P-40), F Jeremiah White (Wake Forest), F Felix Brillant (Franklin Pierce College), M Andy Dorman (Boston University)

San Jose Earthquakes (6): D Ryan Cochrane (Santa Clara/P-40), GK Steve Cronin (Santa Clara/P-40), M Mike Wilson (Stanford), M Lindon Pecorelli (Connecticut), M Marin Pusek (UAB - Alabama-Birmingham), M Tighe Dombrowski (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)

COLLEGE-BY-COLLEGE SELECTIONS:

Adelphia University (1): D Gary Sullivan

Alabama-Birmingham - UAB (2): M Marin Pusek, D Tony McManus

Boston University (1): M Andy Dorman

Brown (1): F Adom Crew

California-Santa Barbara (2): M Guillermo Arzate, M David McGill

California State Northridge (1): D Edwin Miranda

Cincinnati (1): M Josh Gardner

Coastal Carolina (1): F Joseph Ngwenya

Connecticut (1): M Lindon Pecorelli

Cornell University (1): M Ian Pilarski

Creighton (1): D David Wagenfuhr

Dayton (1): D Denny Clanton

Drexel University (1): D Jeff Parke

Fairleigh Dickinson (1): M Johnny David

Franklin Pierce (1): F Felix Brillant

Florida International (1): M John Pulido

Furman (1): F Clint Dempsey

Harvard (1): M Kevin Ara

Indiana (1): M Ned Grabavoy

Louisville (1): D Adrian Cann

Maryland (4): D Clarence Goodson, M Scott Buete, D Seth Stammler, M Sumed Ibrahim

Michigan (1): D Kevin Taylor

Missouri - KC (1): D Ryan Barber

Notre Dame (2): D Kevin Richards, F Justin Detter

Oakland University (1): D Jason Perry

Oregon State University (1): F Alan Gordon

Pennsylvania (1): GK Matt Haefner

Rutgers (1): M Joshua Gros

Santa Clara (2): D Ryan Cochrane, GK Steve Cronin

Seton Hall (2): M Luke Vercollone, M Ryan McGowan

Southern Connecticut State (1): F Olivier Occean

Southern Methodist (2): M Ramon Nunez, M Kevin Hudson

Southwest Missouri State (2): GK Matt Pickens, F Jamal Sutton

Stanford (2): D Chad Marshall, M Mike Wilson

St. John's (1): D Chris Wingert

Syracuse (1): D Chris Aloisi

UCLA (5): F Matt Taylor, D Leonard Griffin, M Adolfo Gregorio, GK Zach Wells, M Ty Maurin

Wake Forest (2): GK Will Hesmer, F Jeremiah White

William and Mary (1): D Phil Hucles

Williams College (1): M Khari Stephenson

Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1): M Tighe Dombrowski

Yale (1): M Jay Alberts

KEY: P-40 = Nike Project-40 Player (roster protected player; DOES NOT count against [a] a team's 18-man senior roster limit or [b] against team salary budget)

JI = Junior International (roster protected player 22 years old or younger; DOES NOT count against [a] a team's 18-man senior roster limit [b] or against team salary budget; COUNTS against League-wide 20-man youth international number)

TI = Transitional International (24 years of age or younger; COUNTS against [a] a team's 18-man senior roster limit, [b] against a team's salary budget, and [c] against League-wide 20-man youth international number)

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