Heat Acquires Former MVP

September 4, 2002 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Harrisburg Heat News Release


Harrisburg, PA - With training camp set to open Monday, September 9 at Sports City, the Harrisburg Heat today made the first of what figures to be several moves designed to re-tool the team under new coach Erich Geyer, sending defender Nick Corneli, a 2002 All-Star and the club's 2001-02 Player of the Year, to the Kansas City Comets in exchange for forward Ato Leone, the 2001 World Indoor Soccer League Most Valuable Player.

Leone scored 25 goals and 42 points in 24 games to lead the Sacramento Knights and the WISL in scoring during the 2001 season en route to his MVP award. Leone was selected by the Kansas City Comets with the third overall pick in a draft to disperse players from the Knights and Utah Freezz on February 11, 2002. Leone finished out the '01-02 season with the Comets, scoring 10 goals and assisting on 8 others for 28 points in 17 games. Among his most notable career highlights is his performance in the 2000 Futsal Tournament in Sao Paulo, Brazil, when he scored 15 goals in 5 games to lead the tournament in scoring, ahead of international superstar Denilson of Brazil.

The native of San Vicente, Argentina began his career in 1995 with the Houston Hotshots of the then-Continental Indoor Soccer League and joined the Knights for the 2001 WISL season. He ended the '01-02 campaign on a hot streak, with 21 points over his last nine games with Kansas City.

"I need players who I know will be comfortable in this system," said Geyer. "Nick Corneli is a good young player, but I know what Ato can do, and with his experience and skill he has a lot to offer this team. We've traded a defender for a creative midfielder/forward, and it should be a real boost for our attack.

"We can't do a patchwork job here - we have to start from scratch in some areas and make some tough decisions."

Corneli posted the best numbers of his career for the Heat in 2001-02, finishing with 24 goals, 67 points, and 62 blocks. He also led the Heat with four game-winning goals, and assisted on three goals in the 2002 MISL All-Star Game in Cleveland. Corneli joined Heat forward David Bascome on the All-MISL Second Team in '01-02. Prior to joining the Heat in the August 2001 Dispersal Draft, Corneli totaled 26 goals, 84 points, and 56 blocks in 99 games for the Montreal Impact and Toronto ThunderHawks from 1997-2001.

The Heat will open training camp this coming Monday, September 9 at Sports City on Linglestown Road. The club will open its 2002-03 MISL season on Saturday, October 5 in Philadelphia (7:05 p.m.). Harrisburg's home opener at the Farm Show Arena is slated for Saturday, November 2 against the Dallas Sidekicks (7:35 p.m.).



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from September 4, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central