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Heat Brings Back DiFlorio

January 30, 2003 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Harrisburg Heat News Release


Harrisburg, PA - Over the course of the last month, Harrisburg Heat head coach Erich Geyer has added savvy veterans like goalkeeper Chris Damico and defender Neil Gilbert to his roster in preparation for a playoff push. Thursday morning, that trend continued with the addition of a familiar face: the Heat has traded the rights to defender Kyle Swords and forward Allen Eller to the Baltimore Blast in exchange for Gino DiFlorio, the former Heat superstar and 2000-01 Most Valuable Player, who signed with the Blast as a free agent over the offseason.

DiFlorio is expected to practice with the team at the Farm Show Arena Thursday and Friday (from 9:00 - 10:45, approximately), and, pending a standard physical evaluation, may make his return to a Purple and Black uniform this weekend as the Heat takes on the Milwaukee Wave (Friday, 7:35 p.m.) and the Philadelphia KiXX (Saturday, 7:35 p.m.) at the Old House.

"The G-Man's" exploits in a Heat uniform are well-documented: in 122 games with the team from 1998 through last season, the native of Naples, Italy, scored 179 goals (fifth in team history) and assisted on 175 others (second in team history) for 522 points. DiFlorio holds team single-season records for points (214, 1999-00) and assists (72), and crafted a franchise-record 67-game scoring streak from March 25, 1999 through February 10, 2001. The 38-year-old has been voted to eight All-Star teams and four All-League teams, and remains the only Heater in team history to win the League's Most Valuable Player Award (2000-01).

The legendary target man returns to the Heat with 619 goals (second in MISL history), 444 assists (sixth in League history), and 1,623 points (third all-time) over the course of 424 career games, seventh-most in MISL history. DiFlorio, who scored seven points in three games before a knee injury ended his '01-'02 season with the Heat, had registered seven goals and 22 points in 16 games with Baltimore this year.

"I'm thrilled to return to Harrisburg," said DiFlorio. "I love this city and its fans, and I can't wait to try to help in the playoff race. I'm very excited about this."

Swords totaled 116 points and 127 blocks for Harrisburg from 1997-2001. He served as captain for the Heat team that went 24-16 during the 2000-01 campaign. Eller joined the Heat late last season and scored eight goals and 18 points in 14 games for the club.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from January 30, 2003


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