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MLS New York Red Bulls

MetroStars Pick Six In 2004 MLS SuperDraft

January 16, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


Charlotte, NC (Friday, January 16, 2004) – The MetroStars selected six players in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft today at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC.

The MetroStars opened the day by executing a trade with the Chicago Fire, which got the "Red and Black" the 18th overall selection. With this pick the Metros selected defender Seth Stammler. In return the MetroStars sent the Fire the their second round pick in the 2005 draft.

Stammler, a defender from the University of Maryland, was named to the ACC All-Tournament team, the Maryland/adidas Classic All-Tournament team, and the Diadora Challenge All-Tournament team last season. In the 2002 season he was the only Maryland player to start 25 games, and was selected at the Maryland/FILA Classic Defensive MVP. The 22-year old is a native of Gahanna, Ohio.

The Metros' selected UCLA goalkeeper Zach Wells with the first selection in the third round (21st overall). The team acquired the pick last month in a trade with the Dallas Burn, which netted the Metros defender Tenywa Bonseu in exchange for defender Steve Jolley.

Wells, 22, ended his senior year by being named Sports Illustrated On Campus National Player of the Year. In addition, he was also named a First Team All-Pac-10 selection, a Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American, a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District and Pac-10 All-Academic Selection. In 2003, the Costa Mesa, California native, set the UCLA school record for goals-against average (0.52) and career saves (269). The 6'2", 187 pound Wells leaves UCLA with 49 career victories. He is also a member of the U.S. U-20 Men's National Team pool. He recorded a 1.00 GAA in two games that he has played with the U-20's.

With the sixth selection in the third round (26th overall) of the draft the MetroStars selected forward Olivier Occean from Southern Connecticut State University.

The 22-year-old Occean earned Division II All-American Team honors by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. In addition, the Montreal, Quebec native was named the Northeast-10 Player of the Year in his senior season, and a First Team All-Northeast-10 Player in both his junior and senior seasons. Occean leaves Southern Connecticut as the leading career goal scorer in school history, with 57 tallies.

With the sixth pick of the fourth round (36th overall), the MetroStars netted 16-year-old New Jersey native Michael Bradley. Bradley, the son of MetroStars Head Coach Bob Bradley, is currently enrolled in the United States Men's National Team U-17 residency program in Bradenton, Florida. Despite injury over the past year, Bradley has played a total of 75 minutes for the U-17s. He scored two goals for the U-16s in the first round of the Dallas Cup match against the Dallas Texans in April of 2003.

The Bradleys become the first father/son tandem in MLS history. They are also the first in the Metropolitan Area, since 1985 when Yogi Berra managed his son Dale on the New York Yankees.

Fairleigh Dickinson University midfielder Johnny David was selected with the sixth pick of the fifth round (46th overall) by the MetroStars.

David, 22, was named the 2003 Northeast Conference Men's Soccer Scholar Athlete of the Year, as well as the NEC Men's Soccer Player of the Year. The Hillside, NJ native scored three goals and registered seven assists in 2003.

As the draft was winding down, the MetroStars made one final move trading their sixth round pick in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft to the San Jose Earthquakes for the Earthquakes Sixth round pick in this draft. With the selection (59th overall) the Metros then selected Drexel University's Jeff Parke.

Parke, a senior at Drexel, was named a Philadelphia Soccer Seven All-Star for the second consecutive year in 2003. The 21-year-old Downington, PA native is described as a physical player who is both strong and skillful.

2004 MetroStars SuperDraft Pick Vitals

Seth Stamler

Position:Defender

DOB: 9/29/1981

HT: 5-10; WT: 166 lbs

College: University of Maryland

High School: Gahanna High School

Hometown: Gahanna,Ohio

Zach Wells

Position:Goalkeeper

DOB: 2/26/1981

HT: 6-2; WT: 187 lbs

College: UCLA

High School: Newport Harbor High School

Hometown: Costa Mesa, California

Olivier Occean

Position:Forward

DOB: 10/23/1981

HT: 6-1; WT: 180 lbs

College: Southern Connecticut State University

High School: College Francais

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec

Michael Bradley

Position:Forward

DOB: 7/31/1987

HT: 6-1; WT: 165 lbs

College: none

High School: USMNT U-17 Residency Program

Hometown: Pennington, New Jersey

Johnny David

Position:Midfielder

DOB: 6/24/1981

HT: 5-9; WT: 165 lbs

College: Fairleigh Dickinson University

High School: Hillside High School

Hometown: Hillside, NJ

Jeff Parke

Position:Defender

DOB: 3/23/1981

HT: 6-1; WT: 160 lbs

College: Drexel University

High School: Downington High School

Hometown: Downington, PA

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