Miami takes Rodrigues first in USL-1 College Draft
January 24, 2006 - USL First Division (USL-1) News Release
TAMPA, FL -- USL First Division expansion side Miami FC picked defender John Paul Rodrigues of the PDL's Nashville Metros and Belmont University with the first overall selection in the USL First Division College Draft Tuesday afternoon. The two-year Metro played in 33 games for Nashville.
Eight players with two or more years of PDL experience were taken in the draft. Thunder Bay Chill midfielder Vasilis Androutsos boasts the most experience with 49 games played over the last three seasons, scoring eight goals and 10 assists. Androutsos of Fairfield was taken by the Montreal Impact with the final selection of the 24-player, two-round draft.
Brooklyn Knights forward/midfielder Danny Kramer of Duke was the player with the third-most PDL experience taken in the draft, going to the Rochester Raging Rhinos with the fifth overall selection. Kramer logged 27 games, three goals and two assists for the Knights from 2003-04.
The Raleigh Elite and defunct Seattle Sounders Select were the only PDL teams with two players selected in the draft. Raleigh's Aaron King went 15th overall to the Virginia Beach Mariners and John Queeley going 19th to the Puerto Rico Islanders. Both attended NC State. Both Sounders Select players were taken by the defending USL First Division champion Seattle Sounders.
Two players from the NCAA Division I champion Maryland Terrapins were selected in the draft with Chris Lancos going to Puerto Rico seventh overall and Kenneth Bertz to the Portland Timbers 20th.
USL First Division Stories from January 24, 2006
- Whitecaps draft Corazza and Donald - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Timbers pick two defenders in 2006 college player draft - Portland Timbers
- Lynx select standouts in USL First Division College Player Draft - Toronto Lynx
- Thunder selects two in USL First Division Player Draft - Minnesota Thunder
- Miami takes Rodrigues first in USL-1 College Draft - USL-1
- attery drafts young prospect in USL First Division Draft - Charleston Battery
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