MLS and Nike Project-40 Add Eight for 2004
Published on January 8, 2004 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK (Thursday, January 8, 2004) - Major League Soccer unveiled today eight Nike Project-40 signings ahead of the League's 2004 season. Announced by MLS Senior Vice President Todd Durbin, the signings bring some of the brightest young stars in college and U.S. National Team soccer to MLS. All eight players will be available for selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas on January 16 at 10:00 a.m. (ET) at the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center.
The stellar new Nike Project-40 class includes five members of the U.S. Men's Under-20 National Team that turned in an impressive performance at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates. Steve Cronin, who joins American Kasey Keller as a goalkeeper named to the World Youth Championship All-Tournament team, departs Santa Clara University after his junior season to join Project-40, along with U-20 teammate and fellow SCU junior, defender Ryan Cochrane. Another U-20 defender who impressed at the 2003 Championships, Chad Marshall, has opted to leave Stanford University after his sophomore season to join MLS. U-20 midfielder Ned Grabavoy, who helped Indiana University win its sixth NCAA Division I Men's Soccer title at Crew Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 14, 2003, is forgoing his final season at IU, and Clint Dempsey, a U-20 forward, is leaving Furman University prior to his junior year to ply his trade in professional soccer.
Also forgoing their senior seasons from the college ranks to sign with Nike Project-40 are Maryland defender Clarence Goodson and Cincinnati midfielder Josh Gardner. Rounding out the class of 2004 is U.S. U-17 player Michael Bradley, who is the son of MetroStars head coach Bob Bradley.
These eight players join Freddy Adu, widely considered the best young player in the world, to form the next crop of MLS superstars. Adu, 14, became the youngest player ever to sign with MLS when he put pen to paper on a professional contract in November, 2003.
Created in 1997, Nike Project-40 is a joint venture between MLS and U.S. Soccer aimed at providing America's top young soccer players with the opportunity to play and train in a professional environment on a daily basis. Players signed to Nike Project-40 contracts receive an educational stipend in addition to their salary and a developmental spot on the roster of their MLS club.
In conjunction with the new signings, Durbin also announced a group of nine players who have graduated from the program. That list includes Justin Mapp of the Chicago Fire, Ricardo Clark and Mike Magee of the MetroStars, Logan Pause of the Columbus Crew, Kyle Beckerman of the Colorado Rapids, Nick Downing (option not renewed by New England) and Isaias Bardales (option not renewed by Los Angeles). Effective immediately, these players will no longer receive the roster protection granted to members of Nike Project-40.
Name: Michael Bradley
Position: Forward
College: NA
Ht: 5-8
Wt: 130
Hometown: Palatine, Ill.
Born: July 31, 1987
- Enrolled in the USMNT U-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla.
- Played in two games for the U-17s, starting one
- Scored two goals on penalty kicks in the U-16s first round Dallas Cup match vs. the Dallas Texans last April
Name: Ryan Cochrane
Position: Defender
College: Santa Clara University
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 170
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
Born: Aug. 8, 1983
- A semifinalist for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy in 2003
- Started all five matches at central defender at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
-Named honorable mention All-American by CollegeSoccerNews.com in 2002
- Tied for second on the U-20 team with 20 international caps
Name: Steve Cronin
Position: Goalkeeper
College: Santa Clara University
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 195
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Born: May 28, 1983
- Named to the all-Tournament Team at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
- Recorded a goals-against average of 0.60 during his junior year at Santa Clara
- Named the top goalkeeper at the C.O.T.I.F. XIX Torneig Internacional in Spain in 2002
Name: Clint Dempsey
Position: Forward
College: Furman University
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 170
Hometown: Nacogdoches, Texas
Born: March 9, 1983
- One of the leading scorers on the Furman University team with seven goals and five assists in 17 games
- A second team NSCAA All-America selection in 2002
- Currently a member of the U.S. Under-20 National Team
Name: Josh Gardner
Position: Midfielder
College: University of Cincinnati
Ht: 5-11
Wt: 150
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Born: Sept. 14, 1982
- Led the Bearcats with six assists and tied for the team lead with six goals this season
- Started all of Cincinnati's 20 games in 2003
- Was a first team All-Ohio selection
Name: Clarence Goodson
Position: Defender
College: University of Maryland
Ht: 6-4
Wt: 165
Hometown: Springfield, Va.
Born: May 17, 1982
- Named to 2003 ACC All-Tournament Team
- Had two goals and one assist in the 2003 NCAA Tournament
- A great target on corner kicks
Name: Ned Grabavoy
Position: Midfielder
College: Indiana University
Ht: 5-7
Wt: 155
Hometown: New Lenox, Ill.
Born: July 1, 1983
- Scored the first goal in Indiana's 2-1 NCAA Championship game victory over St. John's in 2003 - 2003 NSCAA First Team All-American - 2003 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist
Name: Chad Marshall
Position: Defender
College: Stanford University
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 190
Hometown: Riverside, Calif.
Born: Aug. 22, 1984
- Helped the U.S. Under-20 team notch two shutouts at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
- Named First Team All-Pac-10 in 2003
- Helped Stanford advance to the NCAA Championship game in 2002
Major League Soccer Stories from January 8, 2004
- Earthquakes Sign Manny Lagos, Jamil Walker and Jon Conway to Multi-Year Contracts - San Jose Earthquakes
- College Coaches to Oversee Squads at 2004 adidas MLS Player Combine - MLS
- MLS and Nike Project-40 Add Eight for 2004 - MLS
- United for D.C. Turns Two - D.C. United
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