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Silverbacks Sign Three More, Strengthen Middle of the Field

March 7, 2011 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks News Release


The Atlanta Silverbacks agreed to contracts with two midfielders and a defender on Thursday, bringing the total number of player signings in the past week to seven, pending USSF approval.

LUCAS PAULINI, 21, is a central midfielder with excellent field vision and passing abilities. The 6-foot-1 Argentine comes to Atlanta after playing college soccer at Virginia Commonwealth University. He played his first three college seasons at Tusculum College (Tenn.) before transferring to VCU.

The Buenos Aires native was named South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year in 2007 while at Tusculum. In three seasons for the Pioneers, Paulini tallied 12 goals and 28 assists, earning first team all-conference honors twice.

Hailing from much closer to Atlanta is another central midfielder, JORDAN DAVIS. Having played on the Atlanta Silverbacks U23 team from 2006-2008, the 5-foot-10 Peachtree City product is very familiar with the organization. Prior to his time with the Silverbacks U23 team, Davis, 28, captained the Georgia State University team during a successful four-year collegiate career. He functions well as a possession midfielder and is very strong on the ball defensively.

‚¬Å“Jordan is a local player we ‚¬â„¢ve known for awhile, ‚¬Â said Silverbacks Assistant Coach Alex Pineda Chacon. ‚¬Å“We ‚¬â„¢re very familiar with how hard he works and the strong technical skills he brings to the team. ‚¬Â

Centerback TYLER RUTHVEN adds even more depth to the middle of the field. The 6-foot-2 Alpharetta native brings a physical presence to the Silverbacks backline after playing for USL Pro side Harrisburg City Islanders. He has also spent time with Chicago Fire Premier and the Colorado Rapids U23 team, both of the Premier Development League (PDL).

Ruthven, 22, garnered numerous accolades during his college career at University of South Carolina. As a member of the Gamecocks, he was named Conference USA Newcomer of the Year in 2007 and earned first team all-conference honors as a senior. Ruthven is expected to continue serving as a centerback with the Silverbacks.

‚¬Å“Adding these three players really strengthens the middle of the field for us, ‚¬Â said Director of Soccer Rodrigo Rios. ‚¬Å“Each of them are extremely skilled, but that isn ‚¬â„¢t all they bring to the team ‚¬" these three guys play a very physical game that will benefit us greatly. ‚¬Â

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