Sounders U23's Caldwell, FC Boston's Robinson Named Top PDL
November 1, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - With the collegiate regular season coming to an end, the PDL has ranked Virginia goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell and Syracuse defender Miles Robinson as the top PDL players in their respective positions.
PDL Top 10 Goalkeepers | PDL Top 10 Defenders
Caldwell made 19 saves while also recording a 0.83 save percentage and 0.57 goals-against average for the Sounders FC U23 during the 2016 PDL regular season. Caldwell, a 6-foot-3 junior, has continued to excel for the Cavaliers, recording eight shutouts, a 0.81 save percentage and 0.88 goals-against average en route to helping his program to a 9-2-5 overall record.
"Jeff has been great for the Sounders U23 team," Sounders U23 Head Coach Darren Sawatzky said. "He has been training in the Sounders organization on one level or other for over three years, and his meticulous method will translate into the professional game when he is ready to make the leap."
Robinson played in six games for FC Boston during the 2016 PDL season, helping the franchise secure four wins. While with Boston during the summer, Robinson competed in a friendly against Italian Serie A club AS Roma. The defender also received a call-up to the U.S. Under-20 National Team for the 2016 U-20 Men's NTC Invitational in Carson, California. Robinson, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, has scored four goals and provided one assist in 14 games played for the Orange in 2016.
"I am not surprised by Miles' growth as a soccer player," FC Boston Head Coach Brian Ainscough said. "He has all the tools to push to the next level. Besides his great athleticism, he has the mentality that most young players are lacking."
More than 20 scouts across North America provide the PDL with valuable insight on players who performed at the highest level within the league, possess strong technical and tactical qualities and have the potential to play at the professional level. The Top 10 Goalkeepers and Top 10 Defenders lists rank PDL players based on these factors, as well as their performance for their respective universities during the 2016 college campaign.
The Top 10 Midfielders and Top 10 Attackers lists will be announced in the coming weeks.
TOP 10 GOALKEEPERS
1. Jeff Caldwell - Virginia - Sounders FC U23
2. Nico Campbell - Valparaiso - Des Moines Menace
3. Paul Christensen - Portland - Sounders FC U23
4. Andrew Epstein - Stanford - San Francisco City FC
5. Ben Lundgaard - Virginia Tech - Fresno Fuego
6. Eric Klenofsky - Monmouth - New York Red Bulls U23
7. James Pyle - UNC-Chapel Hill - Charlotte Eagles
8. JT Marcinkowski - Georgetown - Burlingame Dragons FC
9. Billy Heavner - UMBC - Baltimore Bohemians
10. Drew Shepherd - Western Michigan - Michigan Bucks
Honorable Mentions: William Pyle - South Carolina - Charlotte Eagles; David Greczek - Rutgers - Jersey Express; Brandon Watson - Simon Fraser - Victoria Highlanders; Adam Allmaras - San Diego State - San Diego Zest FC; Auden Schilder - Washington - Washington Crossfire
TOP 10 DEFENDERS
1. Miles Robinson - Syracuse - FC Boston
2. Francis de Vries - Saint Francis (PA) - Michigan Bucks
3. Lalas Abubakar - Dayton - Michigan Bucks
4. Kyle Bjornethun - Seattle - Sounders FC U23
5. Jimmy Fiscus - Michigan State - Des Moines Menace
6. Dominick Zator - Calgary - Calgary Foothills FC
7. Aaron Herrera - New Mexico - FC Tucson
8. Walker Hume - UNC-Chapel Hill - Portland Timbers U-23s
9. Sergi Nus - Virginia - Fresno Fuego
10. Brian Nana-Sinkam - Stanford - Burlingame Dragons FC
Honorable Mentions: Macauley King - Young Harris College - Charlotte Eagles; Kamal Miller - Syracuse - K-W United FC; Nathan Aune - Seattle - Washington Crossfire; Robby Sagel - Penn State - Reading United AC; Callum Montgomery - UNC-Charlotte - Victoria Highlanders
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PDL
The proven developmental leader in North American soccer's evolving tiered structure, the 2016 PDL season featured 67 teams within four conferences throughout the United States and Canada. Twelve of the PDL's current members are owned and operated by a Major League Soccer or United Soccer League club. The PDL has proven to be an important stepping-stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world, with 70 percent of all MLS draftees having PDL experience. The PDL provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from November 1, 2016
- Sounders U23's Caldwell, FC Boston's Robinson Named Top PDL - USL
- NYRB II's Aaron Long Named USL Defender of the Year - New York Red Bulls II
- New York's Long Named USL Defender of the Year - USL
- San Antonio FC Midfielder Rafa Castillo Returns for 2017 USL Season - San Antonio FC
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