Timbers and Tennyson Come to Terms
Published on April 16, 2003 under U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Portland Timbers News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers announced today that the club has signed forward McKinley Tennyson, who led the team and the A-League in scoring a year ago. Tennyson, 24, joins the Timbers after most recently training with the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer (MLS).
"Re-signing McKinley was our top priority during the off-season, so we're thrilled that we were able to achieve that," said Jim Taylor, Timbers general manager. "He and Fadi Afash proved to be a lethal strike force for us last season; it will be great to have that threat up front again."
In his first season in the A-League, Tennyson led the circuit in scoring with 42 points on 18 goals and six assists. After a slow start to the season, Tennyson amassed 39 points over the second half of the campaign to capture the 2002 A-League Scoring Championship and set a new franchise record for points in the process. He was named to the All-League First Team by A-League coaches and, for his efforts, was the first to receive a newly created award given to the top offensive player age 23 or younger at the beginning of the A-League season.
Tennyson was named to the A-League Team of the Week five times during the year and was named the Player of the Week thanks to his four-goal, eight-point night against the El Paso Patriots.
His league-leading 18 goals was matched by Montreal's Eduardo Sebrango and teammate Fadi Afash, creating a three-way tie for the Goal Scoring Championship.
Tennyson, who played collegiate soccer at UCLA, was originally selected by the Columbus Crew in the fourth round (39th overall) in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft. He also spent part of last year playing in the Swedish First Division for GIF Sundsvall.
One of the most prolific scorers in UCLA history, the 6-2, 194-pound Tennyson finished his career as the ninth leading scorer in Bruins history with 102 points and second in multiple-goal games with eight. He finished fourth in voting for the Missouri Athletic Club's (MAC) Player of the Year in addition to being a candidate for the Hermann Trophy.
Tennyson helped lead UCLA to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including a national championship in 1997 and another trip to the College Cup Semifinals in 1999.
TIMBERS NOTES: Portland begins its third regular season by hosting the Seattle Sounders at PGE Park on May 1 ... Individual and season tickets are now available for the 2003 season ... contact the Timbers at (503) 553-5555 for more information.
U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from April 16, 2003
- Timbers and Tennyson Come to Terms - Portland Timbers
- Caps Sign Three Up-and-Coming Players - Vancouver Whitecaps
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