Whitecaps Re-Sign Mashinchi and Smith
Published on May 1, 2009 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that they have re-signed defender/midfielder Navid Mashinchi and defender Graham Smith. Mashinchi has signed a one-year contract - plus an option - with the Whitecaps United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) side, while Smith has agreed to a one-year contract with the Whitecaps PDL team.
Mashinchi, 20, re-joins the Whitecaps after making his first-team debut as a late substitute in last season's 1-1 home draw versus Charleston Battery on July 23, 2008. During Whitecaps Residency's inaugural PDL season, the five-foot-eight, 140-pound native of Düsseldorf, Germany, appeared in 14 of the club's 16 regular season matches, accumulating 1,237 minutes of action and scoring one goal.
The defender/midfielder - who now calls Coquitlam, BC, home - was a member of the inaugural Residency team when he joined the program in September 2007 after making four appearances for Iran's U-18 national team. Prior to joining the Residency program, Mashinchi played club soccer with Westside FC Rangers of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League U-21 Division in 2006. From 2003 to 2006, he played for both the U-15 and U-17 teams of German third division club Fortuna Düsseldorf.
Smith, 21, returns to the Whitecaps after completing his fourth year of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) soccer with University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. In 2007, the six-foot, 175-pound native of Abbotsford, BC, made four USL First Division appearances with the Whitecaps men's team for a total of 85 minutes of action. His debut came as a late substitute in the Whitecaps season opener, as they defeated Seattle Sounders 1-0 at Swangard Stadium on April 21, 2007.
A co-captain and centre back with UBC, Smith won CIS Championship titles with the Thunderbirds in 2005 and 2007. It was at UBC's hosting of the 2007 CIS Championship that Smith was named tournament MVP and to the All-Tournament Team. The defender was a Canada West First Team All-Star in 2007 and 2008, as well as a CIS Second Team All-Canadian in 2007 and CIS First Team All-Canadian in 2008. In his four years with UBC, Smith has scored six goals in 51 total appearances with the Thunderbirds. The defender will play his fifth and final year with UBC in the autumn.
The Whitecaps PDL regular season kicks off this Sunday, May 3, at 3:00 p.m. PDT versus expansion club Victoria Highlanders at Simon Fraser University's Terry Fox Field. Admission to all Whitecaps PDL matches at SFU is free. For more information, please call 604.669.WAVE (9283) or visit www.whitecapsfc.com.
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