The 2003 Major League Soccer SuperDraft will take place today,
and four UCLA men’s soccer players hope to get
superdrafted.
Midfielders Jimmy Frazelle and Ryan Futagaki, forward Tim Pierce
and defender Scot Thompson are all in the player pool. They may
have a team as early as 12:30 p.m. when the first of 60 picks over
six rounds will be announced.
Futagaki and Pierce were both invited to the MLS combine earlier
this week, in which three teams were assembled and played against
each other. Both Futagaki and Pierce scored a goal.
Various MLS draft forecasters have projected their mock drafts
already. Revsnet.com, a fan Web site for the New England Revolution
has Thompson going in the second round to the Chicago Fire. They
don’t predict that any other UCLA player will be drafted in
the first two rounds.
Another Web site, 3rddegree.net, which is devoted to the Dallas
Burn, has Futagaki going to the Los Angeles Galaxy, the defending
MLS Cup Champions, in the second round as the 20th pick
overall.
Live audio of the draft will be available at www.mlsnet.com and
www.thecrew.com.
Tom Fitzgerald, UCLA men’s soccer coach and former coach
of the Columbus Crew has high hopes for his former players.
“I’d be very surprised if half of (the UCLA players)
don’t get drafted. Different teams have shown an interest in
them.”