The rumors turned to reality for sophomore defender Marvell
Wynne on Friday afternoon when he was selected as the No. 1 overall
pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.
Wynne was selected by the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, a
surprising destination after the MetroStars traded with Chivas USA
for the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
“I had no idea,” Wynne said of being suited by his
new team. “Out of all the people I’ve heard that were
of interest and everything, the MetroStars were not one of them,
but this is really exciting.”
Although Wynne was leaning towards playing where he grew up in
Southern California, as a member of Chivas USA, the 2005 first-team
All-American is also eager to travel to the East Coast to
compete.
“I am definitely looking forward to coming to New York and
playing in a great atmosphere,” he said.
For Wynne, it was a decision that came with a lot of
thinking.
Wynne declared himself eligible for the draft two weeks ago,
choosing to forego his final two seasons as a Bruin, a decision
which was based on his confidence that he had proven himself to be
a high-caliber defender as a member of the Under-20 National Team
at the World Youth Championships last summer.
In his two years at UCLA, Wynne guided the Bruin defense to a
national best ranking in shutout percentage (0.70) and to a .67
goals against average, behind just eleven other NCAA teams.
“I decided that it was time for me to move on,” he
said. “I felt good in UCLA, I felt comfortable but I just
thought I was ready for the next level.”
Wynne joined Steve Shak and Tahj Jakins as the third Bruin to be
selected with the No. 1 pick in the MLS SuperDraft’s history,
more than any other university has been able to produce.
“Being the No. 1 pick, I know people are going to have
high standards for me, and I plan to live up to them,” Wynne
said.
On Friday, Wynne was not the only Bruin who joined the
professional ranks before graduating.
Patrick Ianni, a junior midfielder, forwent his senior season
and joined Wynne at the MLS SuperDraft. Ianni was selected as the
eighth pick in the first round by Houston, a team that relocated
from San Jose and still remains without a team name.
Ianni was also a member of the U-20 National Team with Wynne,
and the two had tremendous success there, impressing scouts from
several MLS teams.
The second-team All-American’s desire to play at the
professional level in the United States dates back to ten years
ago, when Ianni was in elementary school.
“Ever since I watched my brother play in the MLS [Tayt
Ianni played with San Jose in 1996], it’s always been a dream
of mine,” Ianni said. “So it’s truly a dream come
true, as well as an opportunity and a blessing from God.”
Ianni, a native of Stockton, is very familiar with Houston head
coach Dominic Kinnear, as he used to practice with Kinnear’s
San Jose coached-team while in high school.
Both Wynne and Ianni were given offers prior to the onset of the
Bruins’ season in which they made a run for their fourth
consecutive Pac-10 title after their performances with the U-20
National Team, but chose to play one last season in Westwood.
The last Bruin to be selected on Friday was senior Jonathan
Bornstein, who was taken as the first pick in the fourth round by
Chivas USA, meaning that Bornstein will be playing locally.
The forward ranked second in goals scored for the Bruins and was
named to the 2005 second-team All-Pac 10.
THE MLS CONNECTION: UCLA has produced more MLS
players than any other school. On last year’s opening day,
the Bruins had a league-high 20 players on starting rosters for
various teams, and since the inaugural season of the MLS in 1996,
42 Bruins have made appearances as MLS players.
Only two colleges had more players selected in the 2006 MLS
SuperDraft. Both Indiana and Maryland had four players selected
while the Bruins had three.
TEAM AWARDS: UCLA had its final team banquet on
Saturday evening, and goalkeeper Eric Reed was named the
team’s MVP. Senior defender Jordan Harvey was named the
team’s defensive MVP, and sophomore Kamani Hill was named the
team’s offensive MVP.
Reed was named MVP in a season in which the Bruins had the
nation’s highest shutout percentage, and also shut out all of
its Pac-10 opponents at home.