Philadelphia Union Select Danny Mwanga of Oregon State University with First Overall Selection in 2010 MLS SuperDraft

Nine of 12 Generation adidas players selected in first round

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Thursday, January 14, 2010 – The Philadelphia Union made a statement in their inaugural MLS SuperDraft, making a League-high six selections, including Oregon State standout forward and Generation adidas player Danny Mwanga with the first overall selection, in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. 

Taken with the second overall pick by the New York Red Bulls was midfielder Tony Tchani of 2009 NCAA Division I champion University of Virginia. The third overall selection was defender Ike Opara out of Wake Forest University, the first of four players from the school selected in Thursday’s first round, a SuperDraft record.

Union made two trades immediately before this year’s MLS SuperDraft ahead of their inaugural season, acquiring the sixth overall selection from FC Dallas and the seventh overall selection from D.C. United. Philadelphia selected two more Generation adidas players with their additional picks, adding UCLA midfielder Amobi Okugo (first round, sixth overall) and U-17 Men’s National Team forward Jack McInerney (first round, seventh overall). Rounding out Union’s inaugural Draft day selections were: University of Connecticut midfielder Toni Stahl (second round, 17th overall), UCLA midfielder Kyle Nakazawa (third round, 33rd overall), and UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk (fourth round, 49th overall).

Mwanga, Tchani and Opara were among nine of the 16 first-round draft selections who are members of the 2010 Generation adidas class. Players who join MLS as part of the Generation adidas program receive unprecedented opportunities to develop their game and hone their skills at the professional level in Major League Soccer. In addition to training and playing with one of Major League Soccer’s 16 professional clubs, Generation adidas players receive educational grants to further their college education. Generation adidas players do not count against an MLS team’s salary budget. Last year’s class of nine Generation adidas players produced seven first round selections in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, including the number one overall pick, Steve Zakuani (Seattle Sounders FC) and 2009 MLS Rookie of the Year Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy, No.3). 

Fourty-two colleges and universities were represented among the 64 players selected. UCLA led all schools with five players selected, including three first-round draft picks: Okugo (sixth overall), David Estrada (11th overall), and Michael Stephens (16th overall).

For a complete recap of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, please visit: www.MLSnet.com.

A round-by-round summary of the 2010 SuperDraft follows:

ROUND 1 

#       TEAM      PLAYER                      POS.      HT       WT             DOB                             HOMETOWN         CLUB/COLLEGE

1.      PHI          Danny Mwanga*             FW       6-2       175             07/17/1991                    Kinshasa, DR Congo Oregon State Univ.

2.      NY           Tony Tchani*                  MF       6-4       185             04/13/1989                    Norfolk, VA Univ. of Virginia

3.      SJ           Ike Opara*                      DF        6-2       180             02/21/1989                    Durham, NC            Wake Forest Univ.

4.      KC           Teal Bunbury*                 FW       6-2       175             02/17/1990                    Prior Lake, MN        Univ. of Akron

5.      DAL         Zach Loyd                     MF       5-9       160             07/18/1987                    Verdigris, OR          Univ. of North Carolina

6.      PHI@       Amobi Okugo*               MF       6-0       175             03/13/1991                    Sacramento, CA      UCLA

7.      PHI#        Jack McInerney*             FW       5-8       155             08/05/1992                    Alpharetta, GA        U.S. U-17 national team

8.      CLB         Dilly Duka*                     MF       5-9       160             12/15/1989                    Montville, NJ           Rutgers Univ.

9.      NE           Zack Schilawski              FW       5-10      165             04/15/1987                    Cary, NC     Wake Forest Univ.

10.     CHV        Blair Gavin*                    MF       6-0       165             01/08/1989                    Scottsdale, AZ        Univ. of Akron

11.     SEA        David Estrada                FW       5-8       160             02/04/1988                    Salinas, CA UCLA

12.     CLB         Bright Dike                     FW       6-1       223             02/02/1987                    Edmond, OK           Univ. of Notre Dame

13.     CHI          Corben Bone*                MF       5-9       160             09/16/1988                    Plano, TX    Wake Forest Univ.

14.     NY           Austin Da Luz                 MF       5-10      160             10/09/1987                    Winston-Salem, NC Wake Forest Univ.

15.     RSL&       Collen Warner                 MF       5-10      155             06/24/1988                    Denver, CO Univ. of Portland

16.     LA&         Michael Stephens           MF       5-9       155             04/03/1989                    Naperville, IL           UCLA

* Generation adidas

@DAL trade No. 6 overall selection in 2010 SuperDraft to PHI for allocation money.

#DC trade No. 7 overall selection in 2010, Fred and partial allocation to PHI for No. 1 allocation ranking (DC select Troy Perkins)

&LA trade No. 15 overall selection in 2010 and third-round pick in 2011 to RSL for No. 16 overall selection in 2010 and Clint Mathis

ROUND 2

#       TEAM      PLAYER                      POS.      HT       WT             DOB                             HOMETOWN         CLUB/COLLEGE

17.     PHI          Toni Stahl                     MF       6-3       180             05/11/1985                    Tuusula, Finland      Univ. of Connecticut

18.     NY           Tim Ream                    DF        6-1       160             10/05/1987                    St. Louis, MO          Saint Louis Univ.

19.     SJ           Michael Thomas            MF       5-10      190             03/08/1989                    Olathe, KS              Univ. of Notre Dame

20.     KC           Korede Aiyegbusi         DF        5-5       155             07/15/1988                    London, England     North Carolina State Univ.

21.     DAL         Andrew Wiedeman*      FW       5-11      165             08/22/1989                    San Ramon, CA      Univ. of California

22.    COL         Andre Akpan                FW       6-1       190             12/09/1987                    Grand Prairie, TX     Harvard Univ.

23.     COL         Ross LaBauex              MF       5-9       150             12/05/1988                    Chicago, IL             Univ. of Virginia

24.     TOR         Zac Herold*                  DF       5-11      160             06/07/1992                    Port St. Lucie, FL    U.S. U-17 national team

25.     NE           Seth Sinovic                DF       5-10      175             01/28/1987                    Leawood, KS          Creighton Univ.

26.     CHI          Kwame Watson-Siriboe DF        6-3       196             11/13/1986                    Chino Hills, CA        Univ. of Connecticut

27.     SEA        Mike Seamon                MF       6-1       175             08/30/1988                    Rahway, NJ             Villanova Univ.

28.     SJ           Justin Morrow               DF        5-9       165             10/04/1987                    Cleveland, OH         Univ. of Notre Dame

29.     CHI          Drew Yates                  MF       6-1       171             05/14/1988                    Severna Park, MD   Univ. of Maryland

30.     SJ           Steve Beitashour          MF       5-10      170             02/01/1987                    San Jose, CA          San Diego State Univ.

31.     NE%        Zak Boggs                   MF       6-1       182             12/15/1988                    Vienna, WV             Univ. of South Florida

32.     RSL         Justin Davis                 DF        6-0       170             05/06/1988                    Litchfield Park, AZ   Univ. of New Mexico

%NY trade the No. 31 and No. 48 overall selections in 2010 SuperDraft to NE for Chris Albright

ROUND 3

#       TEAM      PLAYER                      POS.      HT       WT             DOB                             HOMETOWN         CLUB/COLLEGE

33.     PHI          Kyle Nakazawa               MF       5-11      165             03/16/1988                    Palos Verdes Estates, CA   UCLA

34.     NY           Conor Chinn                   FW       6-0       180             08/    /1987                    San Diego, CA        Univ. of San Francisco

35.     CHV        Kevin Tangney               DF        6-2       169             03/18/1987                    Newton, PA             Univ. of Maryland

36.     KC           Nick Cardenas                DF        6-5       205             11/21/1987                    Thornton, CO          San Diego State Univ.

37.     SJ           Andrew Hoxie                 FW       6-4       188             10/08/1986                    Newport News, VA  College of William & Mary

38.     DAL         Jason Yeisley                FW       6-1       200             09/30/1986                    Allentown, PA         Penn State Univ.

39.     RSL^       Chris Schuler                  DF        6-4       200             09/09/1987                    Aurora, IL                Creighton Univ.

40.     COL         Chad Borak                    DF        6-0       165             01/06/1987                    Palmdale, CA          California State Univ.-Northridge

41.     KC           Mauro Fuzetti                 FW       5-9       155             11/18/1987                    Houston, TX            Univ. of Michigan

42.     CHV        Isaac Kissi                     MF       6-2       183             05/14/1987                    Brong-Ahafo, Ghana Univ. of Dayton

43.     HOU        David Walker                  FW       5-11      175             12/22/1987                    Orange, CA             Univ. of California-Santa Barbara

44.     DAL         Eric Alexander                MF       6-1       165             04/14/1988                    Portage, MI             Indiana Univ.

45.     CHI          Steven Kinney                DF        6-0       175             10/28/1987                    Norcross, GA          Elon Univ.

46.     HOU        Samuel Appiah               MF       5-8       140             03/25/1985                    Obuasi, Ghana       Boston Univ.

47.     CHV        Ben Zemanski                MF       5-11      150             05/12/1988                    Akron, OH               Univ. of Akron

48.     NE%        Jason Griffiths               MF       5-11      165             03/22/1987                    Bracknell, England   Univ. of Kentucky

^LA trade the No. 39 overall selection to RSL for natural third-round selection in 2011 SuperDraft

ROUND 4

#       TEAM      PLAYER                      POS.      HT       WT             DOB                             HOMETOWN         CLUB/COLLEGE

49.     PHI          Brian Perk                    GK       6-0       175             07/21/1989                    Rancho Santa Margarita, CA         UCLA

50.     NY           Irving Garcia                 MF       5-5       140             02/04/1988                    San Luis, AZ           Univ. of California-Irvine

51.     CHI          Sean Johnson*             GK       6-3       217             05/31/1989                    Lilburn, GA              Univ. of Central Florida

52.     KC           Ofori Sarkodie              DF       5-10      178             10/05/1987                    Huber Heights, OH  Indiana Univ.

53.     TOR         Nane Joseph                MF       6-2       185             03/12/1987                    Yaounde, Cameroon Old Dominion Univ.

54.     DAL         Dane Saintus               MF       5-11      164             03/23/1987                    Arlington, TX           Southern Methodist Univ.

55.     DC          Jordan Graye                DF        6-2       170                                                 Washington, DC      Univ. of North Carolina

56.     COL         Chris Cutshaw              MF       6-0       164             04/06/1988                    Carmel, IN               Bradley Univ.

57.     NE           Adam Welch                DF        6-0       155             04/26/1988                    Bethelhem, PA        Lehigh Univ.

58.     CHV        Chris Ross                    MF       5-9       150             05/11/1988                    Hurst, TX                Colgate Univ.

59.     SEA        Jamel Wallace               MF       6-1       180             08/12/1987                    San Diego, CA        San Diego State Univ.

60.     CLB         Kwaku Nyamekye          DF        6-1       200             10/14/1987                    Geneva, Switzerland Harvard Univ.

61.     CLB         Othaniel Yanez             MF       5-8       165             11/09/1987                    Moreno Valley, CA  Univ. of Louisville

62.     HOU        Euan Holden                 DF        6-0       170             02/02/1988                    Sugar Land, TX       Univ. of New Mexico

63.     CLB         Shaun Francis              DF        6-0       165             10/02/1986                    Mandeville, Jamaica Lindsey Wilson College

64,     RSL         Kris Banghart               DF        6-1       188             03/01/1988                    Fort Collins, CO      Univ. of Denver

TEAM-BY-TEAM SELECTIONS: 

Chicago Fire (5): Corben Bone (Wake Forest Univ./13); Kwame Watson-Siriboe (Univ. of Connecticut/26); Drew Yates (Univ. of Maryland/29); Steven Kinney (Elon Univ./45); Sean Johnson (Univ. of Central Florida/51)

Chivas USA (5): Blair Gavin* (Univ. of Akron/10); Kevin Tangney (Univ. of Maryland/35); Isaac Kissi (Univ. of Dayton/42); Ben Zemanski (Univ. of Akron/47); Chris Ross (Colgate Univ./58)

Colorado Rapids (4): Andre Akpan (Harvard Univ./22); Ross LaBauex (Univ. of Virginia/23); Chad Borak (California State Univ.-Northridge/40); Chris Cutshaw (Bradley Univ./56)

Columbus Crew (5): Bright Dike (Univ. of Notre Dame/12); Dilly Duka* (Rutgers Univ./8); Kwaku Nyamekye (Harvard Univ./60); Othaniel Yanez (Univ. of Louisville/61); Shaun Francis (Lindsey Wilson College/63)

D.C. United (1): Jordan Graye (Univ. of North Carolina/55)

FC Dallas (5): Zach Loyd (Univ. of North Carolina/5); Andrew Wiedeman* (Univ. of California/21); Jason Yeisley (Penn State Univ./38); Eric Alexander (Indiana Univ./44); Dane Saintus (Southern Methodist Univ./54)

Houston Dynamo (3): David Walker (Univ. of California-Santa Barbara/43); Samuel Appiah (Boston Univ./46);: Euan Holden (Univ. of New Mexico/62)

Kansas City Wizards (5): Teal Bunbury* (Univ. of Akron/4); Korede Aiyegbusi (North Carolina State Univ./20); Nick Cardenas (San Diego State Univ./36); Mauro Fuzetti (Univ. of Michigan/41); Ofori Sarkodie (Indiana Univ./52)

Los Angeles Galaxy (1): Michael Stephens (UCLA/16)

New England Revolution (5): Zack Schilawski (Wake Forest Univ./9); Seth Sinovic (Creighton Univ./25); Zak Boggs (Univ. of South Florida/31); Jason Griffiths (Univ. of Kentucky/48); Adam Welch (Lehigh Univ./57)

New York Red Bulls (5): Tony Tchani* (Univ. of Virginia/2); Austin Da Luz (Wake Forest Univ./14); Tim Ream (Saint Louis Univ./18); Conor Chinn (Univ. of San Francisco/34); Irving Garcia (Univ. of California-Irvine/50)

Philadelphia Union (6): Danny Mwanga* (Oregon State Univ./1); Amobi Okugo* (UCLA/6); Jack McInerney* (U.S. U-17 national team/7); Toni Stahl (Univ. of Connecticut/17); Kyle Nakazawa (UCLA/33); Brian Perk (UCLA/49)

Real Salt Lake (4): Collen Warner (Univ. of Portland/15); Justin Davis (Univ. of New Mexico/32); Chris Schuler (Creighton Univ./39); Kris Banghart (Univ. of Denver/64)

San Jose Earthquakes (5): Ike Opara* (Wake Forest Univ./3); Michael Thomas (Univ. of Notre Dame/19); Justin Morrow (Univ. of Notre Dame/28); Steve Beitashour (San Diego State Univ./30); Andrew Hoxie (College of William & Mary/37)

Seattle Sounders FC (3): David Estrada (UCLA/11); Mike Seamon (Villanova Univ./27); Jamel Wallace (San Diego State Univ./59)

Toronto FC (2): Zac Herold* (U.S. U-17 national team/24); Nane Joseph (Old Dominion Univ./53) 

COLLEGE-BY-COLLEGE SELECTIONS: 

Univ. of Akron: Teal Bunbury; Blair Gavin; Ben Zemanski

Boston Univ.: Samuel Appiah

Bradley Univ.: Chris Cutshaw

Univ. of California: Andrew Wiedeman

Univ. of California-Irvine: Irving Garcia

Univ. of California-Los Angeles: David Estrada; Amobi Okugo; Michael Stephens; Kyle Nakazawa; Brian Perk

Univ. of California-Santa Barbara: David Walker

California State Univ.-Northridge: Chad Borak

Univ. of Central Florida: Sean Johnson

Colgate Univ.: Chris Ross

Univ. of Connecticut: Toni Stahl; Kwame Watson-Siriboe

Creighton Univ.: Chris Schuler; Seth Sinovic

Univ. of Dayton: Isaac Kissi

Univ. of Denver: Kris Banghart

Elon Univ.: Steven Kinney

Harvard Univ.: Andre Akpan; Kwaku Nyamekye

Indiana Univ.: Eric Alexander; Ofori Sarkodie

Univ. of Kentucky: Jason Griffiths

Lehigh Univ.: Adam Welch

Lindsey Wilson College: Shaun Francis

Univ. of Louisville: Othaniel Yanez

Univ. of Maryland: Drew Yates; Kevin Tangney

Univ. of Michigan: Mauro Fuzetti

Univ. of New Mexico: Justin Davis; Euan Holden

Univ. of North Carolina: Zach Loyd; Jordan Graye

North Carolina State Univ.: Korede Aiyegbusi

Univ. of Notre Dame: Bright Dike; Justin Morrow; Michael Thomas

Old Dominion Univ.: Nane Joseph

Oregon State Univ.: Danny Mwanga

Penn State Univ.: Jason Yeisley

Univ. of Portland: Collen Warner

Rutgers Univ.: Dilly Duka

Saint Louis Univ.: Tim Ream

San Diego State Univ.: Steve Beitashour; Nick Cardenas; Jamel Wallace

Univ. of San Francisco: Conor Chinn

Univ. of South Florida: Zak Boggs

Southern Methodist Univ.: Dane Saintus

Villanova Univ.: Mike Seamon

Univ. of Virginia: Ross LaBauex; Tony Tchani

Wake Forest Univ.: Corben Bone; Austin Da Luz; Ike Opara; Zack Schilawski

College of William & Mary: Andrew Hoxie