Jan. 19, 2006
Three of New Mexico’s brightest men’s soccer stars over the last four years will be in Philadelphia, Pa., tomorrow for the 2006 Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Seniors Jeff Rowland, Lance Watson and Brandon Moss are all hoping to get their names called in the four-round event starting at 10:00 a.m. (M.S.T.) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Fellow senior Josh Brown will also be anticipating a call after being listed among the 121 players eligible for the draft. A total of 48 players will be selected in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.
Fox Soccer Channel, with hosts Allen Hopkins and Dave Dir, will broadcast the first hour of the MLS SuperDraft live beginning at 10:00 a.m. MT. Fans can also follow the entire SuperDraft live on MLSnet.com through streaming video and the SuperDraft Tracker.
Roland, Moss and Watson all participated in the MLS Combine on Jan. 12-15 and, by all accounts, had solid showings in their three games. Rowland is coming off his second All-American season after scoring 36 points on 16 goals and four assists. He was also a Hermann Trophy Finalist, the first Lobo to be considered for college soccer’s top honor.
Watson also had an All-American campaign in 2005, scoring three goals and leading the team with nine assists. He was named to the 2005 College Cup All-Tournament team and was a first-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation selection.
Moss was the most consistent Lobo over the last four years, earning All-MPSF honors every season. He scored a goal and two assists while controlling play in the midfield and played almost every minute in 2005.
Brown started 22 games in the backline in his only season in a Lobo uniform. He led New Mexico to a school-record 13 shutouts and a 0.64 g.a.a, earning All-MPSF honors. He also had an impressive showing at the College Cup with his physical play against Clemson and Maryland.
If selected, one of these Lobos will be the first taken in any MLS SuperDraft. Three other former Lobos have played in the MLS, including Edmundo Rodriguez, Richard Farrer and Justin Sells. Farrer was a charter member of the Dallas Burn, playing 150 games in six seasons from 1996-2001. Rodriguez played for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in 1996 and the Kansas City Wizards from 1997-98. Justin Sells was a member of the San Jose Clash in 1998.