New England Soccer Today

Five Area Prospects Picked

 

The New England college soccer scene was well-represented in Thursday’s MLS SuperDraft.

Connecticut forward Carlos Alvarez was taken second overall by Chivas USA, and Boston College midfielder Kyle Bekker was tabbed by Toronto FC taken with the third pick. Bekker’s BC teammate, forward Charlie Rugg was selected by the Los Angeles Galaxy at the 19th spot, while Northeastern forward Don Anding was taken by the Philadelphia Union with the 26th pick. Brown defender Dylan Remick had his name called by the Seattle Sounders at the 35th spot.

Alvarez scored seven goals and nine assists for the Huskies in 2012 and was named Big East Midfielder of the Year. Additionally, he helped lead UConn to last year’s Big East Championships.

“Carlos is a terrific young man, an incredible player that deserves everything he’s earning right now,” said UConn Head Coach Ray Reid on the school’s website. “He had opportunities to leave school early and knew the best way for him to succeed at the professional level was to continue to work on his game in college. Carlos stayed at UConn four years and now he gets to live his dream of playing professional soccer with the exact club he’s wanted all along and he’s also earned a great contract in the process.”

Minutes after Alvarez stepped to the podium, Bekker became the first BC Eagle to be taken in the first round at SuperDraft. Paul Keegan was taken sixth overall in the 1996, four years before the current SuperDraft era. In his four years at The Heights, Bekker scored 17 goal and notched 22 assists in 80 career games.

Before the close of the first round, the defending champion Galaxy used the 19th pick to select Rugg. During his BC career, Rugg scored 28 goals and earned 19 assists. He spent last summer with the now-defunct Worcester Hydra (PDL).

Anding steered the Huskies to an improbable NCAA bid in 2012. He scored 25 goals and added 12 assists during his time at Northeastern and was the Coastal Athletic Association Player of the Year for 2012. He is the first Northeastern player ever taken at the SuperDraft.

“I’m so proud of Don,” said Northeastern head coach Brian Ainscough on the school’s website. “He deserves this opportunity. As the first player in program history, to get selected in the SuperDraft is a huge deal. It’s great for our players and everyone involved in our program. This is a big day for NU soccer, and a big thank you to Adam Pfeifer who has worked hard with Don in his development over the last four years.”

Remick was a three-time All-Ivy selection at Brown and was the first Bear to earn All-American honors since former Jeff Larentowicz in 2004. He helped lead the Bears to a 12-2-3 record in 2012, as well as back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 2010 and 2011. In his four years at Brown, he played in 71 games, scoring 6 goals and adding 12 assists.

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