New England Soccer Today

Revs Draft SNHU’s Omanga in 3rd Round

Photo credit: Southern New Hampshire University

Photo credit: Southern New Hampshire University

Jay Heaps and Mike Burns didn’t have to look long or hard to find their third-round pick on Tuesday.

The New England Revolution selected Southern New Hampshire University forward and Division II Player of the Year Pierre Omanga with the 50th overall pick in the final two rounds of the MLS SuperDraft.

The French forward scored 21 goals and collected three assists in 24 games for the Penmen last year, leading them to the 2013 Division II Championship. He also scored in Day 1 of the MLS Combine.

Omanga, who was also named Northeast-10 Offensive Player of the Year, transferred to SNHU in 2013 after bagging 15 goals and two assists for Montevallo University (Ala.) in 2012.

“Pierre did an unbelievable job in a short amount of time adjusting to our system and our program.  He deserves all the credit he is getting at this point,” said Southern New Hampshire head coach Marc Hubbard in a school release last month. “Every team at our level needs a go-to goal scorer and he produced all season when we needed him most.”

The 25-year-old striker scored 10 game-winning goals for the Penmen, and was named Northeast-10 Player of the Week three times during his senior year.

Before his stellar season at SNHU, Omanga scored seven goals in 13 games for the GPS Portland Phoenix during the 2013 PDL season.

“Pierre is easily one of the most dedicated players I have worked with in my career,” Phoenix head coach Ally Bain said in a statement. “He was always last of the field at practice, and it’s this hard work that has contributed to his recent accolades.”

The addition of Omanga puts the Revolution preseason roster at 25. He and second round selection Alec Sundly will enter camp as unsigned draft picks.

New England held only one pick in Tuesday’s final two rounds of the SuperDraft. They traded their fourth round pick (69th) overall to D.C. United as part of the loan deal that landed them forward Charlie Davies last summer.

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