USL- Latest news, results

[Frank Cunha]

Battery Signs Greg Simmonds 19/02/04

The Charleston Battery has agreed to terms with forward Greg Simmonds for the 2004 season. Simmonds, 6'3, 190lbs., 28 yrs. spent the 2003 season with the Richmond Kickers. He tallied 4 goals and 3 assists, with the Kickers, in 27 games played. The Charleston Battery has also signed defender Henrik Jensen and midfielder Andreas Bechmann for the upcoming campaign. Both players participated in the first week of pre-season player trials in December.

"Henrik and Andreas both showed great promise in our trials which once again proved to be extremely successful," Charleston Battery head coach, Chris Ramsey. "These are two players that we believe are going to be hungry to prove themselves at this level. Greg Simmonds obviously has a lot of quality and he is capable of making an impact if he can get psychologically focused on the job in hand."

Simmonds began his pro-career in 1999 with the Hershey Wildcats where he scored 16 goals and added six assists for 38 points, and was named A-League Rookie of the Year.

A native of Jamaica, Simmonds spent two seasons at Hershey before joining MLS's Miami Fusion in 2001, recording two assists in nine games played. While with Miami in 2001 Simmonds played two games on-loan for Charleston, scoring one goal, 07/27/01 vs. Cincinnati.

Simmonds spent the 2002 season with the Rochester Raging Rhinos where he was twice named A-League Player of the Week. Simmonds' career totals include 42 goals and 22 assists for 106 points in five professional seasons; he has represented Jamaica at the full National Team level.

Battery signs two from pre-season trials The Charleston Battery has signed defender Henrik Jensen and midfielder Andreas Bechmann for the upcoming campaign. Jensen, 6'1, 150 lbs., 26 yrs, and Bechmann, 6'3, 170 lbs., 22 yrs., are both natives of Denmark and come to the Battery from Danish Division I team, Vejle Boldklub Elitfodbold A/S. Both players participated in the first week of pre-season player trials in December.

Charleston Battery players under contract for 2004: Chris Bagley, Andreas Bechmann , Ted Chronopoulos, Paul Conway, Linval Dixon, Nick Downing, Chris Doyle, Justin Evans, Chris Goos, Michael Green, Josh Henderson, Dusty Hudock, Kevin Jackson, Henrik Jensen , Steve Klein, Aleksey Korol, Greg Simmonds and Mark Watson

[Frank Cunha]

Thunder Re-Sign Three 21/02/04

The Minnesota Thunder announced today three returning players for the 2004 season, including veteran Mark Schulte. Shulte is returning for his fifth year on defense with the Thunder, Evan Richardson and Chris Vorenkamp return for their second season.

“Schulte is a consistent, dominant, positive force in the team and league and we are excited to have him back again this season,” said coach Buzz Lagos.

Schulte, 26, played 28 games in the 2003 season with a total of 2,518 minutes, scoring two goals and making one assist as defender. In 2002 he played 27 games while logging 2,184 minutes, and finished third in the team with six assists. He was also the Second team All-A-League selection. Schulte played soccer in college with new Thunder midfielder Godfrey Tenoff at the University of Dayton.

Vorenkamp and Richardson return to the Thunder to get more action than they saw last year. Michigan native Vorenkamp, 23, comes back as midfielder. He has previously played for the West Michigan Edge after attending Ohio Wesleyan University. While at OWU, he received the 2002-03 North Coast Athlete Award for his outstanding academic and athletic achievement.

Richardson, 24, started all 22 games for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2002, scoring three goals and helping the Panthers finish in the top-10 Division I teams in the country. As a graduate of St. Paul Central High school, Richardson will be making his homecoming at James Griffin Stadium, the new home of the Thunder.

[Frank Cunha]

Sixty Players Fighting for a Spot

Thunder Combine Begins Sunday




ST. PAUL, Minn. (Thursday, February 19, 2004)—After receiving over 150 applications for the 2004 Thunder Combine, Head Coach Buzz Lagos has narrowed the field and invited 60 players from 14 countries to attend the seventh annual event. Thunder hopefuls will arrive in the Twin Cities on Sunday to begin the six-day grueling process of a professional tryout. The combine will be held at Winter Park this year, the official training facility of the Minnesota Vikings.

The first full practice will begin Sunday at 6 p.m. Participants will have one training session per day to show they can make the 2004 squad. The combine will wrap up on Friday, February 27 with the last scrimmage beginning at 9 a.m.

“We have an outstanding list of players attending this year’s combine, probably the best in its seven-year history,” said Coach Lagos. “We are always keeping our eye out for that soccer gem that has fallen through the cracks.”

The combine has a history of uncovering talent. In 2003, Alvin Hudson became the most recent combine attendee to make the Thunder. The combine has also produced such talent as Zafer Kilickan, a native of Turkey, and Johnny Menyonger, a five-year Thunder veteran, who led the A-League in scoring his rookie year in 2000.

For a complete combine schedule, contact the Minnesota Thunder at 651.917 TEAM (8326).

NEW Thunder Contact Information:

2124 University Ave. West
Suite 215
St. Paul, MN 55114
651.917.TEAM (8326)
651.917.1088 (fax)

[Frank Cunha]

Courtesy of the Virginia Beach Mariners
23.Feb.2004
Virginia Beach, Virginia - The Virginia Beach Mariners announced today that will be hosting a preseason exhibition match with Major League Soccer's Dallas Burn on Friday, March 19 at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

The Mariners who finished their 2003 A-League campaign with a record of 14-9-5, going 10-3-2 at the Sportsplex, will be led by forward Dante Washington who ranked second in the League last season in goals scored with 18 in 26 games. He also ranked third in the League in points with 37. Joining Washington is midfielder Pato Aguilera who ranked sixth in the League in points with 29 and ninth in goals with 10. He also ranked third in assists with 9. Both Washington and Aguilera were named First Team All A-League. Washington played for Dallas from midseason 1996 through 1999 scoring 24 goals and 15 assists and in 1997 he led Dallas in points with 30. Mariner midfielder Hamisi Amani-Dove also played for Dallas in 2002 appearing in six games.

Major League Soccer veteran Steve Jolley, a local standout from Kempsville High School and the College of William and Mary, currently plays for Dallas, having been acquired from the New York/New Jersey Metrostars in the off-season. A 1997 graduate of the College of William and Mary, he finished 3rd in school history with 37 assists. Matt Behnke, from Williamsburg is also on the Burn's roster. He graduated from Princeton in 2001, and was a unanimous first-team All-Ivy League selection that same year. Also playing for Dallas are U.S. National Team veterans forward Jason Kreis and defender Cory Gibbs.

Team rosters have not been set for the 2004 season for either team. Rosters for Virginia Beach and Dallas will be released closer to the March 19 match date.

Tickets for the match can be purchased online at www.marinerssoccer.com and are $10 for all fans over age 3 if purchased before gametime. At the gate, all tickets will be $12. They can also be purchased in advance at the Virginia Rush office in Virginia Beach (430-3500) or by calling the Mariners office at 430-9800.

Mariners Media:
430-9800

[Matteo]

link>Veteran Williams signs with Richmond<link

Former D.C. United and MetroStars midfielder Richie Williams has signed with the A-League's Richmond Kickers. A former international for his country, Williams has seemingly left MLS after eight seasons to return to the club he started his career with.

"I'm excited to be back in Richmond," said Williams, who now begins his second stint with the Kickers. "I had a great experience here in the early part of my career. Richmond has transformed into one of the better organizations in the country and I'm happy to continue my career with them."

[revolutionfan]

Suprising news. I expected him to be back in MLS next season.

[BethlehemFC]

Count me as surprised too.
:shock:

[Frank Cunha]

I am surprise another lost for the Metrostars,
A-League is spending some money

[revolutionfan]

Originally Posted by Frank Cunha

I am surprise another lost for the Metrostars,
A-League is spending some money

Metros are not. I really hope the rumors about Teddy Sheringham are off. That move would be a sure-fire way to make MLS a retirement league.

Metros In For Sheringham?[/url]

[Frank Cunha]

VELKO IOTOV APPEARANCE SCHEDULED AT THE WOODSTOCK SOCCER COMPLEX



Saturday, February 28 2004

Former Bulgarian World Cup Forward, and current Atlanta Silverback star, Velko Iotov, will be signing autographs at the Woodstock Soccer Complex from 12-2PM on Saturday, February 28th.

This appearance will kick off a long line of appearances that Silverback players and Socrates, the Silverbacks beloved mascot, will embark on over the next few months leading up to season opener on Saturday, April 24th against the Syracuse Salty Dogs at 6PM.

Taylor Eubank, the girl’s soccer supervisor for the Roswell Santos Soccer Club, stated, “We are very excited to have Velko sign for our kids this weekend. The Roswell Soccer Club looks forward to establishing a strong relationship with the Silverbacks and we hope this will be a great start.”

All fans attending the signing will receive a 2003 Team Media Guide so you can read up on all your favorite Silverback players, along with a Velko Iotov player card, which will make the perfect autograph item.

The Atlanta Silverbacks, Atlanta’s Best Entertainment Value! For Tickets to Silverback home games, please visit www.Ticketmaster.com or by dialing 404-249-6400.

CLICK HERE FOR MAPQUEST DIRECTIONS
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED MAP OF ROSWELL FIELDS

Please call Kris Johnson for further details at 770-248-0492 x227

[Frank Cunha]

Sounders Announce 2004 Pre-Season Exhibition Schedule

Courtesy of the Seattle Sounders
27.Feb.2004
Seattle, Wash. - - The Seattle Sounders finalized a preseason schedule beginning in early April at the new Starfire Sports Soccer Complex in Tukwila. The preseason schedule takes the Sounders all over the Pacific Northwest.

The 2004 preseason schedule kicks off on April 3rd against La Liga Hispana All-Stars at Starfire Sports, a new 54-acre world-class soccer facility. Prior to the game, the Sounders and Liga Hispana, along with the Starfire trainers led by Michelle French, a former U.S. Women's National Soccer Team member will host a drop-in clinic for those in attendance.

Tickets for the preseason match on April 3rd are available immediately on a first-come, first-serve basis and can be obtained by contacting Starfire Sports at (206) 431-3232 or www.starfiresports.com. A limited supply of 2,000 tickets are available.

The rest of the three week preseason schedule includes two games against A-League Western Conference rival Vancouver Whitecaps and one against the PDL Yakima Reds.

On April 10th, the Sounders play in Bellingham against Vancouver, starting at 7pm at Civic Stadium.

The Sounders play at French Field in Kent on April 17th against the Oregon State University Beavers; game begins at 7pm.

The following day, on April 18th the Sounders travel to Chilliwack, B.C. to play the Whitecaps, game time is 5pm.

The Sounders travel east to Yakima to play the PDL Yakima Reds on April 23rd at 7pm.

The final preseason game, on April 25th will be held at Mount Vernon High School where the Sounders will play the WSSA Selects at 5pm.

Sounders open tryouts are on March 6th and 7th at Starfire Sports. Women's tryouts begin at 12:30pm, followed by the men at 3:30pm. Registration is $50.00 for both men and women.

For more information about the Sounders preseason schedule or open tryouts please call (206) 622-3415 or visit www.seattlesounders.net.

[Frank Cunha]

http://www.whitecapssoccer.com/news/releases/feb/vvrelease29.htm?Press_ID=1635

[Frank Cunha]

don't be surprise if some of this guys will be playing in the A-League


Chad McCarty (team waived by: Columbus), Ali Curtis (Dallas), Chad Deering (Dallas), Brian Dunseth (Dallas), Ezra Hendrickson (Dallas), Jose Alegria (D.C. United), Milton Reyes (D.C. United), Edgar Bartolomeu (MetroStars).

[BethlehemFC]

Originally Posted by Frank Cunha

don't be surprise if some of this guys will be playing in the A-League


Chad McCarty (team waived by: Columbus), Ali Curtis (Dallas), Chad Deering (Dallas), Brian Dunseth (Dallas), Ezra Hendrickson (Dallas), Jose Alegria (D.C. United), Milton Reyes (D.C. United), Edgar Bartolomeu (MetroStars).

I'm a little surprised by Dunseth.

[Frank Cunha]

a lot big names, but they been replaced by the draft players, they could get back in the league with expansion