GONZALO SEGARES DRAFTED BY CHICAGO FIRE

Played for the Williamsburg Legacy in 2002, 2003 and 2004

 

On Friday Gonzalo Segares of the Williamsburg Legacy was drafted by the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer (MLS). Segares becomes the fourth Williamsburg Soccer Club player to be drafted into MLS after Adin Brown (Colorado Rapids), Matt Behncke (FC Dallas) and Phil Hucles (Chicago Fire).  “Sega is a very talented left footed player who I think has a real chance to do well in MLS. This is a tremendous achievement for him. He has been a key part of the Legacy over the past three years and it is great to see him get a chance to move on to the next level. His vision, speed of play and his competitiveness have always shown though and it is these attributes that hopefully will see him through at the MLS level” said Richard Butler, Head Coach of the Legacy.

 

For more details on the draft please read below.

30 PDL players taken in MLS 2005 SuperDraft
Eight Chicago Fire Reserves selected, three in First Round

USL News Release

 

Friday, January 14, 2005

 

BALTIMORE, MD – At the Major League Soccer 2005 SuperDraft in Baltimore, Maryland Friday, 30 players with Premier Development League experience, including eight players from the unbeaten 2004 Chicago Fire Reserves were selected.

The Fire Reserves have become a leader in player development in the PDL by doubling last year’s four draft picks with eight in 2005, including three in the First Round. The first three PDL players selected in the First Round all hailed from the Fire Reserves with six PDL players in total going in the First Round.

The Fire Reserves’ Brad Guzan, the 2004 PDL Goalkeeper of the Year, was the first PDL player taken in the draft, going as the second pick to expansion Chivas USA out of Los Angeles. Two selections later, Fire Reserves midfielder Danny O’Rourke was taken as the fourth overall pick by the San Jose Earthquakes. FC Dallas jumped into the mix with the sixth pick by taking defender Drew Moor, who helped lead Guzan to a league-low seven goals allowed in the 18-game season.

Former Texas Spur Hunter Freeman (7th, Colorado Rapids), Bradenton Academic Michael Parkhurst (9th, New England Revolution) and Indiana Invader Jack Stewart (10th, Chicago Fire) were also taken in the First Round.

Other Fire Reserve selections were Chris Rolfe (29th, Chicago), CJ Klaas (32nd, San Jose), Thabiso Khumalo (36th, Chicago), Luke Kreamalmeyer (37th, Real Salt Lake) and Julian Nash (40th, DC United), who led the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in scoring in 2004 with four goals and two assists. 

PDL 2004 semifinalist Carolina Dynamo saw four players taken in the draft with Marcus Storey and James Riley going back-to-back as the 20th and 21st selections to the Columbus Crew and Revolution, respectively, in the Second Round. Amir Lowery and Tim Merritt were drafted 45th and 48th by Colorado and DC in the Fourth Round.

Storey finished tied for eighth in the PDL goal scoring (15) in 2004 with forward Cameron Knox, who was one of three former Michigan Bucks taken in the draft. He was joined by John Minigawa-Webster (47th, Kansas City Wizards) and Khumalo, who played three seasons with the Bucks before joining the Fire Reserves last year.

Twenty of the players drafted played more than one season in the PDL with the 30 draftees averaging just over two seasons worth of experience.