PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have signed 2016 MLS SuperDraft selections midfielder/winger Neco Brett (No. 40 overall), pending receipt of a P-1 visa, and goalkeeper Wade Hamilton (No. 61 overall), it was announced today. Brett and Hamilton join forward/winger Ben Polk, Portland’s first-round selection (No. 20 overall) in this year’s SuperDraft, on the Timbers 2016 roster.
Additionally, it was announced that defender Trevor Morley, who was drafted No. 81 overall by the Timbers in this year’s SuperDraft, has been signed by T2 for the 2016 USL season.
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Brett, 23, has garnered experience with the Jamaica U-17 and U-20 Men’s National Team. Brett registered 42 goals and 16 assists in four seasons with Robert Morris University, tallying 13 goals and five assists during his senior season in 2015 in which he ranked tied for seventh in the nation in goal-scoring and was named an NSCAA Third-Team All-American and Northeastern Conference Player of the Year. Brett ranks second all-time in career goals for the Colonials.
Hamilton, 21, recorded eight clean sheets in 21 starts for California Polytechnic State University in 2015. In addition, Hamilton was named Big West Conference Goalkeeper of the Year for a second consecutive season and also earned First-Team All-Big West Conference honors. In his junior season, Hamilton was recognized as the Big West Conference Goalkeeper of the Year and named to the NSCAA All-Far West Region third team and All-Big West first team in 2014.
As a senior at Cal-State University Northridge in 2015, Morley earned Big West Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as First-Team All-Big West Conference recognition for a third consecutive season, becoming the first CSU Northridge player since 2007 to accomplish that feat in three straight seasons.
The Timbers will open the 2016 MLS season at home against Columbus Crew SC on Sunday, March 6, at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific). The match will be broadcast live on ESPN with a local radio broadcast on 750 AM/102.9 FM The Game (KXTG) and in Spanish on La GranD 93.5 FM (KGDD).
T2 will open the 2016 USL season on the road against Swope Park Rangers on Saturday, March 26, at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific).
Transaction: Portland Timbers sign midfielder/winger Neco Brett and goalkeeper Wade Hamilton on March 1, 2016
Neco Brett
Position: Midfielder/Winger
Height: 5-8
Weight: 165
Born: March 22, 1992
Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica
Citizenship: Jamaica
Acquired: Signed on March 1, 2016
Wade Hamilton
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-2
Weight: 195
Born: Sept. 15, 1994
Hometown: Murrieta, Calif.
Acquired: Signed on March 1, 2016
