Club

Rosters named for 2016 adidas MLS Player Combine in Ft. Lauderdale

2016 MLS Player Combine

The sides have been picked for the upcoming 2016 adidas MLS Player Combine that will be held from Jan. 7-12 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.


A total of 60 college players have been split into four teams of 15 each, pending the announcement of Generation adidas signings (underclassmen) and other international invitees who will be added after their names are released.


And there are some updates to the preliminary list of 59 college invitees that was unveiled back on Dec. 11. There are five players who are no longer on the list: Brandon Allen (Georgetown), Bradley Bourgeois (Tulsa), Brendan Hines-Ike (South Florida), Jordan Schweitzer (Denver) and Andrew Souders (Akron). Allen signed a Homegrown Player deal with the New York Red Bulls on Dec. 21.



Replacing those five players are six additions which bring the current total to 60 rostered Combine players: Tony Alfaro (Cal State-Dominguez Hills), Connor Klekota (Notre Dame), Alex Morrell (North Florida), Norberto Ochoa (UC-Riverside), Miguel Salazar (Elon) and Taylor Washington (George Mason).


Four former Portland Timbers U-23s players are included in the Combine: Todd Wharton (Virginia), Kyle Fisher (Clemson), Dennis Castillo (Virginia Commonwealth) and James Moberg (Washington). Wharton and Castillo were both named to the 2015 PDL All-League team and Castillo was named 2015 PDL Defender of the Year. New Timbers Academy youth technical director Larry Sunderland is also participating as an assistant coach for Team X. 


The 60 players will look to leave an impression on the 20 MLS coaching staffs that will be on hand at Central Broward Regional Park for three doubleheaders that will take place on Jan. 8, Jan. 10 and Jan. 12.


Coaching assignments and current rosters for the four teams follow below:


Team Ace


NameSchoolPositionHometown/Citizenship
Duncan BackusUCSBDHigland Village, TX; USA
Justin BilyeuSIU-EdwardsvilleDSt. Louis, MO; USA
Jonathan CampbellNorth CarolinaDGreensboro, NC; USA
Zach CarrollMichigan StateDGrand Blanc, MI; USA
Robert 'T.J.' CasnerClemsonFIrvine, CA; USA
Tsubasa EndohMarylandMTokyo, Japan; Japan
Josh HeardWashingtonMVictoria, BC; Canada/UK
Callum IrvingKentuckyGKVancouver, BC; Canada
Darius MadisonUMBCFPhiladelphia, PA; USA
Zach MathersDukeMKeller, TX; USA
James 'C.' NorteyMarquetteFAccra, Ghana; Ghana
Keegan RosenberryGeorgetownDRonks, PA; USA
Tyler ThompsonStanfordMSacramento, CA; USA
Taylor WashingtonGeorge MasonDSomers, NY; USA
Todd WhartonVirginiaMGlen Allen, VA; USA

Team Ace Coaches – Head Coach: Greg Andrulis (George Mason); Asst. Coach: Junior Gonzalez (Seattle Sounders)


Team Chaos


NameSchoolPositionHometown/Citizenship
Neco BrettRobert MorrisFKingston, Jamaica; Jamaica
Paul ClowesClemsonMCheshire, UK; UK
Liam DoyleOhio StateDIsle of Man, UK; UK
Kyle FisherClemsonDEasley, SC; USA
Ryan HermanWashingtonGKFall City, WA; USA
Patrick HodanNotre DameMBrookfield, WI; USA
Femi Hollinger-JanzenIndianaFGoshen, IN; USA
Connor KlekotaNotre DameMFAmherst, OH; USA
Max LachoweckiNotre DameDEvansville, IN; USA
Jordan McCraryNorth CarolinaDMarietta, GA; USA
Chase MinterCal PolyMHeath, TX; USA
Kyle ParkerCharlotteFMarvin, NC; USA
Michael SalazarUC RiversideFCayo, Belize; USA/Belize
Cole SeilerGeorgetownDAnderson, SC; USA
Keegan SmithSan DiegoFTemecula, CA; USA

Team Chaos Coaches -- Head Coach: Kris Kelderman (Wisconsin-Milwaukee); Asst. Coach: Jeff Baicher (DeAnza Force)


Team Control


NameSchoolPositionHometown/Citizenship
Tony AlfaroCal State-Dominguez HillsDSanta Barbara, CA; USA/Mexico
Hadji BarryUCFFRochester, NY; Guinea
Colin BonnerUNC WilmingtonFFulton, MD; USA
Tyler DavidSaint LouisM/DMinneapolis, MN; USA
Ryan JamesBowling GreenMMississauga, ON; Canada
Jamie LuchiniLehighFWexford, PA; USA
Mitchell LurieRutgersDAtlanta, GA; USA
Antonio MatarazzoColumbiaMFair Lawn, NJ; USA/Italy
Alex MorrellNorth FloridaFLakeland, FL; USA
Timo PitterCreightonM/FOberschwarzach, Germany; Germany
Thomas SannerPrincetonFIndianapolis, IN; USA
Rodrigo SaraviaFlorida Gulf CoastMGuatemala City, Guatemala; Guatemala
Connor SparrowCreightonGKSt. Louis, MO; USA
Josh TurnleyGeorgetownDBeaver, PA; USA
Eric VersoStanfordMLos Angeles, CA; USA

Team Control Coaches -- Head Coach: Kevin Anderson (Columbia); Asst. Coach: Bryan Scales (New England Revolution)


Team X


NameSchoolPositionHometown/Citizenship
Emmanuel AppiahCincinnatiMWesterville, OH; USA
Dennis CastilloVCUDSan Jose, Costa Rica; Costa Rica
Mikhail DoholisOregon StateMVancouver, WA; USA
Michael GambleWake ForestFColumbia, MD; USA
Wade HamiltonCal PolyGKMurrieta, CA; USA
Vincent KellerCreightonD/MFreiburg, Germany; Germany
Sven LissekFurmanGKSewau, Germany; Germany
Ivan MagalhaesMarylandDSao Paulo, Brazil; Brazil
Vincent MitchellButlerMReckford Clarendon, Jamaica; Jamaica
James MobergWashingtonMWindsor, CA; USA
Norberto OchoaUC-RiversideFRiverside, CA; USA
Ben PolkSyracuseFHerkimer, NY; USA/UK
Miguel SalazarElonD/MTucson, AZ; USA/Mexico
Mitchell TaintorRutgersMStorrs, CT; USA
Brandon VincentStanfordDValencia, CA; USA

Team X Coaches -- Head Coach: Jared Embick (Akron); Asst. Coach: Larry Sunderland (Portland Timbers)


* = Timbers U-23s alum