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Four Taken in MLS SuperDraft
MLS SuperDraft

	Diogo de Almeida, SMU

Jan. 12, 2012

IRVING, Texas – Four Conference USA Men’s Soccer players were selected in the 2012 Major League Soccer Super Draft Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. Diogo de Almeida of SMU, Kevan George and Warren Creavalle of UCF and Babayele Sodade of UAB were selected in the second round. C-USA players have been selected in every MLS draft since the league began its draft in 1996.

The four C-USA selections are the most since the 2006 MLS SuperDraft when five players were taken in the four-round event and equals the 2004 draft for the second-most league players selected.

Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, de Almeida, was selected First Team All-C-USA and was named the Defensive MVP of the C-USA Tournament. The defender started 20 games for the Mustangs this season, netting four goals and averaging over 92.5 minutes per game. He had a three-game goal-scoring streak from Oct. 12-21, including back-to-back game-winning goals against FIU and Missouri State.

Sodade, a first-team All-Conference USA performer, led UAB in goals (13), assists (5), shots (53) and points (31). He also had a league-leading eight game-winning goals on the campaign as he led the Blazers to their first NCAA berth since 2006 and a co-regular season championship.

Creavalle and George were both selected to the All-Conference USA First Team when they helped the Knights advance to the second round of the NCAA Championship for the second-consecutive year. UCF was ranked in the top-25 nationally for nearly the entire campaign, and moved to as high as No. 6.

George had a pair of goals and seven assists this past year, when he started all 21 contests for the Knights. During his four-year career, he started all 73 matches and recorded six goals and 16 assists, which ranks 10th in program history. George was a three-time All-C-USA First Team selection.

Creavalle appeared in 17 contests, making 16 starts during 2011. He recorded one goal and three assists and was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. After his junior season, when he tallied four goals and 12 assists, Creavalle garnered NSCAA All-America Third Team honors.

All-time C-USA MLS SuperDraft Selections (MLS College Draft from 1996-99:

Overall selection (round) Player, School, Pos., Team

2012