FC Dallas selected three Generation adidas and U.S. youth national team players with their first three picks in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, held on Friday afternoon at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland. College Station native Brek Shea, a 17-year old midfielder who played club soccer locally for Texans FC, was the team's first selection, chosen with the second overall pick in the draft. Later in the first round, FCD selected 17-year old goalkeeper Josh Lambo, followed by midfielder Eric Avila from UC Santa-Barbara in the second round. FCD finished the draft with two fourth round picks, choosing defender Jamil Roberts from Santa Clara University and midfielder Ben Nason from Virginia Tech. Information on the draft picks is listed below. 1st Round, 2nd Overall:
FCD selects 17-year old midfielder Brek Shea. Shea, from College Station, Texas, played club soccer for Texans FC. He is a member of the U.S. U-17 residency program in Florida.
DOB: 2-28-1990
HT: 6-3
WT: 180
Hometown: College Station, Texas
1st Round, 8th Overall:
FCD selects 17-year old goalkeeper Josh Lambo. Lambo, a native of Middleton, Wisconsin, was part of the U.S. U-17 World Cup team in 2007. He played club soccer for the Chicago Magic, and is currently a member of the U.S. U-20 national team.
DOB: 11-19-1990
HT: 6-0
WT: 206
Hometown: Middleton, Wisc.
2nd Round, 19th Overall: FC Dallas selects 20-year old midfielder Eric Avila from the University of California - Santa Barbara. In three years at UCSB, Avila scored 15 goals and added 18 assists, and was part of the team that won the 2006 NCAA College Cup. He's been a member of the U.S. U-17 national team, and is currently with the U.S. U-23 Men's National Team in a training camp in Florida.
DOB: 11-24-1987
HT: 5-8
WT: 150
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
4th Round, 45th Overall:
FCD selects defender Jamil Roberts from Santa Clara University. Jamil, whose brother Troy plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy, was the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year. In his four year college career, he started 77 of the 80 games he appeared in, contributing five goals and seven assists.
DOB: 3-4-1986
HT: 6-0
WT: 175
Hometown: Fremont, Calif. 4th Round, 50th Overall: FCD selects midfielder Ben Nason from Virginia Tech University. In his four year college career, he started 81 of the 85 games he appeared in, scoring 19 goals and adding 28 assists. DOB: 11-8-1984 HT: 5-10 WT: 180 Hometown: Stafford, Va.
FC Dallas traded the 22nd and 31st overall selections in the 2008 SuperDraft to the Columbus Crew in exchange for the Crew's natural second and third round selections in the 2009 SuperDraft. The players who join MLS as part of the Generation adidas program signed MLS contracts before completing their NCAA eligibility thereby receiving an opportunity to develop their game and hone their skills at the professional level. In addition to training and playing with one of Major League Soccer's 14 professional clubs, Generation adidas players receive educational grants to further their college education. The players will be part of the 10-man Developmental Roster, joining current Generation adidas roster players Blake Wagner, Abdus Ibrahim, and Anthony Wallace.