University of Connecticut Athletics
Wilson Selected in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft
2/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Wilson Selected in the 2005
MLS Supplemental Draft
Taken by the New England Revolution in the Third Round
STORRS, Conn. (Feb. 8) - Senior midfielder Easton Wilson (Hartford, Conn.) of the University of Connecticut men’s soccer team was selected in the third round of the 2005 Major League Soccer (MLS) Supplemental Draft. Wilson was taken by the New England Revolution as the ninth pick in the third round, 33rd overall.
Wilson saw action in 81 games over his career with 73 starts and tallied 13 goals and 10 assists for 36 points. Over his two seasons with the Huskies after transferring from the University of Hartford, Wilson totaled one goal and six assists for eight points over 43 games with 36 starts.
MLS added the Supplemental Draft this year to help teams fill out their rosters to a record-high 28 players. Eighteen of those will be considered members of the Senior Roster, while the remaining 10 will be part of the Developmental Roster. The league will field reserve teams this season for the first time, giving developmental players a chance to play in competitive games throughout the season.
Wilson is the second UConn player to be drafted in 2005 as senior back Stephen Arias (Bakersfield, Calif.) was selected by Chivas USA as the second pick in the fourth round (38th overall pick) of the MLS SuperDraft held in Baltimore, Md. on Jan 14. Connecticut has had 12 former soccer players join the MLS over the last six years, including four draft picks during the 2002 SuperDraft. Lindon Pecorelli was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes as the 10th pick in the third round in 2004. In 2003, Damani Ralph was drafted by the Chicago Fire and Shavar Thomas joined the Dallas Burn. In 2002, Chris Gbandi was the overall No. 1 draft pick by the Dallas Burn in the SuperDraft, and was joined by Sam Forko and Mansour Ndiaye who were drafted by the NY/NJ Metro Stars and Bryheem Hancock who joined the Los Angeles Galaxy. In 2001, after UConn claimed the 2000 National Championship title, Brent Rahim was drafted by Los Angeles and Darin Lewis was picked up by the Metro Stats. In 1999, Bobby Rhine and Maurizio Rocha became the first Huskies to be drafted into the MLS. Rhine became a member of the Dallas Burn, while Rocha was drafted by the Miami Fusion as a Project-40 athlete.
