Major League Soccer has finalized its list of senior players to be invited to the 2011 MLS Combine and the teams in the upcoming NCAA Final Four are well represented.
A total of seven seniors who will take part in this weekend's national semifinals will play in the MLS Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 8-11, where MLS coaches and scouts will evaluate the incoming talent ahead of the 2011 MLS Draft, on January 13th in Baltimore.
SBI has obtained the list of 58 seniors invited to the MLS Combine, a group that includes North Carolina playmaker Michael Farfan and Akron standout Anthony Ampaipitakwon, as well as Michigan striker Justin Meram and Louisville fullback J.T. Murray just to name a few.
The invitees will compete in a series of scrimmages that will also include members of the Generation adidas class (underclassmen) and select players from lower division schools.
Here is the complete list if senior MLS Combine invitees (a list expected to be released officially by MLS later this week):
2011 MLS Combine Senior Invitees
Eddie Ababio, North Carolina, Defender
Anthony Ampaipitakwong, Akron, Midfielder
Jalil Anibaba, North Carolina, Defender
Jeff Attinnella, South Florida, Goalkeeper
Rich Balchan, Indiana, Midfielder
Jimmy Banks, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Midfielder
Philip Bannister, Loyola (Md.), Forward
Michael Boxall, UCSB, Defender
Matheus Braga, Penn State, Midfielder
Blake Brettschneider, South Carolina, Forward/Midfielder
Jeb Brovsky, Notre Dame, Midfielder
Efrain Burgos, Cal Poly-SLO, Midfielder
Ernesto Carranza, Sacramento State, Forward/Midfielder
Servando Carrasco, California, Midfielder
Billy Cortes, Maryland, Midfielder
Juan Cruz, SMU, Defender
Tommy Drake, Clemson, Midfielder
Bilal Duckett, Notre Dame, Defender
Michael Farfan, North Carolina, Midfielder
Josh Ford, UConn, Goalkeeper
Colin Givens, Michigan State, Defender
Cole Grossman, Duke, Midfielder
Matt Gold, Ohio State, Midfielder
Jason Herrick, Maryland, Forward
Levi Houapeu, UMBC, Forward
Hector Jimenez, California, Midfielder
Greg King, UConn, Midfielder/Defender
Daniel Keat, Dartmouth, Midfielder
Greg Klazura, Notre Dame, Defender
Christopher Korb, Akron, Defender
Tyler Lassiter, North Carolina State, Defender
Brayan Martinez, Seton Hall, Midfielder/Forward
Jimmy Maurer, South Carolina, Goalkeeper
Stephen McCarthy, North Carolina, Midfielder
Dustin McCarty, North Carolina, Midfielder
Ashley McInnes, Tulsa, Forward/Midfielder
Justin Meram, Michigan, Forward
Bryan Meredith, Monmouth, Goalkeeper
J.T. Murray, Louisville, Defender
Jon Okafor, Brown, Midfielder
Demitrius Omphroy, California, Defender
Davis Paul, California, Forward
Steven Perry, Notre Dame, Forward
Lebogang Pila, St. Peter's College, Midfielder
Karl Reddick, Boston College, Midfielder
C.J. Sapong, James Madison, Forward
Indy Smith, UNC-Wilmington, Defender
A.J. Soares, California, Defender
Josue Soto, SMU, Defender
Curtis Ushedo, UAB, Defender
Amani Walker, UC-Urvine, Forward
Bobby Warshaw, Stanford, Midfielder/Defender
Konrad Warzycha, Ohio State, Midfielder
Joe Willis, University of Denver, Goalkeeper
———–
Surprising omissions? Three that come to mind initially are Virginia goalkeeper Diego Restrepo, Michigan State midfielder Spencer Thompson and Monmouth striker Ryan Kinne. It should be noted that players missing from the list could be missing due to injury or could have turned down an invitation to pursue other opportunities.
The group is comprised of players identified by MLS coaches and scouts as potential draft targets.
What do you think of the list? Who is missing from the list that you think should be on it? Who are you happy to see get an invitation? Who is your darkhorse pick to do well?
Share your thoughts below.