If you are a young soccer player and have aspirations of becoming a high draft pick in an upcoming Major League Soccer Superdraft, better plan on spending some time in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The first six picks from the MLS draft held in Indianapolis Friday played their college soccer in the ACC. That includes Real Salt Lake's first pick, No. 4 overall, goalkeeper Chris Seitz, who spent two seasons at Maryland. As a freshman, the 6-foot-4 Seitz helped lead the Terrapins to a national championship. He left after his sophomore season with a 28-5-3 record including 16 shutouts.
"Chris was No. 1 on our list, and we were skeptical he would still be there," said RSL general manager Steve Pastorino. "He has been called the best young keeper to come along in America in 20 years."
While Seitz was the top target for Real, the young keeper liked the idea of coming to Utah.
"I am very excited for the opportunity to come to Salt Lake and play with all the great players that are already there," said the 19-year-old Seitz of Florida, where he is training with the U-20 National Team. Seitz and new teammate Freddy Adu, who Seitz said came and gave him a big high-five as the selection was announced, leave for Panama today along with the rest of the U-20s for a CONCACAF qualifying tournament.
"It will be great to step on the field with guys like Jason Kreis, Jeff Cunningham and Scott Garlick. The team has a lot of great players and great talent. I don't think there is a better situation out there for me anywhere."
Seitz knows that he has his work cut out for him when he does get together with the team. Garlick is one of the top goalkeepers in MLS history, but the young Generation adidas keeper does not feel that is necessarily a bad thing to come to a team with an established starter.
"It will be a great chance for me to learn behind a keeper like him," said Seitz. "He has so much experience and so many skills. I am looking forward to watching and learning and then hopefully competing with him."
Coach John Ellinger has extremely high expectations for RSL's newest member.
"We think we got the best goalkeeping talent to come along in a while," he said. "Seitz has all the physical tools. Great hands, shot stopper, good in the air, he is legit. He will challenge for the national team goalkeeper position at some time here in his career. It was a no-brainer for us. We knew that he was the perfect fit," added Ellinger.
RSL selected Steven Curfman with its second and only other pick in the draft (No. 30 overall). Curfman also played his college soccer in the ACC. He had a four-year career at Wake Forest. The 5-foot-10, 150-pound midfielder played under Ellinger while on the U-17 National Team and said he is excited not only to be reunited with them, but for the opportunity to play with some of RSL's more established players.
"I grew up watching the veteran guys like Jeff Cunningham and Carey Talley, and I can't wait to learn from them and play alongside them," said Curfman.
Ellinger said he was excited that Curfman was still on the board when it got down to RSL's pick.
"Steve is a tremendously gifted soccer player," said the coach. "He is athletic with good speed and a good work rate. I know the kid can play. He is very versatile and can play both sides of the field, which give us some options."
Real also acquired another player in a trade with New England. RSL sent a supplemental draft pick to the Revolution in exchange for Kyle Brown.
"Kyle is a former all-state running back from Texas, so that shows you what kind of an athlete he is," said Pastorino. "It was like giving up a fifth- or sixth-round pick for him, and we are excited to get him."
Overall, RSL was happy with how the draft went — at least on paper.
"You never know until you get the players out there playing," said Ellinger. "But I would have to say we helped ourselves a great deal. I am excited with the new players we got."
E-mail: mblack@desnews.com