Josh Alcala Invited to Major League Soccer Combine

Dec. 1, 2005

South Carolina senior Josh Alcala received an invitation to the 2006 adidas Major League Soccer Player Combine, the league office announced on Wednesday. Alcala is among 54 seniors from NCAA Division I men’s soccer teams selected to compete in event, held Jan. 12-15 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Alcala capped an outstanding senior season by earning first-team All-Conference USA honors. He finished as the Gamecocks’ second-leading scorer with 23 points on eight goals and a team-best nine assists this season. The Buda, Texas, native also led all C-USA players in scoring during league play, compiling 18 points on seven goals and eight assists. After starting the season with an 0-5-0 record, South Carolina rallied to go 12-2-2 in its last 16 matches. Alcala scored all 23 of his points during that stretch. A four-year starter, he helped USC to three NCAA Tournament appearances during his career and the Conference USA Tournament Championship in 2005.

The coaching staffs and general managers of all 12 MLS teams will attend the combine to scout talent before making their SuperDraft selections at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 20. Of the 48 players chosen in last year’s draft, 39 had participated in the combine the week before.

This year’s initial list of combine participants was selected by a panel of Division I coaches representing all conferences. The college coaches nominated and voted for players in conjunction with MLS coaches.

ADIDAS MLS PLAYER COMBINE LIST BY SCHOOL
* Finalists for 2005 Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy

University of Akron
M Yohann Mauger
F Ross McKenzie

Birmingham-Southern College

F Karim Dietz

Bradley University
GK Chris Dunsheath

California State University, Northridge
M Dan Paladini

University of California (Cal-Berkeley)
F Calen Carr
GK Eric Kronberg
D Tyson Wahl

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
D Jordan Harvey

Clemson University
D Justin Moore

University of Connecticut
D Willis Forko
M Mpho Moloi

Creighton University
M Matt Wieland

University of Dayton
F Omar Jarun