Jan. 4, 2007

The 2007 Major League Soccer Player Combine began Thursday in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Mike Sambursky, a four-year letterwinner for coach Mark Berson at South Carolina, is among the players reporting. The coaching staffs and general managers from all 13 MLS teams will be in attendance to scout talent in advance of the Jan. 12 MLS SuperDraft.

The 2007 MLS SuperDraft will be held on Friday, Jan. 12, in Indianapolis, Ind., in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Convention at the Indiana Convention Center. Of the 48 players selected in the four rounds of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, 23 had participated in the 2006 adidas MLS Player Combine.

Sambursky is one of six players from Conference USA who were invited to participate in the event. He is a two-time first-team all-Conference USA and all-South Region selection. The Katy, Texas, native scored 20 goal and added 22 assists during his four-year career (2003-2006) at South Carolina.

The initial list of players for this year’s combine was determined by a select panel of Division I college coaches, representing all conferences, who nominated and voted for players in conjunction with MLS coaches. The 2007 adidas MLS Player Combine will separate all players into four teams and feature doubleheaders at Lockhart Stadium on Jan. 5, 6 and 8. Players will participate in organizational training sessions today.

Earlier this week on ESPN.com’s Soccer Net, Buzz Garrick listed Sambursky as one of the top three midfield prospects available in this year’s draft. An excerpt from Garrick’s article and link to the full text are included below:

Midfield appears to be a real area of strength for the 2007 SuperDraft. With the midfield pool likely to be bolstered by some Generation adidas signings, there will be some real talent available, and not just at the top end of the list.

3. Mike Sambursky, South Carolina — Although never earning the national accolades of others, Sambursky has quietly built an impressive reputation among scouts and media for his tenacity, will, grit and desire to win. The two-time C-USA and All South Region first-teamer is the kind of player who can take over a game and win it single-handedly. Although he can be streaky, hard-nosed Sambursky will break someone in half to get to a ball when he’s in the mood. Click Here for Full Text