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January 14, 2010
HELP ALL OVER
Revs looking for competition from draft picks
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The Revs first round draft pick Zack Schilawski with coach Steve Nicol.
Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
PHILADELPHIA---The New England Revolution may have added some potency to their attack with first round draft selection Zack Schilawski.
The Wake Forest midfielder, who was taken 9th overall, comes to New England with some goal scoring credentials.
In four years with the Demon Deacons, he has tallied 40 goals and 20 assists. Last season, he was a third team All-American and a first team all ACC selection.
“He’s got a hunger for the game,” said Revolution coach Steve Nicol. “When somebody like Zack comes along and is available.... Lets just hope he does what he does best.
“We’re kind of losing an older experienced guy on the field and in the locker room, he is one of the leaders on the team,” Nicol said of the draft day trade of Chris Albright to the New York Red Bulls. “On the other hand we’re going to get some young hungry, talented guys who are eventually going to be as successful as Chris Albright was."
The Revs added Seth Simovic of Creighton University in the second round with the 25th overall pick, then picked South Florida midfielder Zak Boggs with the selection they got from the Red Bulls, the 32st overall. Kentucky’s Jason Griffiths was selected with the 48th overall pick, the last selection of the third round which they got via New York and Real Salt Lake. In the fourth round, New England took Adam Welch from Lehigh.
“We’re looking for players all over the field,” said Nicol. “We’re looking for competition as well. If you can get competition all over the field, its going to make everybody better.”
Simovic was a three time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, and scored eight goals in his career with the Blue Jays.
Boggs had 18 goals and recorded eight assists for a total of 46 points in his career, helping the Bulls win their first Big East Championship in 2008. He was recently selected to the 2009 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Men's Division I All-Northeast Region First Team. Boggs started in all 44 games for the Bulls the past two seasons and was second on the team in scoring during the 2008 season with 15 points.
Griffiths played in 64 career games with 34 points for the Wildcats, including three goals and one assist, playing in 17 games this past season.
Welch was the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and an NSCAA First Team All-Mid Atlantic Region selection.
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