Foxborough, Mass. - The New England Revolution announced today that it has added four players to its roster, as forward Adam Cristman, defender Gary Flood, goalkeeper Brad Knighton and forward Chris Loftus signed with Major League Soccer to play for the Revs. Additionally, midfielder Miguel Gonzalez has re-signed to remain with the Revolution. Per MLS and team policies, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Cristman, 22, was selected by the Revolution in the fourth round (48th overall) of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. He was a two-time All-ACC selection at Virginia, also garnering NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region honors in his junior and senior seasons. Cristman scored 34 goals and added 15 assists in his four-year UVa career, leading the Cavaliers to the semifinals of the 2006 NCAA College Cup. As a senior, Cristman scored 10 goals and added five assists. Cristman is a former member of the U.S. Under-17 and Under-18 National Teams and recently returned from a tour of duty with the U.S. Under-23 team where he scored three of the team's four goals in three games.
Flood, 21, was selected by the Revolution in the second round (25th overall) of the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft. He appeared in 21 games for Hofstra as a senior in 2006, scoring one goal and adding five assists as one of the Pride's captains for the three-time defending Colonial Athletic Association champions. A central defender, Flood was an NSCAA All-South Atlantic selection and was honored as the MVP of the 2005 CAA Tournament.
Knighton, 22, earned an extended trial with the Revolution after a successful tryout with the team in early February. Knighton was a two-time NSCAA All-Southeast Region and All-Colonial Athletic Association selection at UNC-Wilmington. In his senior season in 2006, he established a new program record for goals against average (0.83 GAA) and posted six shutouts. He started all but four of UNCW's games in his career while playing for head coach Aidan Heaney, a former goalkeeper for the Revolution (1996-97).
Loftus, 22, was selected by the Revolution in the third round (38th overall) of the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft. He scored 24 goals and added 14 assists in 80 appearances for Duke, both at midfield and forward. A two-time Blue Devil captain, Loftus was an All-ACC selection as a junior and an ACC All-Freshman team honoree in 2003. He scored one of Duke's two goals against UCLA in the 2006 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals after missing the latter part of the season with an injury.
Gonzalez, 19, signed with the Revolution in July 2006, and has yet to make an appearance with the first team. In 2006, he made three appearances with the club's reserve side, playing 100 minutes mostly on the left wing. A U.S. and Mexico dual citizen, Gonzalez signed with the Revs out of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., last season. He is also a member of the U.S. Under-20 player pool, making four appearances with the squad in 2006 when he scored two goals, including the game-winning goal against Haiti on Oct. 23, 2006.
The Revolution kicks off the 2007 season on April 7 against the Chicago Fire in Bridgeview, Ill., before hosting league newcomer Toronto FC at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, in the second game of a special event doubleheader that also sees the U.S. Women's National Team take on Mexico's Women's National Team at Gillette Stadium at 5 p.m.
Season ticket packages - which includes tickets to the home opener special soccer event doubleheader, as well as the Aug. 12 meeting against the Los Angeles Galaxy and David Beckham and to games at Gillette Stadium as part of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup - are on sale now. Call 1-877-GET-REVS for more information.
