Foxborough, Mass. - The New England Revolution's top three draft choices from the 2007 MLS SuperDraft - midfielder Wells Thompson, midfielder/defender Amaechi Igwe and midfielder Ryan Solle - have all signed their first professional contracts with Major League Soccer to play for the Revs, the team announced today. Per team and league policies, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Thompson, 23, the Revs' first choice in the 2007 SuperDraft at number five overall, joins the team after a four-year career at Wake Forest. Thompson appeared in 80 career games for the Demon Deacons, starting 66, both in the midfield and as a forward. He scored 16 goals in his career and added 10 assists. He earned Atlantic Coast Conference all-tournament honors as a senior in 2006, after garnering ACC All-Freshman accolades in 2003.
Thompson - and Solle - were both collegiate teammates of current Revs Michael Parkhurst and James Riley at Wake Forest, playing with them in 2003 and 2004.
Igwe, 18, and a current player for the U.S. Under-20 National Team, is a member of the 2007 Generation adidas class having signed a contract with MLS after his freshman season at Santa Clara. The Revolution selected Igwe in the first round of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft with the 12th overall selection. Igwe was a member of the U.S. U-20 team that recently qualified for its record-setting sixth consecutive FIFA Under-20 World Cup, which will be played this summer in Canada. He has made seven appearances for the U-20 team in the last two seasons.
In one season at Santa Clara, Igwe earned All-West Coast Conference honorable mention and All-Freshman Team honors, helping the Broncos advance to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. He scored five goals and added three assists playing as a forward.
Igwe is the third Generation adidas member on the Revs, joining Parkhurst ('05) and Willie Sims ('06).
Solle, 21, was selected by the Revolution in the second round with the 25th pick overall. He was a two-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-South Region selection, and a two-time All-ACC honoree at Wake Forest. Solle set the Wake Forest single-season assist record (13) as a junior in 2005, and finished his career ranked second in the career category (27). Like Thompson, he helped lead the Demon Deacons to four straight NCAA Tournaments, including an appearance in the 2006 College Cup when he was the team captain. Solle scored six career goals for the Demon Deacons, including five as a senior in 2006.
The Revolution kicks off the 2007 season on April 7 against the Chicago Fire in Bridgeview, Ill., before hosting league newcomer Toronto FC - featuring former Revs midfielder José Cancela and former D.C. United forward Alecko Eskandarian - on Saturday, April 14 in the second game of a special doubleheader that also sees the U.S. Women's National Team take on Mexico's Women's National Team at Gillette Stadium.
Season ticket packages - which include tickets to the Women's National Team, as well tickets 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.
