Top Players Arrive in Florida for the 2018 adidas MLS Player Combine

Top Collegiate, Youth and International Players Arrive in Florida for the 2018 adidas MLS Player Combine
Complete Media Information: Daily schedules, Player bios and Combine rosters, Key event details  
MLS announces additional signings including Virginia’s Edward Opoku to Generation adidas contract
NEW YORK
(Thursday, January 11, 2018)
– Major League Soccer today welcomes the top collegiate, youth and international players to Florida, as more than 70 talented young stars look to impress MLS coaches and team officials at the 2018 adidas MLS Player Combine at Orlando City Stadium.  The players will undergo medicals and performance testing before lining up to compete in the Combine matches.
From Generation adidas signees and NCAA National Champions to NSCAA-First Team All-Americans and a MAC Hermann Trophy winner, participants will be turning heads over three days of competition as they anxiously await their potential selection in the MLS SuperDraft 2018 presented by adidas at 11 a.m. on January 19 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.
Full details are below for media covering the Combine and SuperDraft onsite and from afar.
MLS also announced the signing of University of Virginia junior
Edward Opoku
to the 2018 Generation adidas class. In addition, seven college seniors and one youth international have also been extended invites to the 2018 adidas MLS Player Combine, while one player signed a senior contract with MLS.
Also joining the Combine are seven college seniors in Luis Argudo (Wake Forest University), Alex Bumpus (University of Kentucky), Jose Carrera-Garcia (University of California), Diego Campos (Clemson University), Xavier Gomez (University of Nebraska Omaha), Josh Morton (University of California) and Thomas Vancaeyezeele (University of Charleston).
Jon Gallagher (University of Notre Dame) also signed a senior contract with Major League Soccer.
Rounding out the Combine invitees is Youth International signing Issaka Nyemewero.
Withdrawing from the Combine were Jake Rozhansky and Rafael Sanchez. Drew Skundrich (Stanford University) has withdrawn from the Combine due to injury but is still eligible for selection in the SuperDraft.
2018 ADIDAS MLS PLAYER COMBINE
The 2018 adidas MLS Player Combine will feature top collegiate players from across the country showcasing their talents in front of representatives from all 23 MLS clubs.  All matches will be played on the game field at Orlando City Stadium, home of the Orlando City SC from January 11-17.
The invited players have been divided into four teams: Team X, Team Predator, Team Tango, and Team Nemeziz, and every team will play one game on each of the three match days for a total of three games per team.

• CLICK HERE for the individual team rosters.
  
• CLICK HERE for the 2018 adidas MLS Player Combine Guide, including player bios, event information and schedule
  

All games will be open to the public (free admission, no ticket required) with gates opening for both fans and media one hour before the start of the day’s first match.  For fans following from afar, all six Combine matches will be streamed live on
MLSsoccer.com
and the
.
2018 adidas MLS Player Combine Game Schedule

CREDENTIALS & MEDIA ENTRANCE
Media Credential pick-up for the 2018 adidas MLS Player Combine will be available at the Rosen Centre Hotel lobby on Thursday, January 11. On game days, media credential pick-up will be available at the Orlando City Stadium Media Gate. Media gates will open one hour before the start of the day’s first match.
For all credential questions or late credential requests, please contact
Charlie.Corr@MLSsoccer.com
Credential pick-up hours:

CREDENTIALED MEDIA SEATING
The Press Box will be open to credentialed media during all six games at Orlando City Stadium. Media members may sit in the Press Box (seating is first come, first served) or in Section 20 of the stands.
Press Box Hours:

POSTGAME MIXED ZONE
Following each match, players will be available for media interviews in the mixed zone, which is located next  to the Press Conference Room.
Coaches and technical staff will be available throughout the day to media upon request.
MEDIA PARKING
Parking for media members will be available at Lot E at Orlando City Stadium on game days.
CLICK HERE
for a map of the parking areas.
MLS COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT
For any additional questions regarding the 2017 adidas MLS Player Combine, please contact
Paul.Ochoa@MLSsoccer.com
MLS SUPERDRAFT 2018 PRESENTED BY ADIDAS
MLS SuperDraft 2018 presented by adidas, Major League Soccer’s annual player draft, brings together top collegiate, youth, and international players as they step into the professional ranks in MLS. This year, the SuperDraft consists of four rounds, each with 23 picks.  The first two rounds will take place on Friday, January 19th, in Philadelphia and third and fourth rounds on Jan. 21 via conference call. Notable selections in past years include: former New England Revolution and current Seattle Sounders FC forward Clint Dempsey (2004), NYCFC’s Jack Harrison (2016), 2016 Goalkeeper of the Year, Philadelphia Union’s Andre Blake (2014). 2016 AT&T Rookie of the Year, Sounders FC’ Jordan Morris, and 2017 AT&T Rookie of the Year, Atlanta United’s Julian Gressel.
MLS SuperDraft 2018 presented by adidas will be streamed live on
MLSsoccer.com
, the
, and the
MLS Facebook page
with live updates through MLS social media channels.
SELECTION ORDER
Expansion club Los Angeles Football Club holds the first overall selection in MLS SuperDraft 2018 presented by adidas. The following selections are by teams that did not qualify for the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, beginning with the team that earned the fewest points in the 2017 regular season, unless selections have been traded. The remaining 12 picks are ranked by fewest regular season points among teams that were eliminated in the same round of the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs.
CLICK HERE
for a continually updated SuperDraft order.  
PLAYER AVAILABILITY
All players present at the SuperDraft and MLS club technical staffs will be available to the media in a mixed zone setting after selection.
CREDENTIALS & MEDIA ENTRANCE
Media credential pick-up will begin at 8 a.m. on the morning of the SuperDraft just outside Ballroom AB at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Media members will be asked to show identification to pick up credentials. Doors to the draft room will open to media at 9:30 a.m.
For any late credential requests for the 2018 adidas MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas, please contact
Charlie.Corr@MLSsoccer.com
.
PARKING
Paid parking is available to media at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Directions and a parking map can be found
here
.
MLS COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT
For any additional questions regarding the MLS SuperDraft 2018 presented by adidas, please contact
Christa.Mann@MLSsoccer.com
UNITED SOCCER COACHES CONVENTION
The United Soccer Coaches Convention will feature an exciting slate of MLS-featured programming.
Click
here
for the full schedule of speakers and presenters.
Click
here
to apply for credentials to the United Soccer Coaches Convention.