Indiana University Continues to Bring in the Big Names...

Last year at this time we were reading about IU signing Lee Nguyen. At the time Lee was a highly rated high school player in Texas. He turned down the low paying MLS for a scholarship at IU. That in itself shows that MLS needs to do a better job of recuiting young talent. Nguyen went on to be named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, before impressing the world renowned head coach of PSV Eindhoven, Guus Hiddink. After one season at IU, Nguyen moved to Holland to start his pro career. Nguyen has played at many levels for the US Youth National program.

So, when you read about the incoming class at IU, you know you have to remember the names. One day they can be a high school standout, the next an IU freshman, the next a pro in Europe. A new addition to the already strong incoming class is Daniel Kelly. Daniel has showed his versatility with the U-17s and can play in the back, midfield and forward positions. He spent a year at the U.S. Soccer Under-17 Residency Program in Florida with two of his other IU teammates, Kevin Alston and Ofori Sarkodie. All three of the incoming players are sure to see a some good playing time this upcoming season at IU. They have great training after the residency program and head coach Mike Freitag will surely continue to build on their strong foundations.

All three players were in MLS' sights before the January SuperDraft. The low potential salary and uncertain playing time were no doubt factors in their choice to attend IU. As previous years have shown, attending IU is a good step in the development of young soccer players. MLS has a ways to go before they trump this college program.