St. John's University Athletics
Kitson Heads To 2009 adidas MLS Combine
1/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Jan. 9, 2009
QUEENS, N.Y. - After a stellar senior campaign, St. John's goalkeeper Neal Kitson is showcasing his skills at the 2009 adidas MLS Player Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., from Jan. 9-13. Kitson, and six other keepers, were among the initial 65 players invited to the combine.
The coaches and management staffs of all 15 MLS clubs will be at the combine to scout talent in preparation for the upcoming 2009 MLS SuperDraft, which will be held on Jan. 15 in St. Louis, Mo. Of the 56 players selected in the 2008 draft, 43 participated in the combine.
The combine will separate the players into four teams that are led by Division I coaches including Chaka Daley (Providence), Bobby Clark (Notre Dame), Cam Rast (Santa Clara) and Caleb Porter (Akron). The teams will play two games per day.
As a senior Kitson set a new school-record with 15 shutouts and helped lead the Red Storm to the College Cup for the fourth time in program history. Kitson's 0.48 goals against average, the second best in school history, ranked fifth in the country. The keeper's .888 save percentage also ranked fourth in the country. A third-team All-BIG EAST selection, Kitson was named a Soccer America MVP at season's end.
St. John's has had 11 players selected in the MLS SuperDraft, including a school-record three draft picks in 2006. Former M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner Chris Wingert is the program's highest-ever draft pick, selected 12th overall in the 2004 SuperDraft.
