Seattle Sounders FC took four players in Tuesday’s Major League Soccer supplemental draft and, in a related move, acquired the rights to UCLA midfielder Andy Rose from Real Salt Lake in exchange for the rights to defender Leone Cruz, selected 21st overall in 2011 MLS SuperDraft.
Salt Lake obtained Rose with the sixth overall selection in the 2012 Supplemental Draft. Defender Tim Pontius of the University of California-Santa Barbara was taken with Seattle’s top pick (33rd overall) and midfielder Jason Banton of the Liverpool reserves was chosen with its second pick (34th overall).
Seattle selected University of Washington forward Abdul Aman in the third round (53rd overall) and Cal Poly defender Wes Feighner with its final pick (72nd overall).
“I think we have a good balance with two defenders, two midfielders, and a forward. We were happy to do the trade to get Andy Rose,” said Sounders FC technical director Chris Henderson. “All of these players are going to have to fight to make the roster. We have a deep team.”
Rose, 21, played four seasons at UCLA. A native of England, the midfielder was named to the All-Pac-12 Conference first teams in both. He started all 24 matches as a senior and started 73 of 81 appearances in his college career, scoring five goals and adding 11 assists.
Pontius, 22, played four seasons at UCSB, making 34 starts in his 72 appearances. He was selected to the All-Big West First Team as a senior when he started a career-high 20 games, in which he scored three goals and one assist. Pontius is the younger brother of D.C. United forward Chris Pontius.
Banton, 19, played for England at the U-17 level and made his pro debut with League Two side Burton Albion in October 2011. He played in the youth systems of Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool before signing with Leicester City in July 2011.
Aman, 22, played one season for the Huskies, scoring two game-winning goals, and started six of his 14 appearances. Before joining UW, Aman played one season (2009) at Whatcom Community College, where he was named the NWAACC North MVP after leading the league in scoring with 27 goals. He spent the 2008 season at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, where he started 15 of 17 appearances, scoring 12 goals with five assists.
Feighner, 21, made 69 appearances for Cal Poly during his four-year college career. He was a second team All-Big West defender as a senior as he led the Mustangs to a 0.90 goals against average and seven shutouts.
The Sounders open their season March 7 when they host Mexico’s Santos Laguna in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Seattle opens MLS play at home on March 17 against Toronto FC.
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