Six Deacons Selected in 2009 MLS SuperDraft
1/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Jan. 15, 2009
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Six members of the 2008 Wake Forest men's soccer team were selected in the 2009 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, held Thursday in St. Louis.
A pair of Demon Deacon midfielders were selected in the first round as Sam Cronin went to Toronto FC with the second pick, while Michael Lahoud was selected by Chivas USA in the ninth spot. Cronin joins former Wake Forest goalkeeper Brian Edwards on the Toronto FC squad.
Defender Evan Brown was taken with the first pick of the second round, the 16th pick overall, by MLS expansion team Seattle Sounders FC. D.C. United selected Lyle Adams in the second round with the 26th overall pick. Jamie Franks was selected in the fourth round by Chivas USA with the 49th pick. Marcus Tracy, who has already signed a professional contract with Aalborg of the Danish league, was drafted by the Houston Dynamo in the fourth round with the 56th pick overall.
The six players drafted from Wake Forest is a record for most players selected from one college at an MLS SuperDraft.
Cronin became a fixture in the Wake Forest midfield, starting every game during his collegiate career and setting a new school record for games played and games started with 98. The Winston-Salem native scored 10 goals and four assists during his senior season and earned first team All-American honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, College Soccer News and Soccer America. Cronin was also a finalist for the 2008 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy and won the 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Cronin closed his collegiate career with 17 goals, 19 assists and 53 points.
Lahoud, a senior midfielder from Annandale, Va., saw time in every game for Wake Forest during the 2008 season. Lahoud was a mainstay in the Deacon starting 11, playing 95 games in his career, with 89 starts. The 95 career games played ranks in a tie for second at Wake Forest, while the 89 starts ranks fourth all-time at Wake Forest. Lahoud earned All-ACC Freshman honors during his rookie season and finished his career with 14 goals, 20 assists and 48 points.
Brown played in all 24 games for Wake Forest during the 2008 season, including 22 starts. He played 89 games during his career and finished with four goals, 15 assists and 23 points. The Raleigh, N.C., native scored two goals and added eight assists during his senior season. He also helped to contribute to 14 shutouts during his senior campaign. Brown scored the game-winning goal in Wake's quarterfinal victory over NC State in the 2008 ACC Tournament.
A defender from Orlando, Fla., Adams played in 95 games as a Demon Deacon, including 91 starts. The 95 games played ranks Adams in a tie for second on the Wake Forest career games played list, and the 91 starts puts him in third on the all-time games started list at Wake Forest. Adams finished his senior season with three goals, three assists and nine points, including a goal in Wake's win over South Florida in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Franks, a midfielder from Medford, N.J., played in 93 games as a Demon Deacon, making 70 starts. Franks finished his career with seven goals and 20 assists, including three goals and 11 helpers during the 2008 season. Franks scored the game-winning goal in Wake's victory over South Florida during the quarterfinals of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
The 2008 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner, Tracy finished the 2008 season with 13 goals and 10 assists, becoming one of only two players in college soccer to finish the season with double-digit totals in goals and assists. A 2008 consensus first-team All-American, Tracy finished his college career with 30 goals, 23 assists and 83 points in 77 games played. He ranks in the top 10 in school history in points (6th, 83), goals scored (6th, 30) and assists (8th, 23).
