MLS: Player Combine Biographies (Defenders)

• by Soccer America , Jan 30, 1997

Here is some biographical information on some of the defenders at the MLS player combine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Note: GC = Green Card holder; I = International Player

DAVID BANKS (GC)

Currently playing indoors in the NPSL with the Buffalo Blizzard.... Also had a short stint this season with the St. Louis Ambush.... Played for the perennial indoor champion San Diego Sockers from 1990-96.... Played for the Penn-Jersey Spirit in the APSL in 1990.... Played 1986-90 at Philadelphia Textile.... Was the Major Soccer League Rookie of the Year for the 1990-91 season with the Sockers.... Was a CISL All-Star in 1993, 1994 and 1996.... Was the Sockers' Defender of the Year in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995.

MIKE BRITTON

Played the 1996 CISL season with the Houston Hotshots, starting every game as a defender.... Scored 11 goals with 7 assists in the regular season with 4 goals and 3 assists in the playoffs.... Scored a goal 4 seconds into a game, a CISL record.... Played for the Buffalo Blizzard of the NPSL from 1992-96.... Was a fourth-round draft pick out of Syracuse and the NPSL Rookie of the Year in 1992-93.... Scored a goal 7 seconds into a game with the Blizzard.... Played 1988-92 for the Orangemen and was the team's Rookie of the Year in 1988..

STEVE CADET

Played for the Long Island Rough Riders of the USISL in 1994, 1995 and 1996, winning the USISL Championship in 1995.... Has two caps with the Puerto Rican National Team and played with Puerto Rico in the 1994 Shell Cup.... Two-time NAIA All-America at Auburn-Montgomery.

BILLY CLIFFORD

Played the 1996 USISL season with the South Carolina Shamrocks.... Played at the University of South Carolina from 1992-95.... Scored 8 goals and had 5 assists coming from the back line during his career.... A member of the U.S. Under-23 National Team pool from 1993-95.

ED EDEMBA

Currently in the U.S. Navy, where he played for the Armed Forces Navy squad the last two years, but will be discharged in two months.... Played briefly with Hampton Roads Mariners in the USISL in 1995.... Played four years for Alabama A&M from 1990-94, leading the team to a 17-1 record in 1993.

TIM HARDY

A current member of the St. Louis Ambush in the NPSL, currently the league's top defensive team.... Played 1996 USISL season with the Richmond Kickers, starting 20 of 23 games at marking back.... Played at Indiana from 1991-95, starting at forward on the 1994 Big-10 champion and NCAA runner-up squad.... Captained the Hoosiers during 1995 while playing sweeper, but saw limited action while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

BILLY HARTE

Currently playing indoors with the Baltimore Spirit in the NPSL.... Played 1995 and 1996 in the USISL with the Baltimore Bays.... Played in the CISL from 1994-96 with the Washington Warthogs.... Saw action from 1992-94 with the U.S. National "B" Team.... Played 1990-94 at Loyola College, starting 85 of 86 games during his career, and was All-Conference three times.

EZRA HENDRICKSON

The captain of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Team, he holds dual citizenship with the USA.... Has 20 caps and one goal with St. Vincent and participated in World Cup 1998 qualifying.... Also played with St. Vincent in the 1996 Shell/Umbro Cup and the 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup.... Played the 1995-96 USISL seasons with the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers.... Was the 1996 Select League Defender of the Year and a USISL All-Star.... The Gamblers' MVP in 1995 and 1996.... Played in 1994 with the Des Moines Menace in the USISL, scoring 13 goals as a forward.... Played 1990-93 at Drake, becoming the school's single season and career leader in points and goals.... An NCAA All-American in 1993.

ERIC KIRSCH

Currently with VfL Bochum, playing in the German Third Division.... Played last two seasons with Bochum.... Played 1994 with Rot-Weiss Essen, also in the Third Division.... Entered German soccer in the Fourth Division with STV Horst in 1993.... Played 1987-92 at UC Irvine.

CARLOS LLAMOSA (GC)

Played last A-League season with the New York Fever.... Was the Fever's MVP and an A-League All-Star.... Scored 4 goals and had 2 assists in the regular season.... Played 1995 with the New York Centaurs of the A-League.... Played on the amateur level in 1992-95 with All-State America..

CHRIS MARTINEZ

Played 1993-96 with the Colorado Foxes, winning the APSL championship in 1993.... Captained the Foxes in 1996.... Played 1994-96 with the Wichita Wings of the NPSL and was a First-Team All-Rookie selection.... Was the Wings "Ironman of the Year" in his second season, playing the most minutes on the team.... Played 1989-92 at Clemson University, starting 76 out of 82 career games.

JOEY MARTINEZ

Played last USISL season with the Milwaukee Rampage.... Played 1995-96 with the Detroit Rockers of the NPSL.... Also played in 1995 with the Rampage.... Played in the San Diego Nomads youth system before being selected by the Rockers in the Third Round of the Amateur draft.

PAUL McDONNELL

Played 1996 CISL season with the Anaheim Splash.... Also played 1994-95 with the Splash, and played 1995-96 NPSL season with the Cincinnati Silverbacks.... Was a CISL All-Rookie selection in 1994.... Played at Cal State Fullerton from 1991-93 and captained the Titans in his final two seasons.... Helped the Titans to a Final Four appearance in 1993 and scored 18 goals with 13 assists in his college career.

SERGIO MIGUEZ (I)

Signed his first contract as a professional in 1986 with River Plate. Also played Argentina with Racing Club, Instituto de Cordoba, Colon de Santa Fe and Mandiyu de Corrientes and Platense.... Played this past season with San Martin de Tucuman of the Second Division..

KEVIN MORRIS

Played 1996 USISL season with the California Jaguars and the Reno Rattlers.... Played 1995 season with the Monterey Bay Jaguars.... Played 1994 USISL season with the Stockton Hydra.... Played at Cal State Hayward.

OMID NAMAZI

Currently playing indoors with the Philadelphia Kixx of the NPSL.... Just voted to start in the NPSL All-Star game in Baltimore on Feb. 9.... Played 1995-96 NPSL season with the Baltimore Spirit.... Played in the USISL in 1995 with Delaware Wizards.... Voted Defender of the Year for the Northeast Division.... Played in the APSL with the LA Salsa in 1993 and 1994.... Played with the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers in 1992 and the ASL with the Maryland Bays 1990-91.... Played 1983-87 at West Virginia, earning All-South honors two years.

CURT ONALFO

Played the 1996 MLS season with the Los Angeles Galaxy, seeing action in 13 games while starting 7.... Played in MLS Cup 1996 at Foxboro Stadium.... Had one assist for the Galaxy.... Taken in Round 8 of the 1996 MLS Player Draft (74th overall), but was waived by Los Angeles after the season.... Played 1995 with Tampico Madero in the Mexican Division 1A... Played at Virginia from 1986-90 Played with the U.S. National "B" Team in 1988-89 and with the U.S. Under-20 National Team in 1987-88.... Has one cap with the full U.S. National Team against Costa Rica in 1988.... A member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team, he scored four goals during Olympic qualifying.... A member of the 1991 gold-medal winning U.S. Pan American Games team.... Overcame a six-month bout with Hodgkin's Disease to earn a contract with MLS, becoming one of the first players signed.... Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Nov. 19, 1969, the same day Pele scored his 1,000th goal.

DANNY PENA

Played part of this NPSL season with the Cincinnati Silverbacks.... Played 1995-96 with the Sacramento Knights of the CISL.... The 1995 CISL Defender of the Year and a two-time All-CISL selection.... Scored 19 goals with 20 assists in 1995 with the Knights.... Began professional career straight out of high school in 1988 and totaled a combined 59 goals and 47 assists in 125 regular season indoor games with Wichita of the MSL and Dayton of the NPSL.... A five-time All-APSL selection with the S.F. Bay Blackhawks (three seasons) and the Los Angeles Salsa (two seasons)... Played in the 1987 Youth World Championships for the USA.... Brother Carlos is a longtime indoor player with Cinncinatti of the NPSL.

TRAVIS RINKER

Made two appearances for the MetroStars in 1996, totaling 27 minutes.... Played for the Long Island Rough Riders in the USISL since 1994.... The USISL Defender of the Year in 1994 and 1996.... A USISL All-Star in 1994, 1995 and 1996.... A member of the 1995 USISL champion Rough Riders team.... Played for the New York Kick in the NPSL in 1990-91.... Played at the University of Bridgeport from 1986-90.

WALTER VARELA (I)

Broke into the Argentinean First Division in 1995-96 with Banfield.... Played in 1993-94 with the San Lorenzo reserves.... Prior to joining San Lorenzo, he played in the youth system in his province on Catamarca.

WADE WEBBER

Played 1994-96 with the Seattle Sounders in the A-League, helping the team to two titles.... A 1996 A-League All-Star.... Played 1990 with the Seattle Storm and 1989 with the Portland Timbers.... Played 1985-88 at Portland, earning All-Conference honors three times.... Captained the Pilots in 1987 and 1988 and was the team MVP in 1985.... From 1991-94, he earned a Masters Degree in teaching and taught high school until returning to the Sounders in 1994.... Was an APSL All-Star in 1990 and was voted by the coaches as the #2 marking back in the league.

JOHN WILEY

Played 1993-96 with Kickers Emden in the German Third Division.... In 1993, he trained with the Werder Bremen amateur team.... Played 1988-91 at North Texas.