GOALKEEPER JEFF
ATTINELLA LEADS REAL SALT LAKE’S THREE PICKS IN
2011 MLS SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT
RSL Selects University of South Florida Netminder with
Draft’s 14th Overall Selection;
Utahans Also Take Penn State MF Andrew Cost and
Gonzaga FW Nick Love
SANDY, Utah (Tuesday, January 18, 2011) – Real Salt Lake selected a player in all three rounds of the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft, which was conducted earlier today via conference call. RSL began the proceedings by plucking University of South Florida GKJeff Attinella in the first round (14th overall) before selecting Penn State University MFDrew Cost (second round, 32nd overall) and Gonzaga University FW Nick Love (50th overall).
Attinella, Cost and
Love will join the squad’s lone 2011 MLS SuperDraft selection from last
Thursday, MF Jarad vanSchaik, and the rest of the 2011 edition of Real Salt
Lake in Utah later this week before heading south to Casa Grande, Ariz., for
the first of RSL’s two spring training camps during its brief 2011 preseason.
Real Salt Lake will host its opening training camp this Sunday, Jan. 23 through
Feb. 1 at the Grande Sports World training complex.
Fans can secure their
seats now for both Real Salt Lake’s March 1 CONCACAF Quarterfinal Leg Two
fixture against the Columbus Crew and its March 26 MLS home opener
against the Los Angeles Galaxy via the “RSL 2011 2-Pack” (beginning
at just $80) and the “RSL 2011 Flex 10-Pack” (beginning at $200). Both
of these special ticket offers, in addition to RSL 2011 Season Ticket Packages,
can be purchased online at www.RealSaltLake.com,
over the phone at 801-727-2700, or in person at the Rio Tinto Stadium
box office during regular business hours: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. MT.
TRANSACTION:
Real Salt Lake selects GK Jeff Attinella (14th overall), MF Drew
Cost (32nd overall), and FW Nick Love (50th overall) in
the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft.
Jeff
Attinella
Attinella served as a three-year starter for
South Florida, compiling an impressive 38-14-9 record, 0.76 goals against
average, and 28 shutouts along the way. Attinella helped the Bulls to
appearances in the NCAA Men’s College Cup tournament in each of the last three
seasons, while his personal accolades include being named a NSCAA First-Team
All-American and the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year during his junior campaign
in 2009. The 22-year-old netminder, who has already graduated from South
Florida with a degree in Communications, served a weeklong trial with
Portuguese First Division side Uniao De Leiria in December before opting to
test the waters domestically.
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6’
2’’
Weight: 190 lbs.
Born: September 29, 1988
Hometown: Safety Harbor, Fla.
Citizenship: USA
College: University of South
Florida
MLS
Experience:
Rookie
Last
Club:
University of South Florida (2007-2010)
Acquired: Selected in 1st
Round (14th overall) of 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft on Jan. 18, 2011
Collegiate
Stats at University of South Florida
Year
Record
GA
GAA
Saves
Shutouts
2007
(freshman)
1-1-0 1
0.50
5
1
2008 (sophomore)
14-4-2 14
0.68
58 10
2009
(junior)
14-4-3 18
0.83
101 7
2010
(senior)
9-5-4 15
0.78
64 10
Totals
38-14-9
48
0.76
228
28
Drew
Cost
Cost wrapped up his collegiate career in
Happy Valley by serving as a co-Captain for Penn State during its successful
2010 season, during which the Nittany Lions went 14-8-1 en route to a Third
Round appearance in the NCAA Men’s College Cup. A four-year starter, the
two-time Big Ten Second-Team honoree (2009 & 2010) and unanimous 2007 Big
Ten All-Freshman Team selection tallied 10 goals and 10 assists from his
central midfield spot, including a career-high three goals and five assists in
21 appearances (all starts) as a senior last fall. Cost, who will turn 22 years
of age on January 31, was named a Big Ten All-Academic Team member in each of
the last three years while working towards his degree in Economics.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6’
0’’
Weight: 170 lbs.
Born: January 31, 1989
Hometown: West Chester, Penn.
Citizenship: USA
College: Pennsylvania State
University
MLS
Experience:
Rookie
Last
Club:
Pennsylvania State University (2007-2010)
Acquired: Selected in 2nd
Round (32nd overall) of 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft on Jan. 18, 2011
Collegiate
Stats at Pennsylvania State University
Year
GP/GS
G A
2010 (senior) 21/21 3 5
2009 (junior) 21/20 3 2
2008 (sophomore) 18/13 2 0
2007
(freshman)
19/16
2 3
Totals
79/70
10 10
Nick
Love
The 21-year-old Love concluded his four-year
career for Gonzaga with nine goals and seven assists in 53 appearances (25
starts). Love would break out for the Bulldogs during his sophomore season in
2008, when a four-game scoring streak that coincided with his return from a
thumb injury late in the season accounted for all his tallies. After enjoying
another four-goal haul in 2009 and adding a career-high four assists along the
way, Love would hit some struggles along with the rest of the Bulldogs in 2010,
as his one goal and pair of assists in 14 appearances were tallied while
Gonzaga sputtered to a 4-12-0 mark.
Position: Forward
Height: 5’
11’’ Weight:
175 lbs.
Born: August 2, 1989
Hometown: Kaneohe, Hawai’i
Citizenship: USA
College: Gonzaga University
MLS
Experience:
Rookie
Last
Club:
Gonzaga University (2007-2010)
Acquired: Selected in 3rd
Round (50th overall) of 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft on Jan. 18, 2011
Collegiate
Stats at Gonzaga University
Year
GP/GS
G A
2010 (senior) 14/13 1 2
2009 (junior) 18/10 4 4
2008 (sophomore) 16/2 4 1
2007
(freshman)
5/0
0 0
Totals
53/25
9 7
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