REAL SALT LAKE ACQUIRES RIGHTS TO FORWARD CODY ARNOUX
Real Salt Lake Awarded Contract Rights to Ex-Everton FC Reserves and Vancouver Whitecaps FC Performer in Special MLS Player Lottery

SANDY, Utah (Saturday, February 12, 2011) – Real Salt Lake overcame short odds in a special Major League Soccer player lottery held Friday to acquire the League contract rights to forward Cody Arnoux. Despite having just a 5.4% chance to come out the winner, Real Salt Lake beat out five other teams – Houston Dynamo (48.9%), Seattle Sounders FC (24.2%), Columbus Crew (19.4%), Portland Timbers (1.6%) and Vancouver Whitecaps FC (0.5%) – to claim the MLS services of the 22-year-old striker. While now officially a member of Real Salt Lake, it will be a while until the striker will get to see the field, as Arnoux is currently rehabbing from a knee injury suffered last November that will sideline him until at least March.

“We are very excited to have obtained the rights to this highly sought-after player, especially considering our slim chances,” said Real Salt Lake GM Garth Lagerwey.

Major League Soccer uses the lottery mechanism for: 1) players who have completed their college eligibility and sign after the SuperDraft; 2) underclassmen who sign Generation adidas contracts after the SuperDraft; and 3) players who were previously offered MLS contracts and did not sign. After winning Friday’s lottery, Real Salt Lake will be unable to participate in any future MLS player lotteries held during the 2011 calendar year.

After three standout seasons with Wake Forest University, including his 2007 sophomore year in which he led the Demon Deacons to their first NCAA College Cup title, Arnoux would skip his senior season in Winston Salem and turned down an MLS contract to sign with Everton. After finishing out his one-year contract with the English Premiership stalwart in 2009-10, during which he performed for the team’s reserve side, and afterwards failing to catch on during a trial with English League One club Plymouth Argyle FC, Arnoux would return to North America last summer, signing with Vancouver Whitecaps FC, then of the USSF D-2 Pro League. Despite Vancouver jumping to the ranks of Major League Soccer in 2011, the squad was not eligible to retain his MLS rights due to his turning down a valid contract offer from the League after leaving school in 2008, leading to yesterday’s special lottery.  

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 single-game tickets for both matches and 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. Single-game tickets for all 2011 MLS regular season contests at Rio Tinto Stadium will go on sale Monday morning beginning at 10:00 a.m.

TRANSACTION: Real Salt Lake wins contract rights to forward Cody Arnoux via a special MLS player draft lottery on 2/11/11.

CODY ARNOUX

Position: Forward

Height: 5’10”     Weight: 170 lbs.

Born: April 13, 1988 in Stony Brook, NY

Hometown: Wilmington, NC

Citizenship: United States/Italy

Last Club: Vancouver Whitecaps FC (USSF D-2 Pro League) (2010)

Professional / Semi-Pro Career

2010: Vancouver Whitecaps FC – USSF D-2 Pro League: Signed by Whitecaps FC on 8/18 … Made his debut a day later in a 1-1 draw @ FC Tampa Bay … Scored his first Whitecaps FC goal in the club's regular season finale, as Vancouver drew 2-2 v. Portland on 10/02.

2009-10: Everton FC – English Premier League: After impressing on trial, signed a one-year contract with Everton FC on 8/04/09 … As a member of the Everton reserve squad, the striker made seven appearances in the English Premier Reserve League North … Scored in a 3-0 home win over Burnley reserves on 8/25/09 … Struck for the equalizer in a 1-1 draw v. Sunderland reserves on 11/23/09 … During Everton stint, trialed with Scottish Premier League club Motherwell FC in March 2010 … After being released by Everton at the end of the previous season, Arnoux had a trial with English League One side Plymouth Argyle FC in July 2010.

2007-09: Carolina Dynamo – USL Premier Development League: During his time at Wake Forest University, played three summers with PDL club Carolina Dynamo … 2007: The striker made one appearance for the Dynamo, though it proved to be an eventful one, as he scored the game-winner and the squad’s sixth goal in an 8-0 trouncing of Cocoa Expos on 6/23 … 2008: Scored four goals and two assists in eight appearances  … Those goals came in a 2-0 win @ Nashville Metros (6/07), a 4-2 defeat @ Cary Clarets (6/14), a 3-3 draw v. Central Florida Kraze (6/21), and a 4-2 defeat v. Atlanta Silverbacks U-23's (7/19) … 2009: Was named to the PDL's All-Eastern Conference Team after scoring eight goals and recording three assists in seven appearances during his third season with the Dynamo … Scored twice in a 6-1 win v. West Virginia Chaos on 5/09 … Notched a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory @ West Virginia Chaos on 6/25 … Also scored two goals in a 5-1 win v. Virginia Legacy on 6/27. 

College

Enjoyed a standout three-year career at Wake Forest University, helping lift the Demon Deacon program to elite status in the always-tough Atlantic Coast Conference ... 2006: The striker was named in the College Soccer News' "100 Freshmen to Watch List" when he joined the Demon Deacons for his freshman year … Made 14 appearances that season, with his first goal being a match-winner in their ACC regular season finale v. Virginia on 10/27 … 2007: Named a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Third-Team All-American and to the All-ACC First-Team after a stellar sophomore year, as the Demon Deacons went on to win their first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's soccer championship title … Was one of seven Wake Forest players to play in all 26 matches and led the team in goals (15), game-winning goals (5), and shots (58) … Scored two goals in Wake's 3-1 win over West Virginia in the third round of the NCAA College Cup … Was named to the NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team en route to the National Championship … 2008: In his junior year, the striker was a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club's (MAC) Hermann Trophy, awarded annually to the top NCAA player … Named a NSCAA Second-Team All-American and to the All-ACC First Team for a second straight year after leading the Demon Deacons with 17 goals and 42 points in 24 matches … Those efforts helped Arnoux become the third player in Wake Forest history to eclipse the 40-point mark in a single season … Haul included a total of 16 goals in the final 16 games of his junior year, as the Demon Deacons reached the NCAA College Cup Semifinals before falling to ACC rivals University of North Carolina.

U.S. Youth National Teams
Arnoux represented the United States at both the U-15 and U-18 National Team levels.

High School/Club
Named a two-time NSCAA Youth All-American and the 2005 North Carolina Player of the Year as a member of New Hanover High School in Wilmington, NC … Serving as captain, Arnoux registered 106 goals and 82 assists with the Wildcats, with the striker taking Most Valuable Player and All-North Carolina honors in the process … Was a member of the adidas Elite Soccer Program and U.S. Youth Soccer's Region III Olympic Development Program … Started his youth soccer days as an eight-year-old with the Cape Fear Soccer Association in Wilmington … Played for Cape Fear Breakers before spending a season with the U-18 Coastal Crew team at the Onslow Classic Soccer Association in Jacksonville, NC … Also played for the U-19 Elite side of the Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) in Raleigh, NC … As a student, also attended St. Mary Catholic School in Wilmington, NC. 

Personal
Born in the Long Island hamlet of Stony Brook, NY, was raised in Wilmington, NC, after moving there with his family as a two-year-old … Son of Nanci and Jim Arnoux … Is a dual citizen of both the United States and Italy … Majored in Communications at Wake Forest … Away from the field, enjoys many outdoor pursuits like fishing, hiking, hunting, and surfing … Is a fan of the side he once represented, English Premier League side Everton FC, and the Spanish National Team … Favorite players include Chelsea FC and Spain striker Fernando Torres, former Brazil star Ronaldo, and Besiktas and Portugal forward Ricardo Quaresma.

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