Indiana University Athletics
Bruin Signs Generation Adidas Contract with Major League Soccer
12/29/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 29, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University men's soccer junior forward Will Bruin has decided to forego his senior season, signing a Generation adidas contract with Major League Soccer, MLS announced Wednesday.
"We are excited for Will as he begins a new chapter in his career," said Indiana University head coach Todd Yeagley. "Although we will miss having him suit up for IU next fall, I am confident he will be a great ambassador for IU Soccer like so many of our past players who have gone on to compete professionally and with our National Team."
"My IU career was amazing," Bruin said. "It was everything I could have asked for. I am definitely going to miss it but I think I am ready to further challenge myself. It is a very exciting time."
Bruin is the second Hoosier in the last three years to sign a Generation adidas contract with MLS. Kevin Alston was a GA signee after the 2008 season and was drafted 10th overall by the New England Revolution in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.
Generation adidas contracts provide the opportunity for players to leave college early and continue to develop their soccer careers in MLS. The salaries of these players are greater than the league minimum and the players are also provided educational funds should they decide to return to school. Their salaries also do not count against a club's salary budget, allowing teams to afford them time to develop.
Bruin is joined in the nine-player class by Corey Hertzog (Penn State), Darlington Nagbe (Akron), Omar Salgado (unattached), Perry Kitchen (Akron), Zac MacMath (Maryland), Michael Nanchoff (Akron), Kofi Sarkodie (Akron) and Zarek Valentin (Akron).
Earlier this month Bruin was named one of three finalists for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. Bruin is joined by Akron's Darlington Nagbe and Louisville's Colin Rolfe on the finalist list. The finalists were determined in voting by Division I men's head coaches at institutions who are members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
The three players will travel to St. Louis, Mo. for a press conference on Jan. 7 where the winner will be announced. A banquet at the Club that evening will feature the formal presentation of the prestigious crystal soccer ball trophy to the winner.
Bruin had an outstanding season for the Hoosiers, tallying 18 goals and five assists for 41 points. His 18 goals are the most by a Hoosier this century and he was honored with the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award. A unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection, Bruin was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer team of the season and was a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week honoree in 2010.
Five times this season Bruin scored multiple goals in a match, beginning with three in a 5-1 victory over then-No. 5 UCLA on Sept. 5. He also had a pair of goals in a 3-2 win at No. 11 Creighton, and two goals in a 3-0 win at Michigan State. With Northwestern holding a 2-0 lead and the Big Ten regular season title on the line, Bruin scored two goals to tie the match as the Hoosiers went on to a 3-2 victory for their 14th Big Ten regular season crown. In the Hoosiers' 5-1 win over No. 23 Tulsa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Bruin contributed two goals and a pair of assists.
The St. Louis native tallied three game-winning scores on the season, including a goal with 11 seconds remaining in regulation to give Indiana a 3-2 win at No. 20 Penn State. Bruin tallied at least one goal in 12 of 20 matches in 2010.
For his career Bruin started all 66 matches, with 33 goals and nine assists for 75 points. Eleven of his career strikes were game winners. His 33 career goals ranks tied for 15th in school history, while his 257 shots is ninth on the all-time IU lists. Bruin's 18 goals this season is 14th in Hoosier history, with his 41 points ranking just outside the top 15. Bruin took 103 shots this season, tied for fourth among IU's single-season records.
