Indiana University Athletics
Bruin, Balchan Taken in First Round of MLS SuperDraft
1/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Jan. 13, 2011
Will Bruin Draft from Soccer By Ives on Vimeo.
BALTIMORE, Md. - The Indiana University men's soccer team saw Hoosiers go in back-to-back selectionswith forward Will Bruin at No. 11 and defender Rich Balchan at No. 12 in the first round at today's Major League Soccer SuperDraft held at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Md. Bruin was selected by the Houston Dynamo, while Balchan will begin his professional career with the Columbus Crew.
Bruin and Balchan become the 32nd and 33rd Indiana players selected in the MLS Draft since the league's inception in 1996. The Hoosiers' last draft selections came in 2010 when Eric Alexander was a third-round pick (44th overall) of FC Dallas and Ofori Sarkodie was a fourth-round selection (52nd overall) of Sporting KC. Alexander is currently taking part in the U.S. Men's National Team training camp in Carson, Calif.
All-American Nick Garcia remains the highest-ever IU player selected as the second overall pick in 2000.
Bruin and Balchan are the 10th and 11th first-round picks in school history and it marks the first time since 2005 that more than one Hoosier has been selected in the first round. The last pair to do it was Danny O'Rourke (fourth overall selection) and Drew Moor (sixth overall selection). Bruin and Balchan join Kevin Alston (New England, 2009), John Michael Hayden (Houston, 2007), O'Rourke (Houston, 2005), Drew Moor (FC Dallas, 2005), Pat Noonan (New England, 2003), Garcia (Kansas City, 2000), Aleksy Korol (FC Dallas, 2000), Lazo Alavanja (FC Dallas, 1999), and Chris Klein (Kansas City, 1998) as first-round selections.
Bruin is the fourth player in Indiana history to be drafted by the Houston Dynamo, with the organization taking Caleb Porter in the third round in 1998 (then known as the San Jose Clash), O'Rourke as the fourth overall pick in 2005, and Hayden as the 13th overall pick in 2007.
"It was a big relief to hear my name called," Bruin said. "People were saying Houston might try to get me at No. 7, but I also knew they were interested in Kofi (Sarkodie) too. When they took him I thought it might not happen. Then they executed a pretty good trade and it all worked out for me.
"I am very excited to get to play with (Brian Ching). Plus I have heard nothing but good things about Coach Kinnear and his staff. It is a great atmosphere down there and I can't wait to get there."
Bruin had an outstanding 2010 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.
"I am very excited for Will to get this opportunity," said head coach Todd Yeagley. "Houston is a very good team with a top-notch staff. Their play fits Will's style and he will have an opportunity to help them right away. Brian Ching is a great person for him to learn under, and I think he will fit right in."
Bruin was the runner-up for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, given to the top player in collegiate soccer, and was a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) first-team All-American.
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.
Bruin will have a chance to work with Dynamo All-Star and U.S. National Team forward Brian Ching. Bruin will also play alongside former teammate Ofori Sarkodie's brother, Kofi, a first-round selection (seventh pick) in this year's draft.
"It is awesome to get to go into my rookie year with someone I know very well, like Kofi," Bruin said. "We spent a lot of time hanging out together his past week (at the MLS Combine) and I am excited to play with him."
Balchan is the sixth Indiana player drafted by Columbus, joining Mike Clark (1996), Brandon Ward (1996), Yeagley (1996), Ward again in the 1998 supplemental draft, and Jed Zayner (2005). The all-time list of Hoosiers who have played in Columbus include Ned Grabavoy, current IU assistant coach Brian Maisonneuve, Juergen Sommer and Danny O'Rourke.
"It is nice to keep our strong tradition of Hoosier players in Columbus," Yeagley said. "They were in need of a versatile player who can play a lot of positions in the back. We knew he had the potential to be a first-round selection with his abilities. It is nice he will continue his career close to IU. We have a great familiarity with that staff and I know they will take good care of him."
In 2010 Balchan started 16 of 17 matches played. An All-Big Ten first team selection, Balchan was also named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team and was a third-team NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region selection. Balchan was one of the most versatile players on the field for the Hoosiers, filling roles as a wide-left midfielder, left back or central defender.
As a junior, Balchan started all 22 matches played and was a second-team All-Big Ten pick and third-team NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region honoree. In his four-year career, Balchan made 80 appearances with 78 starts, scoring four goals and adding seven assists. Balchan was part of two Big Ten Championship team (2007, 2010) and has spent time with the U.S. U-20 National Team. He was a Big Ten All-Freshman team pick in 2007.
Balchan will be joined by fellow Columbus Crew draft picks Justin Meram (Michigan - 1st round, No. 15), Cole Grossman (Duke - 2nd round, No. 28) and Bernard Anor (South Florida - 3rd round, No. 48).
"Will and Rich are both going to teams where there is a good culture," Yeagley said. "That will give them the ability to come in as rookies and make a smooth transition to the professional ranks."
Indiana ended the 2010 season with a 10-8-2 record, winning the Big Ten Championships and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
INDIANA'S MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER DRAFT HISTORY
Chicago Fire
Yuri Lavrinenko, 2000 (3rd round, 32nd pick)
Ryan Mack, 2003 (3rd round, 25th pick)
Brian Plotkin, 2006 (2nd round, 20th pick)
Colorado Rapids
Joel Shanker, 1996 (16th round, 152nd pick)
Jacob Peterson, 2005 (2nd round, 21st pick)
Columbus Crew
Mike Clark, 1996 (4th round, 31st pick)
Brandon Ward, 1996 (6th round, 51st pick)
Todd Yeagley, 1996 (8th round, 71st pick)
Brandon Ward, 1998 (1st round, 12th pick)*
Jed Zayner, 2005 (2nd round, 13th pick)
Rich Balchan, 2011 (1st round, 12th pick)
FC Dallas
Steve Keller, 1996 (14th round, 133rd pick)
Lazo Alavanja, 1999 (1st round, 4th pick)
Andrew Parrish, 1999 (third round, 30th pick)
Aleksey Korol, 2000 (1st round, 5th pick)
Drew Moor, 2005 (1st round, 6th pick)
Mike Ambersley, 2006 (4th round, 46th pick)
Eric Alexander, 2010 (3rd round, 44th pick)
DC United
T.J. Hannig, 2001 (6th round, 62nd pick)
John Swann, 2003 (5th round, 41st pick)
Houston Dynamo
Caleb Porter, 1998 (3rd round, 27th pick; then known as the San Jose Clash)
Danny O'Rourke, 2005 (1st round, 4th pick; then known as the San Jose Earthquakes)
John Michael Hayden, 2007 (1st round, 13th pick)
Will Bruin, 2011 (1st round, 11th pick
Kansas City Wizards
Ken Snow, 1996 (16th round,156th pick)
Chris Klein, 1998 (1st round, 4th pick)
Nick Garcia, 2000 (1st round, 2nd pick)
Ofori Sarkodie, 2010 (4th round, 52nd pick)
Los Angeles Galaxy
Ned Grabavoy, 2004 (2nd round, 14th pick)
Josh Tudela, 2007 (2nd round, 20th pick)
New England Revolution
Scott Coufal, 1997 (2nd round, 12th pick)
Pat Noonan, 2003 (1st round, 9th pick)
Kevin Alston, 2009 (1st round, 10th pick)
Real Salt Lake
Jay Nolly, 2005 (2nd round, 22nd pick)
San Jose Earthquakes
Brad Ring, 2009 (2nd round, 17th pick)
* Supplemental Draft
