PEORIA, Ill. -- Former Bradley All-American Bryan Namoff played all 90 minutes as D.C.'s right back, helping United to a 3-2 victory versus Kansas City in the MLS Cup Sunday afternoon at the Home Depot Center.
Bryan Namoff battles Taylor Twellman for this ball Namoff, who scored his first career United goal in the quarterfinals versus the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, was named to the inaugural ESPN Soccernet.com MLS Playoffs All-Star Team, which was announced Monday in a column by Marc Connolly. Namoff was one of four defenders among the 12 players honored for their play during the postseason.
Connolly's comments regarding Namoff: “He was so good in the MLS Cup final that he deserved consideration for MVP. This truly ended a breakthrough year for United's steady right back.”
Namoff recently completed his fourth season in Major League Soccer as a defender for United. An attacking midfielder during his Bradley days, Namoff was a four-year letterman for the Braves from 1997 to 2000. A four-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, he earned All-American honors following his senior season in 2000 and he still ranks second in school history with 32 career goals and third with 81 career points. Namoff became Bradley's first-ever MLS player after he was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft.
Namoff is the second former Bradley player to be part of an MLS Cup champion squad. Although injured at the time, Gavin Glinton was a rookie for Los Angeles when the Galaxy won the 2002 MLS Cup. In addition, David Lara helped the Milwaukee Rampage to the 2002 A-League championship.
In other MLS news relating to former Bradley soccer players, second-year defender Tim Regan was a repeat selection for New York/New Jersey's U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Award. The award is presented to the player who has made a significant impact on the local community and recognizes the player who has served as the strongest role model while also being a steady community contributor. Among his off-field activities, Regan coached youth soccer in Wyckoff, N.J., read to the children of Harrison, N.J., in the public library, visited children at St. Barnabas Medical Center, taught handicapped children the fundamentals of soccer and is an active member of the “Athletes in Action” organization.
Regan, however, is one of seven players left unprotected by the MetroStars, which makes them available for the 2004 MLS Expansion Draft. New franchises Real Salt Lake City and Club Deportivo Chivas USA will be allowed to select veteran players from around the league during Friday's expansion draft. If Regan is not selected during Friday's draft, his rights will remain with the MetroStars.
