A mainstay in the backline for Major League Soccer's D.C. United, former Bradley Soccer All-American Bryan Namoff made an appearance in last week's issue of Sports Illustrated. Namoff was one of the four featured athletes in the weekly Pop Culture Grid in the May 13 issue of Sports Illustrated and his answers also are available for viewing online at: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/extramustard/05/13/pop.culture.grid/index.html.
Namoff also was the subject of a recent MLSnet.com feature: http://www.dcunited.com/article/namoff-getting-involved-dc-attack-0.
Aided by Namoff's play, D.C. United (3-1-6) has ridden a seven-game unbeaten streak into a tie atop the MLS Eastern Conference standings with the Chicago Fire (3-0-6). Both teams have 15 points.
A high-scoring midfielder during his Bradley career from 1997-2000, Namoff has developed into a steady defender for the Black and Red. Now in his ninth pro season, all with United, Namoff is the only D.C. player to log all 900 minutes through the team's first 10 games this season. He is making his contributions felt on the offensive end, as well, as he is tied for second on the team with three assists. Among the highlights to date, Namoff assisted the only goal in United's 1-0 victory April 4 versus Houston and provided the helper on the tying goal May 2 in an eventual 2-1 win against FC Dallas.
Namoff's United squad will return to action tonight (6 o'clock CDT) by hosting the New York Red Bulls in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualifying game at RFK Stadium. United will return to MLS action Saturday (6:30 p.m. CDT) by hosting Real Salt Lake. United's only visit to Chicago is slated for Aug. 29.
Bradley Teammates Lead USL Squad
Former Bradley Soccer all-star teammates Gavin Glinton and Luke Kreamalmeyer have been re-united with the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division and the two Braves have sparked their team to a first-place tie in the early-season league standings.
The only four-time All-American in Bradley Athletics and Missouri Valley Conference men's soccer history, Glinton's two goals and one assist in seven games puts him atop Carolina's scoring charts with five points. Kreamalmeyer is second on the team with four points, the result of his two goals in Saturday's 2-0 victory at Miami FC. Glinton assisted one of Kreamalmeyer's two goals and he notched the game-winning strike in Carolina's season-opening, 2-1 victory against the Minnesota Thunder.
The leading scorer in Bradley Soccer history (133 points), Glinton starred at Bradley from 1998-2001. Kreamalmeyer starred in the Bradley midfield from 2001-04 and remains fifth on the school's all-time scoring list with 72 career points. Both players joined the RailHawks in the offseason and have been re-united as teammates for the first time since their only college season together in 2001.
Carolina will return to action Friday (7 p.m. CDT) when the RailHawks visit the Cleveland City Stars.
