PHILADELPHIA -- Bradley senior forward Chris Cutshaw (Carmel, Ind./Carmel H.S.), the team's leading scorer in each of the last three seasons, was selected by the Colorado Rapids in the fourth round of the 2010 Major League SuperDraft Thursday evening at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The SuperDraft's 56th overall selection, Cutshaw becomes Bradley's seventh all-time MLS SuperDraft selection and the first since goalkeeper Chris Dunsheath in 2006.
A three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree, including a first-team selection as a senior last fall, Cutshaw ended his career tied for second in school history with 32 career goals and alone in fifth place with 74 career points. He secured a special place in Bradley Soccer lore during Bradley's 2007 run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship: after converting the final penalty kick in Bradley's 5-4 shootout victory versus Indiana in the second round lifted the Braves to a third-round win against Maryland by scoring the tying goal with only 37 seconds left in regulation, as well as the winner with 1-minute, 15-seconds left in the second overtime period.
Cutshaw led The Valley in scoring during the 2009 regular-season with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists, highlighted by the seventh hat trick (three goals in one game) in program history Sept. 6 versus Mercer at Shea Stadium. He finished with two game-winning goals for the fourth consecutive season to finish fifth in Bradley history with eight career game-winners.
Colorado did not have a selection until consecutive picks in the second round, when the Rapids selected Cutshaw's 2009 Chicago Fire Premier teammate, Harvard All-American forward Andre Akpan, with the 22nd overall pick and Virginia forward/midfielder Ross LeBauex with the 23rd pick. Cal State-Northridge defender Chad Borak was Colorado's third-round pick. All four players are expected to report to Colorado's preseason training camp later this month.
The Rapids finished sixth in the MLS Western Division in 2009 with a 10-10-10 record and will open the 2010 season March 28 by visiting Chivas USA. The Rapids will host the Chicago Fire April 3, but the remainder of the Colorado schedule has not yet been released by MLS.
Bradley Soccer's All-Time MLS SuperDraft Selections
Year Player MLS Team Round Overall
2001 Bryan Namoff D.C. United 2nd 15
2002 Gavin Glinton Los Angeles Galaxy 2nd 25
2003 Tim Regan NY/NJ MetroStars 2nd 17
2003 Hamid Mehreioskouei Los Angeles Galaxy 4th 40
2005 Luke Kreamalmeyer Real Salt Lake 4th 37
2006 Chris Dunsheath Los Angeles Galaxy 3rd 36
2010 Chris Cutshaw Colorado Rapids 4th 56
