The University of Akron Athletics
Ubiparipovic Invited to 2007 adidas MLS Combine
November 30 | Men's Soccer
University of Akron senior midfielder
Sinisa Ubiparipovic
(Mentor, Ohio/Mentor/UIC) was one of 58 college seniors from 44
Division I schools selected to participate in the 2007 adidas Major
League Soccer Player Combine. The annual player combine will take
place at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. on Jan. 5-8.
The 2006 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, Ubiparipovic
recorded seven goals and seven assists on the season for a
team-high 21 points. The 2005 National Soccer Coaches Association
of America All-American produced three game-winning scores for
Akron, including the deciding goal in a 2-1 win over Buffalo that
gave Akron a share of the MAC regular season title.
"This is a great honor for Sinisa and our program that he is being
considered amongst the nation's best collegiate soccer players,"
said University of Akron head coach
Caleb Porter. "He is very
deserving of this opportunity and I know he will represent himself
and the University of Akron well as he tries to catch the eye of
the MLS coaches in hopes of being drafted into the professional
ranks."
In three seasons at Akron, Ubiparipovic tallied 34 goals,
including a career-high 17 in 2005 as Akron advanced to the
quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. A two-time first-team All-MAC
selection, he played in 81 career games with the Zips, making 69
starts.
The coaching staffs and general managers from all 13 MLS teams
will be in attendance at the combine, which concludes four days
before the 2007 MLS SuperDraft to be held on Jan. 12 in conjunction
with the NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. The initial list of
players for this year's combine was determined by a select panel of
Division I college coaches representing all conferences who
nominated and voted for players in conjunction with MLS
coaches.
The combine will separate players into four teams and feature
doubleheaders on Jan. 5, 6 and 8. Each team will be coached by one
of the following four college coaches: John Trask (UIC), John
Rennie (Duke), Mike Noonan (Brown) and Greg Andrulis (George
Mason).
