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News Release
GROSS, WATSON SELECTED IN 2006 MISL COLLEGE DRAFT
3/8/2006
The beat goes on for the UMBC men’s soccer program. Since 1999, a dozen former UMBC players have been drafted professionally in this country. Today, defender Marcus Gross and midfielder Matt Watson were added to the list as both were selected in the 2006 Major Indoor Soccer League College Draft. Gross was a fourth-round draft pick of the St. Louis Steamers, the 25th player and fifth fullback selected. Gross earned Second Team All South Atlantic honors for the this, moving up a notch from the Third Team in 2004. The Barnstaple, England native was a three-time First Team America East defender, who finished his Retriever career with ten goals and six assists for 26 points.Watson had just completed his second year of eligibility at UMBC, but has left the program in order to become a professional. He was the third player selected overall in the first (territorial) round by the Baltimore Blast. The 21-year old native of Redditch, England was named to the 2005 NSCAA/adidas All-South Atlantic Region First Team and had earned the America East Conference Midfielder of the Year Award in both of his seasons of competition (2004, 2005). Former Retrievers Giuliano Celenza, Billy Nelson and P.J. Wakefield are currently members of the Blast and Celenza and Wakefield were named to this year’s all-star squad. All three have earned MISL titles with the Blast, as did former UMBC netminder Brian Rowland, who is now a member of the Milwaukee Wave.