Two of the most storied players in Dartmouth men's soccer history will get a chance to show their wares to the nation next season in Major League Soccer play following this weekend's college entry draft in Fort Lauderdale. Senior defender Bobby Meyer was selected by the Colorado Rapids in the third round of Sunday's draft while goalkeeper Matt Nyman '99 signed as a free agent immediately after the draft with the Dallas Burn.
Meyer becomes the first Big Green player ever to be drafted into the league, which was founded in 1996. Colorado will be hoping for immediate dividends from Meyer, the 32nd selection overall, as the Rapids defense was the worst in the league last season, allowing a league-high 2.16 goals per game. The senior from Long Island was the ninth defender selected in the draft, but the only defender selected by the Rapids, who used their two other picks on a forward and midfielder.
"I didn't see the draft because I was on a plane, but as I was getting off the mini-coach to go find out, a bunch of people came up and congratulated me," Meyer said. "But being a third-round pick means that I'm not guaranteed anything, so I'll just focus on making the team first. But right now I'm just happy to have been selected."
Although the news was not so good for Nyman earlier in the day, a call from the Dallas Burn in the afternoon changed his fortunes. An all-Ivy selection over the past two years, Nyman will attend the Burn's training camp as a free agent, hoping to earn a permanent spot on the roster. Surprisingly, only one goalkeeper was drafted during Sunday's three-round draft, which marked the first time less than three goalies had been selected since the league's inception.
"I think I have a chance to go to Dallas and compete for a spot," Nyman said. "It will be tough work because they have two goalies, but I'm just going to go down there and make them put me on the team."
If Nyman is to earn a spot on the roster, he'll have to unseat the Burn's No.1 pick from a year ago, Matt Jordan. But that might not be as daunting a task as it might seem, as Jordan appeared in only one game last season and allowed three goals while making only one save.
Their will be little time for either player to celebrate. Training camp for each team began on February 1, so both Meyer and Nyman must leave later this week for their respective teams. Teams are allowed to keep rosters of 24 players until March 1, when the league mandates they cut down to 22 players. The final roster limits each team to 20 players following the first week of the season which opens March 20. Nyman will join the Burn in Guadalajara, Mexico on Thursday.
Last week, both Meyer and Nyman competed in front of scouts and coaches at the Umbro Select All-Star Classic which was also held in Fort Lauderdale. Playing alongside many of Sunday's draftees, Meyer and Nyman got one final chance to demonstrate their talents.
At Dartmouth, Meyer earned All-Ivy honors three times, All-New England honors twice and was a third-team all-American last season. Meyer and Nyman were both tabbed as pre-season All-Americans prior to the season.
Even though he was the first player drafted from Dartmouth, Meyer will not be the first former Big Green player to play in the MLS. Former Big Green standout Andrew Shue '89 played two seasons for the league's Los Angeles Galaxy.
Prognosticators had rated the two Big Green players as top prospects at their respective positions, but the two may have suffered from Dartmouth's lackluster play during the season last fall. Of the 35 players drafted, 31 were members of teams that participated in the NCAA tournament, thereby gaining increased exposure.
If Meyer were to make the Rapids squad, he would enjoy a homecoming of sorts on May 1, when the Rapids travel to Boston to face the New England Revolution.
