One year after landing Blake Brettschneider late in the draft, D.C. United aimed to repeat that same success in their three-player Supplemental Draft class in 2012.
The club headed into the draft focused on acquiring players who displayed winning qualities — as well as the talent to stick around on a roster that still needs some serious filling out.
“We’re looking for winners,” assistant coach Chad Ashton told MLSsoccer.com, "looking for guys who have found ways to win, regardless of where they’re at. And then also those qualities that we think can fit our league and all these guys have that in common."
D.C. believe that's what they got with their draft haul.
Lance Rozeboom, a holding midfielder, excelled for New Mexico, which didn’t lose a game in regulation all season. They also grabbed Charles Rodriguez, a center back from UNC Charlotte, NCAA runners-up last fall; and Matt Kuhn, a left-sided midfielder from Drake, which made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2009.
All three stood out to the D.C. United staff during their collegiate careers at under-the-radar collegiate teams.
“They’ve all gone to programs that have had success the past couple of years, and we feel like they have those qualities that will translate to our league," Ashton said. "[It] would be a wonderful surprise to not only make our team but come in and play some minutes for us."
The quest for the trio to land a roster spot in D.C. begins on Wednesday, as the team holds its first practice of the 2012 preseason.
