Jan. 15, 2010

Center Valley, Pa.--Lehigh's Adam Welch and Colgate's Chris Ross were selected in the 2010 Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Thursday, becoming the ninth and 10th Patriot League student-athletes to be drafted by MLS franchises. Welch was taken in the fourth round with the 57th overall pick by the New England Revolution. C.D. Chivas USA selected Ross with the very next pick.

Welch played both defender and forward for the Mountain Hawks as a senior. he led the team in points (15) and tied for the team lead in goals (five). He scored two game-winning goals, including the overtime game-winner against Bucknell that clinched a Patriot League Tournament berth for the Mountain Hawks. The First-Team All-Patriot League selection was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and earned First-Team NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic honors. Welch is the fourth Lehigh player to be drafted into the MLS.

"I'm very excited for Adam that he's going to get the chance to play in the MLS," Lehigh head coach Dean Koski said. "This is a great an opportunity for him and I am really proud."

Ross became the first Colgate student-athlete to be taken in the SuperDraft. Ross, who graduated early to pursue his professional soccer career, played in 67 games for the Raiders, collecting eight goals and nine assists over his career. Ross finished his senior season with eight points off of two goals and four assists and was a First-Team All-Patriot League honoree.

"I am thrilled for Chris," Colgate head coach Erik Ronning said. "This is certainly a testament to his dedication to the game over the years. He has worked extremely hard to get to this point, and I could not be more proud of him."

The MLS held its first draft in 1996. The league began holding two drafts, the SuperDraft and the Supplemental Draft, in 2000. The selections of Welch and Ross marked the first time since 2003 that a Patriot League player was taken in the SuperDraft. It is the first time that two Patriot League student-athletes were taken in the SuperDraft in the same year.

"We didn't have any players make the combine in several years and to have Adam drafted brings a lot of credibility to the Patriot League," Koski said. "Ross wasn't invited to the combine, but I think it helps show how competitive the Patriot League is. I think there were four or five players this past year from the Patriot League that could play in the MLS."