Jan. 23, 2009

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Four A-10 men's soccer players were selected in the 2009 Major League Soccer Superdraft on Thursday. Charlotte senior Chris Salvaggione and seniors Brandon Barklage, Dado Hamzagic and Kyle Patterson of Saint Louis were among those taken.

Salvaggione, who was named Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year as well as first-team All-A-10 for the second straight season, was picked up in the third round by the New England Revolution.

Salvaggione played a major role in helping the 49ers earn their first national ranking since 1998. Charlotte captured three regular-season tournament titles en route to 12 wins this season.

The Monument, Colo. native led the Atlantic 10 in goals (15) and points (38) and ranked among the nation's leaders in points (2.00). His 15 goals are the fourth highest single-season total in school history and the most goals scored by a Charlotte player since Doug Pratt scored 18 goals in 1992. He led a 49ers offensive attack which scored 44 goals to rank nationally in scoring offense at 2.22 goals per game.

Hamzagic was the first Billiken drafted when the New England Revolution selected him with the 10th pick in the second round (25th overall). Brandon Barklage went in the third round (36th overall) to DC United, and Kyle Patterson was taken by the LA Galaxy in the fourth round (48th overall).

Hamzagic, a native of Bosnia who prepped at Mehlville High School in south St. Louis county, accumulated 48 career points (15G, 18A) in his four-year Billiken career. He notched 11 points (3G, 5A) in 2008 and helped SLU to the second round of the NCAA Tournament despite missing time early in the year with an injury.

As a junior, Hamzagic garnered first-team All-Region honors after finishing third on the squad in scoring with 14 points (5G, 4A). He was an honorable mention All-Conference pick by the Atlantic 10 Conference as a sophomore after recording eight points (3G, 2A), and he was named to the A-10's All-Rookie team after registering a career-best 15 points (4G, 7A) as a freshman.

Barklage returned to his hometown of St. Louis to wrap up his career at SLU with a breakout season in 2008, finishing second on the Billikens with 24 points. He notched seven goals and a team-high 10 assists and garnered NSCAA first-team All-Region honors for his effort.

In 2007, Barklage scored three goals and had five assists. Including his two seasons with the Lobos, Barklage accumulated 54 career points (15G, 24A) during his college career.

Patterson was one of the Billikens' most explosive scorers the past two seasons. A MAC Hermann Trophy candidate, he led the team with 29 points (12G, 5A) in 2008 en route to first-team All-Conference accolades.

Patterson finished his career tied for 17th on SLU's career scoring chart with 73 points (29G, 15A). The 2007 A-10 Offensive Player of the Year netted 24 points (10G, 4A) as a junior and combined for 20 points (7G, 6A) in his first two seasons in a Billiken uniform.