Devon Sandoval & Blake Smith Receive MLS Combine Invites

Devon Sandoval & Blake Smith Receive MLS Combine Invites
Sandoval & Smith are among the 54 players invited to the pre-draft combine

Blake Smith led the Lobos in goals in 2011 before finishing 2nd in the NCAA in assists in 2012

Dec. 11, 2012

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – University of New Mexico men’s soccer seniors Devon Sandoval and Blake Smith have been invited to the 2013 adidas MLS Player Combine. Sandoval and Smith are two of the 54 players invited to the premier pre-draft showcase for the Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The combine is held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from January 11-15 with the MLS SuperDraft being held on January 17 in Indianapolis.

“I am extremely happy for Devon and Blake. This invitation is well deserved, and I believe this opportunity will allow them to show they can be high-quality professional players. It’s such a great reward for two guys that are great teammates, students and members of our community,” said Head Coach Jeremy Fishbein.

Sandoval and Smith are the tenth and eleventh Lobos to receive invitations to the combine since 2005. While attending the event in Fort Lauderale, the duo will be playing in front of 19 MLS clubs. The two will look to become the latest Lobos to be drafted by the MLS as eight Lobos have been drafted since 2005.

Lobos in the MLS Player Combine

2013 – Devon Sandoval and Blake Smith
2012 – Michael Green and Lance Roozeboom
2010 – Justin Davis
2007 – Andrew Boyens
2006 – Brandon Moss, Jeff Rowland and Lance Watson
2005 – Hans Bever and Jeffery Krause

The Lobo Soccer program is one of only thirteen NCAA Division I men’s soccer programs to have multiple players receive an invite to this year’s MLS Player Combine. This year’s combined talent pool includes two MAC-Hermann finalists, 15 All-Americans, and eight participants from the College Cup Final Four.

Devon Sandoval Profile

15 goals (7^th in NCAA) and seven assists for 37 points (8^th in NCAA) in 2012
Scored 26 goals and tallied 17 assists in three seasons with UNM
2012 NSCAA Second Team All-American & 2012 College Soccer News Second Team All-American
2012 & 2011 NSCAA First Team Far West All-Region
2012 & 2011 First Team All-Conference in the MPSF
Four-time MPSF Player of the Week
Three-time TopDrawerSoccer National Team of the Week member
Leaves the program in the top ten all-time in goals and points
Scored three goals and two assists versus UNLV this year, which was first Lobo hat trick since ‘05

Blake Smith Profile

13 assists (2^nd in NCAA) and three goals in 2012
Scored 13 goals and registered 19 assists in New Mexico career.
2012 NSCAA First Team Far West All-Region & 2011 Second Team Far West All-Region
2012 & 2011 First Team All-Conference in the MPSF
Received MPSF Player of the Week, College Soccer News & TopDrawerSoccer National weekly honors
Member of academic All-MPSF, All-Region and All-District teams
His 13 assists in 2012 are the second most assists in a season in program history