United Soccer Leagues (USL) unveiled a list of 101 participants for its upcoming 2011 USL Men’s Player Combine, presented by Umbro, which includes two members of the Portland Timbers U-23s’ 2010 roster – forward Brian Ramsey and midfielder Ricky Dorrego.
Hosted by USL Pro club the Charleston Battery, the USL Men’s Player Combine will take place Jan. 20-23, at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. Through the combine, USL has helped over 125 players establish professional playing careers since 2006.
Both Ramsey and Dorrego contributed to the Timbers U-23s’ record-setting and Premier Development League (PDL) championship-winning team in 2010. Last season, the Timbers U-23s posted a perfect 20-0-0 record and became the first undefeated champion in PDL history. Founded in 2008, the Timbers U-23s is the development team for the Portland Timbers, who begin their first season in Major League Soccer in 2011.
There are several Timbers U-23s alumni in the professional ranks, including Real Salt Lake's Collen Warner, who became the first Timbers U-23s player to join MLS. Others are midfielders Frankie Lopez (Jaguares in Mexico) and Avneet Shergill (Salgaocar S.C. in India) and defenders Daniel Leach (Barnet F.C. in England) and Logan Emory (Puerto Rico Islanders).
Ramsey, 21, scored seven goals and tallied three assists in 15 regular-season games last season for the Timbers U-23s, his first season with the team. A native of Pocatello, Idaho, Ramsey recently completed his collegiate career at Oregon State University. He ranked second on the team in scoring with five goals and two assists in 17 games as a senior in 2010. He played in 58 games for the Beavers from 2007-10.
Dorrego, 21, played in five games for the Timbers U-23s in 2010, joining the team late in the season. He scored twice in his team debut as part of a 9-0 win over the Spokane Spiders on July 2. From San Jose, Calif., Dorrego played his senior season at San Jose State University last fall. He logged six goals and 16 assists in 74 matches over four seasons with the Spartans.
More than 400 players applied to participate in this year’s combine, which offers a showcase for PDL alumni, recent college graduates and international players to display their talents before professional coaches and club representatives.
