Rafael Diaz invited to MLS' January pre-draft 2014 Combine

St. John's goalkeeper Rafael Diaz is among 50 NCAA Division I seniors selected to participate in Major League Soccer's annual MLS Player Combine in Ft. Lauderdale, FL from January 10-14. The seniors were selected by a committee of NCAA Division I coaches and MLS representatives for a shot to impress MLS executives; Diaz will have a chance to join former Johnnie Connor Lade (New York Red Bulls) in the American soccer league.

Diaz started all 20 of St. John's games, compiling a record of 11 wins, seven losses and two ties. Diaz kept a clean sheet nine times and made 67 saves to 17 goals allowed in 2013 for the Red Storm, who lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Virginia. His average of .80 goals against was second-best in the Big East, and he earned a second-team All-Big-East selection. He was a first-team honoree in 2012 as a junior.

Diaz had 32 shutouts in his career, a St. John's record.

Three other goalkeepers (listed in the table below) were selected to the combine from the senior ranks. Two other Big East players were selected: defender Nick Hagglund (Xavier) and midfielder Steve Neumann (Georgetown). (And there's even a guy from Rosedale, Queens, from Maryland- Baltimore County.)

The combine will add names of other seniors from lower-Division programs, underclassmen and international invitees in the coming weeks. The MLS SuperDraft will be conducted on January 16 at noon.

From MLS Soccer, the full list of senior combine participants: