"We're very excited about both of our selections today,” Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. “Each player possesses certain qualities that we identified early that we think will help us down the road. We feel that both players will have the opportunity to excel in our system and we're looking forward to having them in Kansas City to begin preseason."
Dwyer, 21, was taken with the 16th overall selection in the first round of the SuperDraft. A Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy semifinalist in 2011, he led the University of South Florida with 16 goals and two assists in 21 matches. The speedy Dwyer earned NSCAA All-American Second Team honors in 2011 and was named the Big East Offensive Player of the Year as the conference’s leading goal scorer.
The London native spent his first two years in the United States at Tyler Junior College, where he scored 52 goals in two seasons and helped lead the school to back-to-back national junior college championships with a 41-0-1 record. He earned NJCAA National Player of the Year honors with 37 goals and five assists in 2010.
As one of 11 Generation adidas players available in the SuperDraft, Dwyer is classified as an off-budget player and his salary will not count against the club’s salary budget. He will also receive an educational stipend as part of the initiative, which is a joint program between MLS and adidas that is dedicated to developing exceptional domestic talent in a professional environment.
“I’m very excited, especially to have the home crowd here in attendance today,” Dwyer said. “It’s great to be able to meet the club’s supporters and I’m very happy to have this opportunity to play in Major League Soccer.”
Hedrick, 22, was the No. 30 overall selection in the SuperDraft, following a distinguished career at Coastal Carolina University. Primarily playing central defense, Hedrick earned Big South Defensive Player of the Year designation in 2011 and was named to the First Team All-Big South and the NSCAA’s All-South Atlantic Team. He was also recently announced as a NSCAA Men's Collegiate Scholar All-American first team selection.
Born in Cameroon before coming to the United States at a young age, Hedrick began his collegiate career at San Jacinto College and earned NSCAA All-Region honorable mention recognition for the 2008 season.
“I can't even begin to explain the emotion,” Hedrick said. “Coming from Africa as a little kid, I love this game and I've always wanted to play professionally. Now I'm here, I've made it to my dream, and it's time to really step up into it.”
Following Thursday’s SuperDraft, Sporting Kansas City will next participated in the four-round 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft to be held on Tuesday, Jan. 17 via conference call.
Position: FWD
Number: 14
Born: 07/30/1990
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
College: University of South Florida
Hometown: London, England
Birthplace: Cuckfield, England
Citizenship: United Kingdom
Position: DEF
Number: 24
Born: 10/06/1989
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
College: Coastal Carolina University
Hometown: Friendswood, Texas
Birthplace: Duala, Cameroon
Citizenship: USA
(Photo courtesy MLS: Sporting KC first round pick Dom Dwyer, Forward, USF)
