MLS SuperDraft Update

The Revolution drafted UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe with the third overall pick in the Major League Soccer Superdraft yesterday in Kansas City, Mo.

Rowe, 20, last season’s Pac-12 Player of the Year, scored six goals and had 10 assists in his sophomore season. He projects to be the next in a long line of Bruins - including Revolution midfielder Benny Feilhaber - who have made successful careers in the MLS. He finished his career at UCLA with 13 goals and 20 assists.

“Coming from UCLA, a place where that happens, we get stars in and out of the school - like Carlos Bocanegra. You have Matt Reis who played there, Benny Feilhaber who played there, [Jonathan] Bornstein as well. So you have players like that who are big names coming out of there and it’s just an honor to be part of that group coming forward,’’ said Rowe via conference call from California, where he is training for the 2012 Olympics with the national Under-23 team.


A native of Federal Way, Wash., Rowe brings to Foxborough a scoring touch and creativity through the midfield that made him a standout on the West Coast.

“I’m an attacking player,’’ Rowe said. “I love to go forward, I love the ball at my feet. I definitely want to bring that to New England. I want to bring that attacking force - and hopefully goal-scoring force - to the team.’’

The Revolution scored only 38 goals last season, the third-lowest total in the league ahead of only Toronto (36) and Vancouver (35). Rowe has the ability to make an immediate impact on offense, but will have to compete for minutes with Feilhaber and eight-year Revolution veteran Shalrie Joseph, among others.

“I definitely have to work hard for it, and I plan on doing that,’’ Rowe said. “Preseason comes along, I’m definitely going to work hard, I’m going to make sure I’m part of the team and I’m going to hopefully play well throughout the next season.’’

After a disappointing 2011 campaign, Rowe expects New England to improve under former Revolution great Jay Heaps, who takes over as the second-youngest head coach in the league just two years after retiring.

“It might not have been the best year [in 2011] but we’re looking up from now,’’ Rowe said. “So I think for us [the expectation] is to go forward, attack, score some goals and do a lot better than last year.

“I’m very happy, to be third pick and come to New England. Coming into the draft, I would have been happy to go anywhere, but to be with Jay Heaps and a good team coming in, I’m very happy.’’

The Revolution also drafted 19-year-old defender Tyler Polak out of Creighton, 22d overall, in the second round.

The Lincoln, Neb., native started every match in his two years at Creighton and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2010. He also received NSCAA All-Midwest honors in his two seasons with the Bluejays.

Rowe and Polak were two of the five players named to the 2012 Generation Adidas class before the draft, which means they are eligible to join the team immediately and do not count against the club’s salary cap.

“We’re happy with our selections today,’’ Revolution general manager Michael Burns said. “To have two picks in the top 22, and be able to sign two Generation Adidas players that can join our roster immediately - we feel that it will be beneficial to both us and the players.’’

The Montreal Impact, who kick off their first season in the North America’s top division, selected Duke’s Andrew Wenger first overall, and the Vancouver Whitecaps followed with Akron’s Darren Mattocks.Dartmouth’s Lucky Mkosana went to the Chicago Fire with the No. 23 pick.