The San Diego Sockers, as part of the second annual MASL College Draft, selected three players, including an All-American, from local colleges.
These players will have the opportunity to sign and train with the parent club.
With their first-round pick, the Sockers selected Mason Tunbridge, a midfielder from the
University of San Diego.
The London native was an All-American, leading the Toreros with seven goals and nine assists in his senior season while earning West Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors.
In the second round, the Sockers picked midfielder Aaron Alvarez from Cal State San Marcos.
A redshirt senior, Alvarez earned all-conference honors in 2022, and helped lead the team to the California Collegiate Athletic Association semifinals. He netted four goals in 50 appearances at CSUSM.
In the third and final round, the Sockers selected Juan Salazar, a forward from Point Loma
Nazarene University.
The Colombia native played four seasons at CSU San Marcos before transferring to PLNU, where he made the first team All-PacWest, and Second Team All-Region, leading the club with eight goals and eight assists in 17 starts.
Drafted player rights will be protected until Dec. 1, 2024. It is recommended that a player who still plans to play in college not sign a contract until after their eligibility ends.
The Sockers resumed play after the holiday Saturday, defeating the Tacoma Stars 9-3 at Pechanga Arena. They remain at home to host the Texas Outlaws, in a MASL Western Division showdown Jan. 7.
