Soccer: Union Nabs UCLA's Chandler Hoffman With First-Round Pick
By Matt Leon
The Philadelphia Union went with offense for their first-round pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft in Kansas City today, selecting UCLA forward Chandler Hoffman with the 13th overall pick.
Soon after being drafted, Hoffman called in to KYW Newsradio, noting that, as one can imagine, it's been quite a day for him.
"It's been unbelievable," he told KYW Newsradio. "From the moment my name was called and I walked across the stage, it's all starting to hit me that I'm a professional soccer player now. And I am very excited to join the Philadelphia Union."
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Hoffman had a phenomenal junior season for UCLA in 2011, scoring 18 goals in 24 games while adding six assists.
He talks about what he will bring to the table for the Union:
"I think I can definitely offer a different type of play and help other players create goal scoring opportunities and finishing anything and everything in and around the 18-yard box."
Hoffman says he knows the pro game is a much different animal than the college level.
"Definitely the physicality is going to be an adjustment, and getting used to every day that people's jobs are on the line, and that it is a business now," he said, "and it's definitely going to be different than collegiate experience."
Defenseman/forward Andrew Wenger of Duke was the top overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft, going to expansion team Montreal.
