Sporting Kansas City made four selections in the 2012 Supplemental Draft on Tuesday, adding defenders Shawn Singh, Stefan Antonijevic and Kyle Miller, along with midfielder Pablo Punyed to the team’s preseason roster.
“They all have some interesting qualities that we think could translate into the MLS game,” Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. “In the end, there's going to be a lot of competition for very few spots, so those guys are going to have to work very hard. I feel confident that there's some good talent coming in here and it will be interesting to see how they pan out.”
Sporting Kansas City selected Singh in the first round, drafting the UCLA defender with the 16th overall pick. The 22-year-old appeared in 61 matches for the Bruins, recording three goals and 10 assists in a three-year career. A two-time All-Pac-12 selection, Singh attended the 2012 Player Combine in Fort Lauderdale last week, where he was teammates with Sporting Kansas City 2012 SuperDraft selection Dom Dwyer.
“It's definitely exciting,” Singh said. “I get to join a great organization in Sporting Kansas City and I'm just looking forward to getting this new experience underway.”
Punyed was chosen with the 32nd overall pick in the second round of the Supplemental Draft following a career as a four-year contributor at St. John's University. Punyed was named co-BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year in 2011 after scoring four goals and contributing three assists for the Red Storm this fall. Punyed tallied 10 goals and six assists in 84 games played at St. John’s and also represented the United States Under-20 men's national team at the 2008 Copa Chivas.
“I'm very pleased, very excited and very honored to be chosen by an established club like Sporting Kansas City,” said Punyed. “I'm ready for the opportunity I've been given, and I'm ready to come in and provide a spark to the team.”
Sporting Kansas City’s 43rd overall pick produced Antonijevic, a Valparaiso University defender who was named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. Despite playing primarily as a central defender, Antonijevic recorded eight goals and three assists in 59 appearances over three seasons for the Crusaders. After earning Second Team All-Horizon League honors his sophomore and junior seasons, Antonijevic was a First Team All-League honoree and NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region First Team selection in 2011.
"I've heard great things about the stadium, great things about the supporters and great things about the team,” Antonijevic said. “Coming from a smaller school, I consider this a great privilege and a blessing. I look forward to coming in and adding some depth to the backline."
Miller, a former member of the Sporting Kansas City Juniors youth academy and a product of Blue Valley Soccer Club, was taken in the third round with the 48th overall selection out of Rockhurst University. The Overland Park, Kan. native and St. Thomas Aquinas graduate anchored a Hawks' defense which allowed only seven goals during the 2011 season, fewest in the nation, and helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Miller appeared in 80 matches in his collegiate career, recording three goals and seven assists, and enjoyed a standout senior season in 2011 that saw him receive recognition including All-Conference, All-Midwest and All-America honors.
“It's a dream come true for me,” Miller said. “I went to all the games growing up. Playing for Sporting's Under-19 team was an amazing experience and made me realize that I could take the next step. I can't wait to get started and show what I can do.”
Shawn Singh -- 16th Overall (1st Round)
Position: DEF
Born: 5/5/1989
Height: 5-9
Weight: 145
College: UCLA
Hometown: Bakersfield, Calif.
Citizenship: USA
Pablo Punyed (Poon-yed) -- 32nd Overall (2nd Round)
Position: MF
Born: 4/18/1990
Height: 5-9
Weight: 165
College: St. John's
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Citizenship: USA
Stefan Antonijevic (an-tahn-yev-ITCH) -- 43rd Overall (3rd Round)
Position: DEF
Born: 1/24/1989
Height: 6-6
Weight: 185
College: Valparaiso
Hometown: Buffalo Grove, Ill.
Citizenship: USA
Twitter: @Stef2Def0007
Kyle Miller -- 48th Overall (3rd Round)
Position: DEF
Born: 5/12/1989
Height: 5-9
Weight: 160
College: Rockhurst
Hometown: Overland Park, Kan.
Citizenship: USA
Twitter: @KyMiller89
