Minnesota United FC, set to join Major League Soccer next season, will add five players from the ranks of existing clubs when the league holds its expansion draft Dec. 13.
Expansion clubs Minnesota and Atlanta will alternate picks in the five-round draft of eligible MLS players. The 20 current MLS clubs will be able to protect 11 players from their rosters and will lose a maximum of one in the expansion draft.
An Oct. 16 coin flip will determine whether Minnesota or Atlanta drafts first. After the first selection, the teams will alternate picks.
Expansion teams such as the Loons typically sign four to six of their current players for the first MLS season. The bulk of their 28-man roster comes through the expansion draft, a SuperDraft, which involves mostly college seniors, trades and international signings.
United Sporting Director Manny Lagos said the expansion draft will "help develop our roster immediately. The buildup will be exciting and it will be fun for our fans to watch our roster develop."
DAVID LA VAQUE
U golfer places third
Gophers junior Heather Ciskowski tied for third place in the Minnesota Invitational at the Minikahda Club. She closed with a 74 for a 1-over-par 217 total, two shots behind co-medalists Isabelle Johansson of Kentucky and Haylee Harford of Furman. Gophers sophomore Muyu Wu placed 13th with a 223.
The Gophers took ninth as a team.
