When Sigi Schmid finishes formulating his starting 11 in the next few days, Brad Evans, 23, could find himself slotted into one of the central midfield positions for opening day.After all, Evans helped Schmid’s last team, the Columbus Crew, to the MLS championship last year and was selected by Schmid the year before in the second round of the MLS Superdraft. Schmid also coached Evans with the U.S. U-20 National Team in 2005.
Even more important than their previous relationship may be Evans' penchant for the spectacular. Of Evan’s six goals last year, four were game-winners.
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He also graduated from UC Irvine as their career leader in game-winning goals with 10. In other words, if the Sounders find themselves tied near the end of a game, it would be wise to make sure Evans is on the pitch.
Selected by the Sounders in the 2009 Expansion Draft, Evans is described as a steady player with an eye for the goal. Entering his third year in the league, the 6-1, 170-pound midfielder brings a rare mixture of youth and experience to the Sounders. Evans has already won an MLS championship with Columbus and has played extensively in the playoffs.
Evans began his career playing at Mount Pointe High School in Phoenix. He scored 54 goals in four seasons and was an All-State selection his junior and senior years.
Following high school, Evans enrolled at UC Irvine, where he set the school record with 31 goals in four years. Along with his game-winning goals record, he also left the school with 73 total points, good for another school record.
After his selection in the second round of the Superdraft, Evans played sparingly in 2007, his rookie season. He started only one game and appeared in four total.
His second season was a completely different story. He started 18 games for the Crew and appeared in 26. He finished fourth on the team in scoring with five goals and one assist. Fittingly, his first goal in MLS was a game-winner against San Jose.
Though the Sounders have some competition at center midfield, with Freddie Ljungberg, Osvaldo Alonso, Peter Vagenas, Nathan Sturgis, and Stephen King vying for pitch time, Evans should be a regular selection for Schmid. Unlike Vagenas and Ljungberg, Evans has been healthy for the entire preseason. He also has more MLS experience than King and Alonso, and is much more of a goal-scoring threat than Sturgis, making him a viable starter come opening day.
It is important to remember that Evans set records for goals and points in college as a midfield player. He scored more as a center midfielder than any forward in UC Irvine’s history. He is a proven clutch player, demonstrated by his ability to score goals when they matter most.
If Evans continues to progress the way he has in his first and second years in the league, he should become a fixture in a Sounders uniform for years to come.
Reach Alden Walcon at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
