Alecko Eskandarian, Soccer America's 2002 College Men's Player of the Year, heads a list of 12 college underclassmen and high school players Major League Soccer signing ahead of the 2003 SuperDraft.
All 12 players will be available for selection in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft Jan. 17 at 3:30 p.m. (ET) from the Kansas City (MO) Convention Center.
The 2003 Project-40 Class includes Eskandarian, who leaves Virginia after having scored a school-record 25 goals in 2002. He finished his career with 50 goals in 60 games.
Eddie Gaven, who turned 16 less than three months ago, becomes the youngest player ever to sign with MLS, surpassing the mark set by D.C. United's Santino Quaranta, who joined MLS four months after his 16th birthday.
Also turning pro with MLS is Gaven's highly coveted U.S. U-17 teammate Guillermo Gonzalez. A third high school player going pro is senior Arturo Alvarez of Houston.
Also forgoing their senior seasons from the college ranks to sign with Project-40 are five other ACC players: North Carolina defender David Stokes and midfielder Logan Pause, Wake Forest midfielder Brian Carroll, Clemson defender Ricky Lewis and Virginia midfielder Jacob LeBlanc
Ricardo Clark, a defensive midfielder from Furman and the U.S. U-20 national team, is expected to go high in the SuperDraft.
Eastern Illinois forward Jason Thompson is one of the country's unheralded college prospects.
Also turning pro is Mike Magee, a star on the 2001 U-17 national team. Magee spent the last year trying out with teams in Europe and South America.
In conjunction with the new signings, MLS also announced a group of nine players who have graduated from the program: Kelly Gray of the Chicago Fire, Miguel Saavedra (waived by Chicago), Chris Carrieri o the Colorado Rapids, Edson Buddle and Kyle Martino of the Columbus Crew, D.C. United's Santino Quaranta, Brad Davis of the MetroStars, Martin Klinger (waived by the MetroStars) and Shaker Asad (waived by New England).