2 Hoosiers picked at MLS draft

Since he began playing soccer at age 5, IU junior defender Kevin Alston has had to battle back from a broken leg, a sports hernia and a titanium rod in his left shin.

But all the pain was made worthwhile Thursday afternoon when the New England Revolution chose him as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.

Alston’s former teammate, IU senior and midfielder Brad Ring, was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes with the No. 17 overall pick.

“It was kind of crazy, but more a sigh of relief,” Alston said about being chosen for the MLS.

“(The Revolution) need defenders, so I definitely have a shot to make my mark from the start. It’s a very exciting time.”

Kevin’s father, Larry, said the day could not have gone better.  

“We couldn’t be any happier,” he said. “New England is an excellent team, and he is going to be very well-positioned. We have been on this path for a lot of years, and this is what he has always wanted to do. It is really a culmination of a dream.”

Looking to bolster their defense, the Revolution chose Alston primarily for his speed and aggressiveness on the ball. The All-Big Ten performer helped lead the Hoosier defense to 10 shutouts this season, eight of which were against ranked opponents.

“We didn’t expect him to be available when we made our first pick,” Revolution coach Steve Nicol said on the team’s Web site. “We’ll see more of him on the other side of the ball once we get him into preseason, but right off the bat – in the defensive half – he’s as solid as a rock. He is a fierce competitor and wants to win at everything he does.”

Less than an hour after Alston was selected, Ring’s agent notified him that he was about to become an Earthquake.

While Ring admitted he did not know too much about the MLS team, he said he was ready to join the other players in San Jose and make a contribution.

“I am looking forward to getting out there with the team,” he said. “I don’t think it is going to hit me until I am on the flight out there. It is kind of cliche to say, but it has been my goal since I was little. I am excited that I achieved that.”

Despite being selected by MLS squads on opposite sides of the country, Alston and Ring will not be separated for too long. The Revolution travel to San Jose on March 21 in the first match of the 2009 season.

“It will be kind of ironic,” Alston said, “but fun.”