Two More Bruins Join Galaxy in Draft
The Rose Bowl branch of the UCLA alumni society gained two more members Sunday.
The Galaxy, which already has a coach, Sigi Schmid, and seven players who once called Westwood home, added two more former Bruins to its roster at Major League Soccer’s 2000 draft.
Midfielders Sasha Victorine of Corona and Peter Vagenas of Pasadena were selected in the first and second rounds, respectively, by Schmid. Both are 22 and both are on the Under-23 U.S. national team preparing to qualify for the Sydney Olympics.
Three other former Bruins got away, however.
Steve Shak, a 22-year-old defender from Cerritos, was the No. 1 draft choice among the 72 players to join MLS. He was chosen by the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, now coached by former Galaxy coach Octavio Zambrano.
Defender Carlos Bocanegra of Alta Loma was selected fourth overall by the Chicago Fire. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando of Montclair was taken in the third round by the Miami Fusion, where he will be joined by former Galaxy midfielder Martin Machon of Guatemala, selected in the second round.
The Galaxy’s first choice was obtained by a trade. Midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, 17, was traded to the Fire in exchange for Maryland University defender Danny Califf, of Orange, and the Fire’s first-round pick in 2001.
Schmid selected four other players in later rounds, getting midfielder/forward Jose Retiz of Santa Ana College; former Duke University forward Joshua Henderson of La Canada, who was with the Lehigh Valley Steamers of the A-League; forward Tomas Serna from Santa Ana College, and defender Ali John Utush of the A-League’s San Francisco Bay Seals.
Two Cal State Fullerton players were drafted. Midfielder Antonio Martinez of Carson went to the Dallas Burn and midfielder Orlando Perez of Los Angeles and the Orange County Zodiac went to the MetroStars.