-- Cunliffe Picked #7 by Chivas USA! --

DURANGO, Colo. – January 12, 2007 – Fort Lewis College former men’s soccer player John Cunliffe (Edgworth, England) was selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft by Chivas USA, a team out of Los Angeles, California.  

The England-native broke every Fort Lewis record and becomes the highest Division II athlete selected in the MLS SuperDraft as well as the highest Englishman drafted straight out of college. Cunliffe joins numerous other Skyhawk soccer players to join the professional ranks, but becomes the first Skyhawk ever drafted.  

ESPN.com projected the 2007 Thomas Fitzgerald Most Valuable Player at the MLS Combine to slip to the twelfth pick, but an impressive performance at the combine drastically improved his stock on many draft boards. Cunliffe was the only Division II player invited to the combine and proved he could play amongst the best in Division I when he scored a goal and handed out three assists in three games.  

In mid-December, Cunliffe traveled to L.A. and tried-out with Chivas. His lasting impression showed when they selected him as their first-round pick. He was the first Division II player in the 2007 SuperDraft and quite possibly the only Division II player taken in this year’s draft.  

“Our program could never have been so successful without him and I think he’d agree that he never could have done it without such outstanding teammates,” said former head men’s soccer coach, Jeremy Gunn when asked about his former player.  

Gunn and teammate, Tom Donley (Franktown/Douglas County) joined the former Skyhawk in Indianapolis for the draft which was held Friday, January 12th at noon.  

With Chivas USA, Cunliffe will make numerous trips to the Four Corner region each season. Chivas is in the MLS West Division and make trips to Denver, to play the Colorado Rapids, and Salt Lake City, to play Real Salt Lake, twice each season.  

Chivas USA is in desperate need of an additional threat at the forward position, Cunliffe can look to make an immediate impact in the 2007 season. His “silky-like” skills, as one ESPN writer said, will give Chivas an unmatched talent.