Today the final rounds of the SuperDraft were announced and the Seattle Sounders found themselves on the receiving end of not one but two more players. University of Nebraska-Omaha midfielder/defender Emir Alihodzic is the newest Rave Green player after today’s announcements. Alihodzic is originally from Bosnia but his hometown is St. Louis, MO. He was born on September 2, 1993 and is 22 year old. He weighs in at 170 pounds and stands at 6’0. The son of Latif and Hasa Alihodzic, he has one sibling.
Alihodzic was the 13th pick of the third round of the draft, making him the 54th draft pick overall for the season. While playing for the University of Nebraska-Omaha, he earned the All-West Region Third Team honors as well as the All-Summit League Second Team. He made 17 appearances while on the team during his four years of college, making four goals and two assists. He started in 15 of those appearances. He is also making history as the first UNO soccer player to be taken into the MLS SuperDraft.
Alihodzic shows a lot of gumption on the field. During his freshman year at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, he paced the Mavericks with 30 shot attempts, boldly moving forward in his career from the get-go. He had 31 shots and ranked third on the roster, taking his alma mater to the Summit League semifinals for its very first time.
In a press release, Alihodzic acknowledged his excitement about the selection. “It just feels awesome to know my lifelong dream has been accomplished, but I know there is still a lot work to be done to be where I want to be,” he said. UNO coach Jason Mims said that he was “thrilled” about his player’s selection into the club, saying, “Our guys know player development is a big emphasis in our program and it is great to see a professional organization like the Seattle Sounders selecting one of our guys.” He wished Alihodzic the best of luck in his pursuit of a career in the big leagues.
Fans can catch the new player in action on a few online videos highlighting some of the moments in his soccer career. What do you think of the Sounders’ latest addition to the team? Are you excited to see the first player from UNO join the club? Post your responses to the newest acquisition in the comments.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
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