Will Seymore Added To Portland Timbers' U-23 Roster
May 29, 2012
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State men's soccer sophomore-to-be Will Seymore was added to the Portland Timbers' U-23 roster for the 2012 Premier Development League, joining his Beaver teammates Roberto Farfan, Chris Harms and Emery Welshman who were named to the team in April.
Seymore, who started 17 games during his freshman campaign for the Beavers, played 25 minutes in the Timbers first road match of the season on Saturday, a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 in Vancouver, British Columbia that included one of the goals by Harms.
Oregon State head coach Steve Simmons knows the experience and extra playing time will benefit his four standouts as Farfan and Harms have each played in all four games and Welshman scored a goal in the season opener.
"Having the guys who have the opportunity to play at a competitive level during the summer is only going to help them develop their game," Simmons said. "We are thrilled to have four guys signed to the Timbers' PDL team so they get a chance to train day in and day out throughout the summer and play some meaningful matches so they can stay sharp. That's what they want to do is stay sharp.
"We are thrilled that Will Seymore was signed by them," Simmons added. "They recognize the value of Will and his professionalism so it was not a surprise to me. He'll continue to work hard this summer and he wants to improve his game. The whole idea of summer ball for soccer is to maintain staying sharp and keeping your competitive edge. It's always good to play with a different set of players and a different coach. It keeps things fresh and before you know it preseason will roll around."
The Timbers U-23s (4-0-0) return home to play the Whitecaps this Friday at JELD-WEN Field. Kickoff for the special daytime match is 11 a.m. and tickets are $7 at the JELD-WEN Field box office.
ABOUT PORTLAND TIMBERS U-23s
Founded Nov. 11, 2008, the Timbers U-23s is an amateur team affiliated with the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer. The team consists of standout players from collegiate and youth programs from Oregon and throughout the Northwest, and serves as a development platform for the Timbers first team. The team competes in United Soccer Leagues' Premier Development League, the top U-23 men's league in North America and features 64 teams across the United States and Canada.
In 2010, the Timbers U-23s assembled an historic season, posting a perfect 16-0-0 record during the regular season on their way to becoming the first undefeated PDL champion in the league's 15-year history.
The Timbers U-23s play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. PDL teams play a 16-match, regular-season schedule, which runs from May through July.
ABOUT PREMIER DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
The top developmental men's league in North America, the PDL features 73 teams within four conferences across the United States and Canada. The PDL season consists of 16 regular-season matches for each team, eight home and eight away, and provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions. The PDL has proven to be an important stepping-stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world.
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