Michael Nanchoff became the fifth Akron player to be picked in the first round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, a record. The Vancouver Whitecaps selected a somewhat undersized midfielder, who has been lauded for his soccer mind. Nanchoff is 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds, scoring 10 goals and had nine assists in 25 matches during his junior year at Akron.
2011 MLS Draft, Live Coverage: Vancouver Whitecaps Select Michael Nanchoff With No. 8 Pick
Nanchoff is almost the polar opposite of Omar Salgado, who the Whitecaps took with the first overall pick. While Salgado is most physical specimen with little performance data to show for it, Nanchoff has played well above his physical stature might suggest. He went from not starting a single game his freshman year to scoring five goals and registering 11 assists in 20 games his sophomore year to breaking out his junior year. That senior year earned him a Generation Adidas contract and now a likely starting spot in MLS.
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