Three Men's Soccer Players Invited to 2009 MLS Combine

DURHAM, N.C.?Three members of the Duke University men's soccer team have been invited to Major League Soccer's 2009 Adidas Major League Soccer Combine the league announced on Dec. 10. Seniors Darrius Barnes, Pavelid Castaneda, and Mike Grella were among the 65 Division I seniors invited.

The 65 players will be divided into four teams and will compete against each other from Jan. 9-15 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Barnes, Castaneda, and Grella are among the 12 players selected from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Duke's three players are the second most of the four ACC teams that had players invited.

Voted to the All-ACC second team, Barnes helped anchor Duke's defense during his career. He played the second most minutes on the team in 2008 and helped the Blue Devils post 10 shutouts. A three-year starter and steady force for the Blue Devils' backline, Barnes was selected to the Duke/Nike Classic All-Tournament team after helping the team capture the tournament title. He tallied a goal in the ACC Tournament quarterfinal game versus Virginia. For his career, Barnes played in 77 career games, including 70 starts, registered one goal and nine assists, and helped Duke corral 32 shutouts.

Castaneda has been a major part of both Duke's midfield and defense during his career. He led the team in minutes played in 2008, lining up in the midfield and in the back. A native of Babylon, N.Y., Castaneda started 62 of his 75 games played and logged the second most minutes on the team in 2006 and 2007. He was selected to the adidas/IU Credit Union all-tournament team and earned the Most Valuable Player Award in the Duke/Nike Classic this year. He was an important part of the Duke backline that posted 10 shutouts in 2008, starting all 20 contests. For his career, he tallied two goals and five assists.

The 2008 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Grella recently was named a Hermann Trophy Semifinalist for the second consecutive year. Grella headlined the Duke offense for the third consecutive season in 2008, tallying 14 goals and eight assists for a career-best 36 points. A three-time All-ACC first team selection, Grella's 36 points were triple that of any other Blue Devil this season. He earned All-America third team honors as a junior after leading the Blue Devils in scoring with 26 points from 10 goals and six helpers. For his career, Grella has 41 goals and 27 assists to his name for 109 points. He closed out his career ranked seventh in career goals and eighth in points.

The trio of Barnes, Castaneda, and Grella compiled a 51-25-7 record in four seasons, captured an ACC Championship in 2006, and earned made four consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

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