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Major League Soccer clubs picked up Ben Fisk, Machael David and Anthony Arena in the 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft after they went unselected in the SuperDraft. Fisk and David were also at the MLS Combine earlier this month.
In the first round, the Houston Dynamo selected Arena with the 18th overall pick. Fisk went next, to the New York Red Bulls in the second round as the 32nd pick, followed by David to the Colorado Rapids in the third round as the No. 44 selection.
Arena played collegiately for Wake Forest, making the All-ACC Freshman Team in 2009 and All-ACC Second Team in 2010. He played for Washington Crossfire Premier and the United States U18 and U20 national teams while attending Inglemoor High School in Kenmore.
The 5-foot, 11-inch 22-year-old played 6,627 minutes at center back for the Demon Deacons, scoring six goals (four of which were game winners). Arena is not the biggest body in any back line, but he asserts his presence through his leadership skills and good ability to win 50-50 challenges.
In Houston, Arena joins Shoreline native Cam Weaver, who played for Skagit Valley College and Seattle University before making the jump to the professional game, and SeaTac's Tally Hall.
David grew up in Gig Harbor, playing for Washington Premier. He was born in Nigeria and grew up in Milan, and his playing style reflects his roots. David is a silky holding midfielder with a good first touch and solid vision on the ball.
At UC Santa Barbara, David shined. He was Second Team All-Big West and won the Big West Freshman of the Year award in 2009, and he earned First Team All-Big West in 2010.
He goes into the Rapids training camp having battled through injuries in both of his last two collegiate seasons. David missed considerable time in his junior and senior years because of leg injuries, so he may not have been sharp enough in most coaches' eyes to be taken in the SuperDraft.
If he can regain his top form, David has the potential to be a successful Supplemental Draft pick in the league.
Finally, University of Washington captain Fisk was First Team All-Pac 12 in 2012. The midfield general started and played all but one match in his senior season, scoring three goals and earning three assists in the process.
Fisk played his first two seasons at Cal Poly before transferring to Washington when Jamie Clark took over as the Huskies' head coach in 2011. A defensive midfielder in the mold of Osvaldo Alonso, Fisk shielded the UW back four effectively, stomping out many scoring opportunities before they happened.
His ability on the ball was underplayed on a team that bypassed the midfield with a lot of long passes, but his MLS highlight video showcased that side of his game well.
As Alonso does, Fisk walks a fine line between showing his fiery character and being the composed stalwart that his college team relied on heavily in 2012. Fisk is not slow to get stuck into tackles, as his 14 college yellow cards and one red show.
Fisk was part of a mass exodus of Washingtonians from Cal Poly. He, Jacob Hustedt and Daniel Gray all left the Mustangs after the 2010 season to wear purple and gold; Hustedt also ended up drafted by an MLS team, going to the San Jose Earthquakes in the second round.
Hustedt made no appearances in his rookie season at San Jose. That is a fate all three local players selected in the 2013 Supplemental Draft will seek to avoid, but it may be a while before any of them sees game time under the bright lights of BBVA Compass Stadium, Dick's Sporting Goods Park or Red Bull Arena.
Nonetheless, they have all received their opportunity at the next level, something afforded to a small percentage of college soccer players. What happens next is up to them.