North Carolina State University Athletics
Donovan Goes Pro, Signs Generation adidas Contract
1/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Details from MLSSoccer.com
NC State's Conor Donovan was one of five underclassmen nationwide to sign Generation adidas contracts, announced Thursday by Major League Soccer.
Players drafted to MLS as part of the Generation adidas program receive an opportunity to play and train at the professional level through the MLS SuperDraft (Jan. 15 in Philadelphia, Pa.), while also receiving grant money to further their college education. Generation adidas players do not count against an MLS team's salary budget.
"We're happy and proud of Conor," said NC State head coach Kelly Findley. "He's a quality player and individual, we're pleased for his success. We know he's going to do great things, and we look forward to watching his success on and off the field."
Donovan made 15 appearances for NC State in his freshman season, tallying one goal and one assist. A Fuquay-Varina native, Donovan trained with both the U.S. U-18 and U-20 youth national teams, scoring three international goals.
"One of our goals at NC State is to help players reach their dream of securing a professional contract," said Findley. "We're thrilled to have played a part in helping Conor reach that goal."
Donovan was the only college player on the U-20 roster for CONCACAF qualifying, and trained under Wolfpack alumni Tab Ramos during his time with the squad.
With Findley at the helm, Wolfpack players have had professional opportunities in abundance. Fabian Otte and Alex Martinez both took part in the MLS Combine last spring. Nazmi Albadawi competed for the Carolina Railhawks, and recently entertained an invite to New York City FC's combine. Clement Simonin made a visit to the Seattle Sounders. Danny DiPrima spent his year with the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL PRO.
"We expect Conor won't be the last player from NC State to enjoy this opportunity," said Findley. "It's our understanding that if you come and do your job, we're able to provide the right exposure, and right environment, so that our athletes are able to sign a contract when it's available."
