ODU’S SIDNEY RIVERA SIGNS WITH MLS ORLANDO SC LIONS

NORFOLK, VA-- Old Dominion University Conference-USA Tournament Offensive MVP Sidney Rivera (Hampton, NJ.) has signed with the MLS Orlando City SC Lions. He was selected in the fourth round of the MLS Super Draft on Jan. 20th.

The 6-2 forward led the Monarchs in scoring with nine goals which ranked him 38^th nationally and third in C-USA. Rivera scored eight of his nine goals in the last six matches of the season, including four in the C-USA Tournament. Rivera also had four game-winning goals and was selected first team All-State.

The 2014 Conference-USA Champion Soccer Monarchs (13-7-1) ranked 24th in the final NSCAA/Continental Tire Coaches Poll. ODU advanced to the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight year and 11th of the last 13 under head coach Alan Dawson, the nation's 13th winningest active coach. ODU defeated Saint Francis - Brooklyn, 3-0 in the first round before losing a heartbreaker to eighth seeded Georgetown, 2-1 with less than 10 seconds left in the second overtime period. In all, the Monarchs played ten teams (winning five) who were ranked at one time in the coaches’ poll during the season.

Four former Soccer Monarchs have played in the MLS. Two-time CAA Defender of the Year David Horst now plays for the Houston Dynamo. Nane Joseph played for Toronto and Colorado while goalkeeper Evan Newton played for Houston and San Jose, and Carlos Mendes played for NY/NJ and Columbus.

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