Brad Stisser and Will Traynor Sign with Rochester Rhinos

S&E Entertainment clients Brad Stisser and Will Traynor have signed professional contracts to play with the Rochester Rhinos in the 2011 season.

Stisser, a 24-year old native of Colorado, played with A.C. St. Louis in 2010 where he scored five goals in 24 appearances.  Prior to joining St. Louis, Stisser played collegiate soccer at Loyola Marymount after transferring as a sophomore from Coastal Carolina in 2006.  While in college, he was a member of the Colorado Rapids U-23’s (2007-08) and the Real Colorado Rapids (2009) of the Premier Development League (USL).

Will Traynor is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where played four seasons with the Gamecocks.  The 6’2” defender was a Sports and Entertainment major and was a four-time Conference USA Academic All-Star while at South Carolina.  He was awarded the conference’s Commissioner’s Academic Medal awarded to student athletes with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher.

“Will is a player that started all four years at South Carolina and has good size and good athleticism” said Rhinos' Head Coach Bob Lilley.  ‘He has very good feet playing out of the back and reads the game very well.  He will also add a physical dimension on the back.”

Lucas Rodriguez Signs with NSC Minnesota Stars

S&E Entertainment client Lucas Rodriguez has signed a professional contract with the NSC Minnesota Stars of the North American Soccer League (NASL). 

The 24-year-old midfielder was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and grew up idolizing Diego Maradona. He attended Mid America Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas where he was named to National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics all-American teams all four years. He also played for the KC Brass of the Premier Development League between college seasons. Rodriguez joined the Stars during their season-opening training camp.

Mike Ambersley Signs with A.C. St. Louis

S&E Entertainment client, Mike Ambersley has signed a 1 year contract with his hometown team, A.C. St. Louis.  Ambersley, 27, is a forward who has previously played for the Rochester Rhinos.

"It’s good to be playing professional soccer back here in my hometown," Ambersley said. "This is a dream come true for me. I just want to help AC St. Louis in any way I can during this first season.”

Ambsersley, who prepped at DeSmet High, played collegiately at Indiana University, where he won back-to-back national championships with the Hoosiers. He was voted Indiana team MVP his senior season and was named to the All-Big 10 Freshman Team.

Chase Harrison Signs With Crystal Palace Baltimore

Crystal Palace Baltimore of the new North American Soccer League (NASL) announced the signing of goalkeeperr and S&E client Chase Harrison. Harrison brings a combination of experience and potential to this key position.

Chase Harrison, 25 years old, played his college soccer at Virginia Tech from 2002 to 2005, appearing in 79 matches and maintaining an impressive 1.12 Goals Against Average. While with the Hokies, the 6' 3" netminder also played for the West Virginia Chaos of the Premier Development League.

In 2006, Harrison was taken by Real Salt Lake in the third round of the Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft. The native of Huntington, West Virginia, was loaned out to the Virginia Beach Mariners of the then USL First Division for most of the year, making two appearances before being waived by Salt Lake at the end of the season. In 2007 he joined the Rochester Rhinos, also of the USL First Division, making a total of 18 appearances. In July 2008, Harrison was traded to another USL-1 club, the Portland Timbers, where he played six games. He spent last season with the Harrisburg City Islanders of USL-2 notching 16 starts.

Co-Head Coach Jim Cherneski added: "As for Chase, we played against him last year when he was with Harrisburg and he put in some excellent performances. That was a big factor in us signing him. We're looking forward to him being a part of the club."

One of only 31 professional soccer clubs in the United States, Crystal Palace Baltimore was founded in 2006. The professional team is a member of the NASL conference in the new USSF D-2 Pro League and participates in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The club also runs a Professional Development Academy for young players at age levels U10 through U18. Crystal Palace Baltimore is the sister organization of 105-year old Crystal Palace Football Club in the United Kingdom. The London-based club was a founding member of the English Premier League and currently competes in the Coca Cola Football League Championship. More information can be found at www.palacebaltimore.com.

Tim Velten Signs With A.C. St. Louis

AC St. Louis of the new North American Soccer League (NASL) announced the signing of defender and St. Louis native Tim Velten. Velten becomes the second official signing by the club, and the second St. Louis born and bred player behind Steve Ralston to join the team in the past week. Velten, 26, played professionally last year for the Rochester Rhinos and Harrisburg City Islanders. Velten played two years of collegiate soccer at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville before transferring to the University of Louisville for his junior and senior seasons.

"I am ecstatic to be coming home to St. Louis to play professional soccer," said Velten. "It has always been my dream to play in my hometown in front of my family and friends, and it is certainly an honor to be playing for AC St. Louis. I know everyone is excited that St. Louis now has a team, and for me to be a part of it from the ground up is an amazing opportunity. I want to thank everyone who helped me to get where I am; my parents, all my coaches, and my friends. I'm excited about our fans, our stadium, and winning soccer games. I can't wait for the season to get started."
Velten is a native of Webster Groves, Missouri in suburban St. Louis where he was a four-year varsity starter at Webster Groves High School. Velten also played for the prestigious Busch Soccer Club and Scott Gallagher Soccer Club before enrolling in college. Velten has spent the last three seasons playing for the Rochester Rhinos on a brief loan spell, the Harrisburg City Islanders, and the Charleston Battery.

S&E Entertainment, Inc. is a professional management services company that specializes in agent representation for professional soccer players and royalty administration and publishing for musicians. The company is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

For additional information on S&E Entertainment or Tim Velten, please visit www.sne-entertainment.com or contact Matthew Nagel at matt@sne-enterainment.com.