Charleston Battery News Release -- www.charlestonbattery.com
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Four Charleston Battery players have been invited into pre-season camp with Major League Soccer teams. Midfielder Nicki Paterson is training with the New York Red Bulls, Jose Cuevas and Cody Ellison are in camp with the Seattle Sounders and winger Ryan Richter is training with D.C. United.
All four players had outstanding seasons with the Battery in 2012 helping Charleston claim its fourth USL Championship.
Nicki Paterson led the Charleston Battery in scoring with 12 goals and two assists in all competitions. Paterson was named to the USL PRO All-League First Team. Paterson’s two-year totals with the Battery now include 17 goals and six assists in 56 games.
In his rookie pro season midfielder Jose Cuevas scored eight goals and added six assists in 28 games and recorded the assist on Micheal Azira’s game-winning goal in the 2012 USL PRO Championship Game. Cuevas joined Paterson as a member of the USL PRO All-League First team and was also named USL PRO Rookie of the year.
Another rookie, Cody Ellison played 10 games in 2012 logging 779 minutes and winning a starting spot on the Battery team. Ellison started the USL PRO quarterfinal match versus the Harrisburg City Islanders and the USL PRO semifinal versus the Rochester Rhinos but an injury suffered in that game forced him to miss the USL PRO Championship match.
Midfielder Ryan Richter played 29 games for Charleston in 2012 logging 1,792 minutes. Richter finished the season with two goals and four assists and started all three of the Battery’s postseason games.
Over the past few seasons the Battery has seen a number of players move up to Major League Soccer including Osvaldo Alonso (2009), Tom Heinemann (2011), Lamar Neagle (2011) and Alex Caskey (2012).
Carolina Challenge Cup featuring Major League Soccer
The Charleston Battery opens its pre-season camp at the start of February as it begins preparations for the 10th edition of the Carolina Challenge Cup featuring Major League Soccer.
The Carolina Challenge Cup is the premier pre-season tournament in the US. Each year for the past decade the Battery has been joined by three teams from Major League Soccer for the round-robin competition. Single day tickets (includes two games) start at just $15; for more information or to purchase tickets please call (843) 971-GOAL (4625) or visit www.charlestonbattery.com.
2013 Carolina Challenge Cup tournament schedule
Saturday, February 16
Chicago Fire vs. Houston Dynamo, 5 p.m.
Charleston Battery vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, February 20
Houston Dynamo vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 5 p.m.
Charleston Battery vs. Chicago Fire, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, February 23
Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 5 p.m.
Charleston Battery vs. Houston Dynamo, 7:15 p.m.