Rodrigo Faria

The MetroStars drafted five players in today's Major League Soccer's SuperDraft held in Davie, Florida. Rodrigo Faria, 22, was the team's first draft choice with the #13 pick. The 6-1, 150 pound midfielder was discovered by the MetroStars during last summer's Copa Latina tournament.

Faria spent seven years (ages 8-15) in his native Brazil with the junior team of Flamengo before leaving the club to join Vasco da Gama. Faria left Brazil for the United States in 1999, where he played collegiately at Concordia University in Bronxville, New York for one semester.

The MetroStars selected midfielder Kerwyn Jemmott from the prominent Caribbean club Joe Public in Trinidad & Tobago with the 26th pick. Jemmott, 22, recorded two appearances for the Trinidad & Tobago National Team in 2000. He began his pro career with Joe Public in 1996.

The MetroStars selected Project 40 and local product Martin Klinger from Kearny, New Jersey with the 46th pick. Klinger, 20, is a 5-11, 140 pound forward who was born in Ecuador.

Klinger recently trained with the Ecuadorian club Espoli before returning to the United States for the SuperDraft. In 1998, he also had a brief training stint with Penarol in Uruguay and played locally with the Wayne Soccer Club.

Klinger was recently granted his U.S. citizenship on Monday, January 29, 2001.

The MetroStars rounded out their last two picks selecting striker O'Neil Peart (#58) and goalkeeper Russell Payne (#70) from the A-League.

Peart, 24, spent the past season with the Long Island Rough Riders. In 10 games the Paterson, New Jersey resident scored three goals and one assist in 245 minutes. Peart is listed as 6-3 and 195 pounds.

Payne, 28, spent a portion of the 2000 season with the MetroStars making one appearance in a 5-3 win over the Colorado Rapids on August 23. He was called up from the Boston Bulldogs to the MetroStars on August 19. The former star at Maryland is listed as 6-1 and 188 pounds.