Seniors Borges, Mertz Earn Invites To 2019 MLS Combine
12/13/2018 5:28:00 PM | Men's Soccer
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Seniors Marcello Borges (Kearny, N.J.) and Robbie Mertz (Pittsburgh, Pa.) of the University of Michigan men's soccer team have earned invitations to the 2019 adidas MLS Player Combine, per an announcement from Major League Soccer on Thursday (Dec. 13). The Combine will be held at Orlando City Stadium from Jan. 3-9, in Orlando, Fla.
The senior duo was among the 60 players from universities in the United States and Canada to receive invites for the combine. Prospective selections in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft will have an opportunity to play scrimmages for scouts of all MLS teams, as well as go through various tests and speak to interested teams ahead of the SuperDraft, which will be on Jan. 11, 2019, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Borges and Mertz are only the second pair of teammates in the program's 19-year history to earn invites in the same season (2009: Peri Marosevic, Michael Holody). Since the arrival of head coach Chaka Daley in 2012, four U-M student-athletes have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft: Kofi Opare (2013, second round, LA Galaxy), Fabio Pereira (2014, fourth round, Seattle Sounders), Lars Eckenrode (2017, fourth round, Toronto FC) and Francis Atuahene (2018, first round, FC Dallas).
Mertz was a United Soccer Coaches All-North Region (second team) and All-Big Ten (first team) selection in 2018. He played in 76 matches (55 starts) over his four-year career, scoring nine goals and issuing 12 assists. A two-year team captain, Mertz started all 21 matches in 2018, tallying two goals and four assists. He was voted one of the 10 finalists for the 2018 Senior CLASS Award.
Borges was a United Soccer Coaches All-North Region (third team) and All-Big Ten (second team) selection in 2018. He played in 61 matches (50 starts) in his four-year career at Michigan. He started 17 matches in 2018, helping the Michigan defense set a school record for fewest goals allowed in a single season (18 in 21 matches). He is a product of the New York Red Bulls Academy.
• Full MLS Release
