Jan. 13, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Former Penn State forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) was selected by the New York Red Bulls in the 2011 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, which was held on Thursday afternoon in Baltimore. The NCAA's leader in goals and points in 2010 was chosen with the No. 13 pick in the first round.
Hertzog, a 2010 NSCAA Second Team All-American and unanimous First Team All-Big Ten honoree, emerged as the nation's most dangerous striker in his junior year, putting together the most productive offensive season by a Nittany Lion in 55 years and one of the greatest in Big Ten history.
Hertzog netted 20 goals, including six game winners, in 2010, tied for the most in Big Ten soccer history. The Hermann Trophy semifinalist's 46 points places him second in the Penn State and Big Ten record books, trailing only Dick Packer (50, 1955) and Indiana's Aleksey Korol (50, 1999), respectively.
The 2010 TopDrawerSoccer.com National and Philly Soccer News Player of the Year departed Happy Valley ranked 13th on Penn State's career points list, totaling 80 points (33 goals, 14 assists) in three years (61 games).
In 2010, New York completed the best single season turnaround in Major League Soccer history, finishing with 51 points and atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 15-9-6. Hertzog will join a Red Bulls front line that features Thierry Henry, the former FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Juventus and Monaco star who was the captain of the French National Team and is the country's all-time leading goal scorer.
"[He had] a solid three games at the Combine," said Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe. "He played wide and he also played as a striker. Physically very strong, hard working, honest brave striker. Probably in the beginning we'll try to play wide right."
The Red Bulls will open their 2011 campaign on March 19 when they host the Seattle Sounders in their second season at state-of-the-art Red Bull Arena, a 25,000 seat venue located in Harrison, N.J. The Red Bulls posted a 10-3-2 record at home in 2011, surrendering just nine goals.
"It's the greatest feeling," said Hertzog. "It's a dream come true. New York has a new stadium and incredible fan support, so it will be a great environment. I can't wait to play alongside Thierry Henry."
Hertzog is the second Penn State player to be drafted into the MLS in program history. Jason Yeisley, the 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, became the first last year when he was selected by FC Dallas with the sixth pick in the third round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.