July 21, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
Three seniors from the 2014 Penn State men's soccer team have signed professional contracts and have started their professional careers in three different leagues throughout the world. The three played important roles in Penn State's record streak of being in the top of the Big Ten regular season standings from Oct. 2012 to the first week of Nov. 2014.
Midfielder Owen Griffith (Lewisburg, Pa.) signed with Eastern Suburbs AFC in New Zealand, while forward Mikey Minutillo (San Jose, Calif.) signed with Vestur 07 in the Faroe Islands off the coast of Denmark and goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton (Atlanta, Ga.) signed with the defending MLS Cup Champion LA Galaxy.
The trio marks the most former players in one season to sign professional contracts in Penn State men's soccer history, while Wolverton is just the seventh Penn State player to be drafted by an MLS club.
Griffith, a four-year starter for the Nittany Lions, started in 19 matches and was one of 10 players on the Penn State team to log at least 1,500 minutes on the pitch during the 2014 campaign. He tallied a goal and an assist during his final collegiate season, while playing solid defense which helped his team rank second in the Big Ten in least goals allowed. For his efforts in the 2014 campaign, the senior midfielder was awarded All-Big Ten Second Team honors for the third time in his career. During his four-year career at Penn State, Griffith started 67 matches, scoring four goals and notching six assists. The Reading, Pa. native was also a two-year captain for the Nittany Lions and earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades in 2012.
Griffith is playing for Eastern Suburbs AFC, a team that has won every honor available to a club in New Zealand soccer, including five Chatham Cups in its 79 year existence.
Minutillo wrapped up his Penn State career scoring eight goals and dishing out four assists, while starting 19 of the season's 20 matches. The senior forward notched three game-winning goals and was named B1G Offensive Player of the Week, Sept. 22, after scoring twice against St. Francis (Pa.). The San Jose, Calif. native began his collegiate career at Virginia Tech, playing two seasons in Blacksburg before sitting out the 2012 campaign after transferring to Penn State. He amassed 23 points with nine goals and five assists, while starting 31 of a possible 32 matches.
Minutillo is playing for 07 Vestur, which is one of the 10 football clubs that call the effodeildin or Premier League home. The team plays its home matches on the island of Bagar, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
A four-year starter in net for the Nittany Lions, Wolverton was selected by the Galaxy with the 82nd overall pick in the annual MLS SuperDraft in January. The 2013 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year left Penn State having amassed one of the most decorated careers in school history. At the conclusion of his career, Wolverton was the program's all-time leader in shutouts (32), goals against average (0.53) and ranked fourth in saves (225). The Atlanta, Ga. native excelled in his senior campaign, recording 64 saves to go along with a 0.90 goals against average and nine shutouts, which tied for second in the Big Ten.
Wolverton recently made his debut with the LA Galaxy helping the team to a 2-1 victory over Club America, July 12.
Wolverton getting drafted into the MLS kept the record streak alive for Head Coach Bob Warming. Coach Warming is the only collegiate coach in America to only miss one year of having a player drafted into the MLS since it began in 1996.