Seven Conference USA men’s soccer players are among the 54 collegiate invitees for the 2004 adidas Major League Soccer Player Combine at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., Jan. 11-13. The group is headlined by 2003 C-USA Player of the Year, Simon Bird, and Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Adrian Cann, both of Louisville, and features three players from regular season co-champion and tournament champion Saint Louis and two from UAB.

Bird finished the year with 12 goals, earning him All-C-USA first team honors. He ranks third all-time at U of L with 29 career goals. Cann helped the Cardinal defense register seven shutouts during the season and became the first player in school history with four consecutive all-conference first team selections. Louisville finished with an 11-7-3 record (5-2-2 C-USA) and a berth in the Conference USA Tournament.

Senior defenders Nick Gannon, Andy Pusateri and Kevin Wickart have helped fourth-ranked Saint Louis (15-3-3, 6-2-1 C-USA) to a quarterfinal berth in the NCAA Tournament against No. 2 Maryland. Gannon is a two-time Conference USA first-team all-conference selection. Pusateri was a second-team All-Conference selection this year. Wickart was a 2003 preseasonAll-Conference selection, but his senior season has been marred by injury. The Billikens and Terappins will square off on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) for a semifinal bid in the College Cup next week in Columbus.

Rounding out the group is Marin Pusek and Tony McManus of UAB. Pusek, a midfielder, and McManus, a defender, were both All-Conference USA first team selections. Pusek finished the year with four goals and four assists for 12 points, while McManus helped the Blazer defense register eight shutouts. UAB concluded the 2003 campaign with a 10-5-5 mark (4-3-2 C-USA).