“We selected three athletic players who have a knack for scoring,” said Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas. “Amani, Yannick and Sam have performed well at the collegiate ranks and we look forward to them joining the Chicago Fire Soccer Club.”
Walker, a 6-2, 185-pound forward, comes to the Fire from the University of California – Irvine where he tallied 27 goals and 11 assists in 85 appearances over the course of four years in Irvine. The San Diego, CA product was named 2010 NSCAA All-Far West Region First Team and Big West Co-Offensive Player of the Year after notching 11 goals and adding two assists in his senior season.
With the second selection in the 2011 Supplemental Draft, the Fire picked Salmon, a defender turned midfielder out of Rutgers University. The Westbury, NY product appeared in 15 matches, starting all of them, and scored six goals during the Scarlet Knights 2010 campaign. The 20-year-old began his career at the University of Maryland and was a member of the Under-17 Jamaican national team.
The Fire acquired Arthur, a left-footed forward from the University of South Carolina with the 45th overall selection. The 6-1, 177 pound striker bagged 26 goals and nine assists in 57 games for the Gamecocks.
With four selections at the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, the Fire snagged defender Jalil Anibab, forwards Jason Herrick and Davis Paul and acquired veteran goalkeeper Jon Conway in a trade with Toronto FC.
The Fire will host Opening Day at TOYOTA PARK against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, March 26 at 3:00 PM CT. Chicago Fire Season Tickets and 2011 Winter Packs, which give fans the opportunity to witness the Men in Red in action on Opening Day and the Fire’s second home match in 2011, are available by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473), via Ticketmaster or by heading to the club’s official website at Chicago-Fire.com. The Men in Red will begin their 14th MLS season during “First Kick” week when they travel to Dallas to challenge Brimstone Cup rivals and MLS Cup runners up FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park on Saturday, March 19 at 7:30 PM CT.
ABOUT CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club was founded on October 8, 1997 as a Major League Soccer expansion team. The Fire won the MLS Cup in its inaugural season in 1998 and was crowned the champion of U.S. Soccer’s national tournament, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006. In June 2006, the Fire moved into its world-class home of TOYOTA PARK, located in Bridgeview, IL. For more information on the Chicago Fire, please visit the club’s official website at www.Chicago-Fire.com.
ABOUT TOYOTA PARK
Located 15 minutes from downtown Chicago and minutes from Midway airport off of I-55 on Harlem Avenue, TOYOTA PARK is the Midwest’s preeminent outdoor live entertainment and sporting facility. Opened in 2006, TOYOTA PARK not only serves as the home of the Chicago Fire, but also hosts a variety of sporting events, special events and concerts by national and international artists. In 2010, TOYOTA PARK hosted Jimmy Buffett and Phish, while welcoming back Eric Clapton and his Crossroads.