BRIDGEVIEW, IL - The Chicago Fire announced today the signing of 2007 MLS SuperDraft third-round pick Mike Banner to a developmental contract. The 22-year-old Washington, D.C. native was selected 34th overall in January's draft, after playing for three years at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville (2004-2006) and one year at Georgetown University (2002). Banner will be the ninth of ten possible developmental players on Chicago's 28-man roster, following the signing of defender Erik Hort on Friday.
"Mike is a very gifted, technical, attacking player that we've been pretty pleased about since our preseason," said Fire head coach Dave Sarachan. "He plays primarily as a left-sided player, but can also play on the right. He has tremendous quickness and speed and we think that - through time - he could develop into a very effective flank player at our level."
After a 2002 campaign at Georgetown that saw Banner play in all 18 games (13 starts) for the Hoyas, the versatile midfielder took his game to the soccer-rich country of Brazil in the fall of 2003, training through the Delima Soccer program at Clube Atletico Paranaense until late summer of 2004. In the fall Banner returned stateside and enrolled at Division II SIU - Edwardsville. Banner earned All-Great Lakes Region and All-Great Lakes Valley Conference Second Team selection in 2004 after scoring six goals across 16 starts in his sophomore season for the Cougars.
Banner received NSCAA All-American honors and a First Team All-Great Lakes Region selection in 2005, leading SIU-Edwardsville to a second-straight Great Lakes Region championship with a team-high eight goals and three assists. Banner played in 21 of the Cougar's 22 contests in his 2006 senior season, tallying four goals and eight assists and earning a second First Team All-Great Lakes selection and a First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference award.
