Mississippi Brilla News Release - www.msbrillafc.org

Friday, March 28, 2008

CLINTON, MS -- Heading into its second season in the Premier Development League, Mississippi Brilla FC will look to build on its first-year success with a number of top returning players. Leading the offensive threat will be fan favorite James Gledhill, along with local star Phillip Buffington.

Coming off a season in which it led the Mid-South Division with 30 goals scored, Mississippi Brilla FC should again provide a dangerous attack as it returns three of its top four goal scorers from last season.

Buffington led Division III power Mississippi College with 19 goals in 2007, ranking him 4th in the nation in goals per game. Tripp Harkins, a Jackson, MS native currently playing for the University of Memphis, also returns to give the team offensive firepower in 2008. Other returning forwards include Paul Babba, Austin Beck, and Stuart Makinson.

Ousmane Coulibaly, former Burkina Faso National Team player, returns to give a veteran presence in the midfield. He will be joined by former Stanford standout and local product Michael Brown. Brown was one of only two Mississippi Brilla FC players to play every minute of every game during the 2007 campaign.

“We are fortunate to have Michael Brown returning to our team this year,” said Rusty Bryant, President and General Manager. “We honestly thought that we would lose him to a professional team, but things just didn’t work out for him this year. Hopefully he can join David Lilly in the professional ranks next year.”

David Lilly, who played alongside Brown in central midfield, recently signed a professional contract with the Carolina Railhawks in the USL-1.

The other player to play every minute in 2007 was All-League selection Dwyane Demmin. The defender from Trinidad & Tobago announced his return to Mississippi Brilla FC earlier this year. Returning players Keith Armstrong, Justin Roberts, Micah Usry, and Ricky Machel will anchor the defense.

The goalkeeper position will also have a familiar face as David Austin and Michael Goodlett both return to man the net in 2008. Austin, returning from a knee injury suffered late in the 2007 season, provides veteran leadership, as he is a former goalkeeper for the Trinidad & Tobago National Team. Goodlett is a local up and coming star currently playing for the University of Memphis.

New additions to the 2008 Mississippi Brilla FC roster will be announced next week. Mississippi Brilla FC opens the 2008 season with a Friday, May 9 contest against the Laredo Heat. The match will take place at 7:00 pm at M&F Bank Stadium in Ridgeland, MS.