Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders had a private combine in Las Vegas to study some of the players the team was considering for the league’s 2011 SuperDraft, which was held Thursday in Baltimore.

“I felt confident in my performance in Vegas,” Cruz said. “I was just hoping they enjoyed my presence there, on and off the field.”

SMU defender Leone Cruz was drafted in the second round of the Major League SuperDraft by the Seattle Sounders (photo by SMU athletics).

Apparently the Sounders were impressed; Seattle selected Cruz with the third pick in the second round of the SuperDraft. Cruz, understandably, was thrilled.

“It’s just a fantastic organization — I think it’s the best organization in the league,” Cruz said of the Sounders, “from top to bottom, from the trainers to the coaches. You couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Cruz, who also took part in the MLS Combine Jan. 7-11 in Fort Lauderdale, was one of the Mustangs’ most decorated players during his career on the Hilltop. One of the anchors of the SMU defense, Cruz finished his career with nine goals and five assists, and was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team and the All-Midwest Region Second Team as a senior.

“Cruz played very well at our Combine and at the league Combine,” Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid said. “He’s a real competitor and he gets up in the air well. Those are the things that we liked about him.”

Prior to the SuperDraft, there was speculation that Cruz might end up with Real Salt Lake, which Cruz said showed some interest at the MLS Combine, or FC Dallas, which is coached by Schellas Hyndman, who recruited Cruz to SMU in 2006 (Cruz redshirted in 2007 after getting injured in the Mustangs’ fourth game, but carries the distinction of having scored at least one goal in five seasons at SMU).

“I was just hoping to get picked,” said Cruz, who will report to Seattle next week to take his physical. “Schellas … if I didn’t get picked, I was hoping he got my back and would give my chance, but thankfully it didn’t come to that.”

Rather than relying on his former coach to get a chance at a professional career, Cruz said it was member of the Mustangs’ current staff who might have helped land Cruz with the Sounders.

“(SMU assistant) Coach (Phil) Wolf knows Sigi Schmid,” Cruz said. “I think (Schmid) has a lot of confidence in Coach Wolf’s wisdom and knowledge of the game, so if Coach Wolf said good things about me, maybe that helped.”

SMU head coach Tim McClements said he was happy for Cruz getting drafted, and said the Sounders are an ideal team for Cruz to begin his career as a professional player.

“I’m really, really happy for Leone and his family,” McClements said. “He had a standout year, and I’m glad he has the opportunity to embark on a career that he’s so passionate about. He’s a player that brings a lot to the table. He’s technically and tactically gifted, is very comfortable on the ball and very confident on the attack. He’s a great fit for Seattle.”

Cruz has played in the middle and on the right side of the SMU defense during his career, and developed into a key part of the Ponies’ offense coming forward on runs out of the back. He said he has not been told by the Sounders’ coaching staff how his new team plans to use him.

“I don’t know what they have in mind,” Cruz said. “I’m assuming they see me as a center back, since that’s what I played at their combine (in Las Vegas). But I really don’t know.”

Cruz, who called getting drafted by the Sounders the highest individual honor of his career, said one thing that is so appealing about playing for Seattle is that he won’t have to defend his new teammates.

“Seattle is a really fast team — they have some of the fastest players in the league,” he said. “Plus, they play on turf, so that makes the field a little faster. I’m glad I don’t have to defend some of those guys in games, but training against them in practice will help make me a better player.”

Cruz will report to the Seattle next week to take a physical and begin training camp.