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Chicago, Ill. -- Former SMU men's soccer player Daniel Hernandez (Tyler, Texas) is one of 23 players chosen by U.S. men’s National Team head coach Bruce Arena that will train in preparation for the international friendly against El Salvador on Sunday, November 17 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET. Fans can also follow the action live online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.

Hernandez, the 1997 NSCAA Division I Player of the Year, was a member of the SMU men's soccer team from 1995-97 and drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy in 1998. He is currently a member of the New England Revolution. While at SMU, Hernandez was a two-time WAC Player of the Year honoree and holds the current school record for most assists in a single season (21). He is tied for second on SMU's all-time career assist list with 36.

The entire article with the listing of the roster can be found on <A HREF="http://www.ussoccer.com" TARGET=_blank>www.ussoccer.com</A>

OK, who's better: Daniel Hernandez or Diego Walsh?

Who are the best players ever at SMU?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by PonyGirl:
<B>OK, who's better: Daniel Hernandez or Diego Walsh?

Who are the best players ever at SMU?</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Best Goalies: Byron Foss, Tom Presthus, John Howard, and for comic relief Pasquale Pilato.

Striker: Alan Prampin, Luchi Gonzales, Andy Strouse.

Midfield. Daniel Hernandez, Giampaulo Pedroso, Diego Walsh, Mohammed Fahim.

back later with my Sweepers and defenders. For some reason I cant remember anyones last name, except Scott Blocker. Marcus... Cody..... Alex....
Pony Pride, help me out here. Netherlands.....

PX, please tell me you did not just make a Pascuale Pilato reference! There's a name we haven't heard in a while! Nice call on your part.

My list
Goalkeepers: Tom Presthus, Byron Foss, Hank Henry, John Howard and Matt Frederick

Defenders/Sweepers: Kevin Grimes, David Carlson, Patrick Krejs, Carl Bussey, Stephen Raggio, Damon Hughes and (despite his lack of playing time lately) Tom Dolan

Midfielders: Diego Walsh, Daniel Hernandez, Mark Francis, Giampaulo Pedroso, Johnny Reynolds, Carl Bussey, Ivan Polic

Forwards/strikers: Larry McPhail, Alan Prampin, Khamal Khalilian (something close to that), Luchi Gonzalez, Andy Strouse, Mohammed Fahim

------------

PX, I can't think of Marcus' last name. I'm sure it will come to me eventually....
As for the others: Cody Schroeder? Scott Blokker? Don't remember "Alex."

Goalies:
1. Byron Foss
2. Tom Presthus
3. Erin Poole
4. Hank Henry

Defenders:
1. Kevin Grimes
2. Patrick Krejs
3. Stephen Raggio

Midfielders:
1. Diego Walsh
2. Giampaulo Pedroso
3. Daniel Hernandez
4. Bryan Thompson

Forwards:
1. Kara Lee
2. Larry McPhail
3. Alan Prampin
4. Luchi Gonzalez
5. Danielle Garrett/Fotopolous
6. Mishu Fahim
7. Lisa Cole

Not so fast, my friend!

PonyPride, you have Bussey as a defender AND as a midfielder?

Yes, I did. Because Bussey at different times in his career was a defender, a midfielder and even a forward - and he almost made my list there. In fact, upon further review, I think he was better at forward than Fahim. He just didn't play there for as long, and therefore didn't have as many scoring opportunities.

Daniel was the best player to play at SMU, and is stronger all-around than Walsh. Hernandez did not have the supporting cast that Walsh has been blessed with. Hernandez is still going up, and you will hear much more of him. Prampin was a like a bulldozer, though, and for some reason is still my all time favorite.

Hernandez and Walsh were (in my opinion) the two most gifted players I've seen at SMU, and I've been watching since before Coach Hyndman got here.

As for surrounding casts, Walsh's cast last year was very good, to be sure. Luchi Gonzalez had a dream season (although he also benefited from the attention paid to those around him.) Mohamed Fahim was perhaps the best #2 scorer in the nation. Carl Bussey performed very well as he continued to battle back from his knee injury. And Byron Foss played like an All-America goalie.

But Walsh also had a terrific year this year, and he didn't have any of those guys. His role changed this year because he was the most reliable scorer on an offense that also included 3 freshmen (Kellen Zindel, Duke Hashimoto and Colin Clark.) They're talented guys, but they're freshmen and for much of the year appeared a little shellshocked or lost out there. There were times when Walsh seemingly took on a defense by himself and still scored, or drew so much defensive attention that he then fed one of the freshmen for a relatively easy goal.

And it's not like Hernandez didn't have a ton of talent around him. Paul Broome, Tony Soto, Tom Prethus (all MLS draftees), Stephen Raggio, Joey Wagner, Stefan Soufiane, Brad Massey, Alan Gearing, Shawn Cantrell, Omar Elminoufi, Damon Hughes, Gary Gilmore .... all of them were very good players who played with Hernandez (if my memory isn't failing me here) on some incredibly talented teams. Hernandez played the same role with those teams that Walsh played with his - a technically superior player who filled any position he was asked, and did whatever was needed, from being a scoring threat to a playmaker setting up scoring chances for teammates.

In my opinion, their talent level was nearly even, but what separates them in my mind is field vision. Hernandez could work his way through heavy traffic to get downfield like almost nobody I remember. But Walsh had an ability to hold the ball while being virtually gang-tackled and emerge on the other side, as if he had the ball on a string, and he connected on passes that no other player I've ever seen would even attempt. Walsh's vision makes him, in my opinion, the best player SMU has ever had.

Give me Larry McPhail over all of them. Best college player I've ever seen.