Matt Kassel preparing to leave Maryland and sign homegrown contract with New York Red Bulls

By Steve Goff

Maryland junior midfielder Matt Kassel is planning to leave school to sign with the New York Red Bulls, Terrapins Coach Sasho Cirovski told the Insider.

The Red Bulls have MLS rights to Kassel, a New Jersey native, because he rose through the club's youth system, making him exempt from next week's draft in Baltimore. Another person close to the situation said the sides are likely to finalize a homegrown contract as early as this weekend.

"He's planning to sign unless there's a last-minute snag," said Cirovski, who has already seen junior goalkeeper Zac MacMath enter the draft and sophomore defender Ethan White sign a homegrown deal with D.C. United. "With Matt, I'm happy we had him for three years. He was a great player for us. After every year, there was a possibility he was going to leave. This is the right time."

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This season, Kassel, a two-way central midfielder, led Maryland in assists with 11 and was tied for second in goals with nine. In three years, he made 62 starts and registered 11 goals and 24 assists.

Meantime, Cirovski confirmed senior goalkeeper Will Swaim, who started 12 matches as a freshman before losing the job to MacMath, has applied to graduate school at Maryland with plans to return to the team. He made just two appearances in 2010. Maryland has two recruits on the way but no other returning keepers.

