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Pro indoor soccer team settles its Chicago roster

The Chicago Riot, which will play its home games in Villa Park, announced its full team roster Tuesday for the 2010-11 Major Indoor Soccer League season.

The 16-player roster lof the Major Indoor Soccer League club features several players with ties to the Chicagoland area. All of the players reside in Chicagoland, while 12 played for the Rockford Rampage during the 2009-2010 MISL season.

“In a short amount of time, the Riot has put together a roster full of experienced indoor talent along with exciting newcomers to the MISL,” Riot head coach Jeff Kraft said. “We're a blue collar team with a strong work ethic and a tough attitude. We're in this for the long ride and I'm excited to see how the team performs together, starting this Friday at Baltimore.”

The Riot's first official signing is Novica Marojevic, who also will serve as Kraft's assistant coach. The midfielder has played for the Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition, Rochester Rhinos and Kansas City Attack, in addition to nine professional seasons in Europe where he played for Sutjeska, Radnicki, Partizan, Vozdovac and Celik.

“Novi is one of the best talents ever to play indoor soccer in Chicago,” Kraft said. “I've coached him with the Storm and with the Rampage, and it's a great pleasure to work again with such an outstanding player and person.”

The Riot's captain is 31-year-old midfielder Fred Degand, a native of Deerfield, who played 19 games during the 2009-10 season for the Rampage. The former Bowling Green State University player was drafted by the Cleveland Crunch of the National Professional Soccer League in 2001. But he did not sign with the Crunch, instead making his professional indoor debut with the Cleveland Force in 2003-2004.

Between the posts, the Riot will have Jeff Richey, who was named the 2009 National Soccer League Player of the Year.

Semir Mesanovic leads all members of the Riot with 45 points in the 2009-10 MISL season, which he split with the Rockford Rampage and Philidelphia KiXX.

Bato Radoncic joins Mesanovic to form the Riot's strikeforce. The forward notched 32 points in the 2009-2010 MISL season with the Rampage.

The Riot will play its home games at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park. The five-team MISL features the Riot, Baltimore Blast, Milwaukee Wave, Missouri Comets and Omaha Vipers. Chicago's home opener kicks off at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 against the Milwaukee Wave.

For more information, visit ChicagoRiotSoccer.com or call 630-708-6284.

Chicago Riot roster

No., Name, Position, Date of Birth; Hometown

2, Chris Brisson, D, 08/11/82; Hugo, MN

3, Will Kletzien, D, 12/14/81; Kent, Ohio

5, Eric Duda, M, 05/20/81; Carol Stream, IL

7, Semir Mesanovic, M, 01/01/81; Toronto, Canada

8, Bato Radoncic, F, 08/20/80; Berane, Montenegro

10, Novica Marojevic, M, 04/11/73; Niksic, Montenegro

11, Edward Santeliz, F, 06/18/87; Chicago

13, Fred Degand, M, 06/06/79; Deerfield IL

14, Eric Lukin, D, 06/14/79; Chicago

16, Roberto Gallo, D, 07/09/84; Chicago

19, Ante Cop, GK, 11/07/74; Slavonski Brod, Croatia

20, Marco Sullo, D, 03/10/87; Chicago

21, Andre Berenzon, M, 09/28/84, Sao Paulo, Brazil

22, Vladimir Knezevic, D, 05/23/75; Belgrade, Serbia

23, Jeff Richey, GK, 02/06/78; Fort Wayne, IN

88, Zlatko Zebic, F, 01/08/79; Belgrade, Serbia

Head coach: Jeff Kraft

Assistant coach/midfielder: Novica Marojevic

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