NEW YORK – Western Michigan senior midfielder Brandon Bye was among those earning an invitation as Major League Soccer announced the initial 60 NCAA DI college players selected to participate in the 2018 adidas MLS Player Combine. Top collegiate players from across the country will showcase their talents in front of representatives from all 23 MLS clubs in Orlando, Fla. from Jan. 11-17, 2018.

All invited players will be eligible for selection in the 2018 SuperDraft presented by adidas which will take place on Friday, Jan. 19 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia in conjunction with the United Soccer Coaches Convention. A committee of MLS coaches and NCAA Division I coaches from every conference selected the invitees, all of whom completed their college eligibility this season. Further invitees including Generation adidas signings, non-collegiate players, and additional college seniors will be announced in the coming weeks.   

Bye was one of seven semifinalists for the 2017 Hermann Trophy to headline this year's list of initial invitees. Bye had the most decorated season in WMU history, leading the Broncos to a Mid-American Conference regular-season championship and NCAA Tournament win, both of which were program firsts. Western Michigan (17-4-1 overall record) finished the season ranked No. 9 in the country and was ranked in the top 25 for 11 consecutive weeks. WMU peaked at a No. 4 ranking this season.

Bye earned First Team All-America honors from the United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News. Before this season, Western Michigan had never fielded an All-American in men's soccer.

Bye was the United Soccer Coaches Scholar Player of the Year, maintaining a 3.74 GPA with a double major in food & consumer packaging goods and marketing & supply chain management. He was the MAC Player of the Year, leading the conference with 12 goals and 31 points, which also ranked among leaders nationally. His six game-winning goals were seventh most In Division I this season and he set a WMU record with 91 shots.

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