Ceranic hones skills in premier development league

SAINT ALBANS, Vt. -- For the second straight summer, Mount Mercy soccer standout Drago Ceranic is preparing for the upcoming season the best way he knows how, by competing for the Vermont Voltage in the United Soccer Leagues.

The Voltage joined the USL's Premier Development League (PDL), the top under-23 men's league in North America, in 1997. The PDL features 68 teams within four conferences across the United States and Canada. Players are able to compete in a highly competitive setting while maintaining their college eligibility.

The franchise was officially part of the PDL until this summer, when stadium renovations at Collins-Perley Sports Complex forced the Voltage to take a one-year hiatus from official PDL competition. However, the team was able to arrange a full schedule at Burlington High School, their temporary home.

And just like last year, when he was the Most Improved Player for the Voltage, Ceranic jumped at the chance to play in Vermont again. "It's an opportunity that not many NAIA players get," he says. "This is a great way to get ready for my final season at Mount Mercy."

Ceranic has been an all-Midwest Collegiate Conference performer in each of his three seasons with the Mustangs. Last fall, he was a first-team all-MCC defender for a Mount Mercy squad that reached double-digits in wins for the first time since 2000. The Mustangs finished third in the conference with a 6-2-0 league mark and were 10-6-2 overall.

After missing Vermont's season opener, Ceranic has been a starting defender in the team's last six games. He has two goals and an assist, and the Voltage have gone undefeated while outscoring their opponents 15-0. And despite relocating for this season, the atmosphere has been electric for the 1,000 fans that typically show up to cheer the Voltage.

"Our fan support has been great," says Ceranic. "After each match we sign autographs and get pictures taken with our fans, including the kids that come to our camps during the week."

For Ceranic and his teammates, working camps and clinics is also a big part of their summer. The Voltage coaches and players host week-long camps all summer long at various locations. For most sessions, there are more than 100 kids hoping to learn soccer skills from some of the top amateur players in the country.

"Playing here has been a tremendous experience," Ceranic says. "It's been a lot of fun, and it's prepared me to play at a higher level in the fall. We'll have a lot of new faces at Mount Mercy, but we expect to have a great season."