Crystal Palace Baltimore News Release - www.crystalpalaceusa.com

Friday, February 29, 2008

BALTIMORE, MD -- Crystal Palace Baltimore announced the signing of midfielder Dan Lader. The Baltimore MD native spent 2007 playing with the Virginia Legacy of the PDL (Premier Development League) and was a member of the inaugural Crystal Palace USA team which played an exhibition match against Crystal Palace FC (UK) at the Naval Academy in the summer of 2006.

Lader played for the Salisbury University men’s soccer team on Maryland’s Eastern Shore from 2001-2004, earning NSCAA All-American honors during his senior year. In 2004 he was also named Conference Player of the Year in the CAC (Capital Athletic Conference) when he helped his team reach the final four of the NCAA tournament for the first time in their history. In 2005, Lader was a member of the Baltimore Colts team that won the USASA Open Cup.

“Dan is a very solid, reliable midfield player – he always maintains good ball control, holds it well and makes consistently accurate passes,” said Co-manager and Sporting Director Jim Cherneski. “He put in great performance when he played for the Virginia Legacy against us in a friendly last year, so I had no hesitation in signing him.”

Co-manager and President Pete Medd added, “He had a great game for Crystal Palace USA in the 2006 friendly versus the London team. We selected him for that team based on a strong recommendation from his coach at the Baltimore Colts, Frank Assaro. He impressed again when we played the Legacy. So we know his character - he gets the job done.”