T2 Player Profile: Nick Besler

T2 opened their season on Sunday with 3-1 victory over Real Monarchs and a late-game stunner against Sacramento Republic, to defeat the defending USL champions 2-1.  With so many new faces, we will be profiling the 20 players signed or loaned to the USL side.

We conclude with midfielder Nick Besler.

Number: 27
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 165
Born: May 7, 1993
Hometown: Overland Park, KS
College: University of Notre Dame

Besler, 21, joins T2 after being the Timbers top draft pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Notre Dame, where he won the 2013 NCAA Championship, defeating Schillo Tshuma's Maryland Terrapins.

A three-year starter with the Fighting Irish, Besler made 72 appearances (59 starts), scoring 2 goals and adding 5 assists.  A two-time (2013, 2014) selection to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team, Besler was also selected to the 2014 NSCAA All-American second team, 2013 NSCAA All-South Atlantic first team, and the 2012 All-Big East third team.

An attacker in high school, Besler recorded 47 goals and 24 assists at Blue Valley West high school, where he was named an NSCAA All-American as a senior, NSCAA 2010 Kansas Player of the Year, 2010 Kansas City Metro Player of the Year, and was a two-time Eastern Kansas League Offensive Player if the Year in 2009 and 2010.

Envisioned as a defensive midfielder with the Timbers, Besler will have plenty of time to develop into the role at a professional level, with Diego Chara and Will Johnson ahead of him in the depth chart, though he is likely ready to step into the first team, should he be needed,.  He has started T2's first two USL matches, playing 180 minutes.

A 2015 MLS SuperDraft highlight video is embedded below: