Union's Williams gets new deal

Union defender Sheanon Williams was among the most improved players in Major League Soccer last season. Now the team has made a longterm commitment to Williams, who has made dramatic strides since being signed in August 2010 from the team's USL-2 affiliate in Harrisburg.

While team manager Peter Nowak said MLS prohibits terms of the contract being released, Williams said it was through the 2015 season.

Last season, according to MLS Player's Union figures, Williams, who turns 22 next month, made $42,000.

"It gives me some stability and the situation I have has been really good for me," Williams said Wednesday on a conference call with reporters.

Williams is an attacking defender, with one of MLS's best throw-ins. This past season he had a goal and three assists in 32 regular-season games, all starts. In addition, Williams started both playoff games against Houston, which the Union lost, 3-1, in the aggregate-goal series.

Williams is a former forward and, in the past, Nowak has talked about moving him up to the midfield.

When asked if he has been moving up during the preseason, Williams didn't want to reveal much on the strategy front.

"I don't want to get into specifics," he said. "I am naturally a defender and am comfortable back there. We have been working on a lot of things."

The Union departs on Thursday for Costa Rica for the next leg of their training camp, after returning from Florida on Sunday. They will be in Costa Rica through March 4 and will have three scrimmages and an intersquad scrimmage as well.

The Union will begin play in their third MLS season with a March 12 opener at Portland.