Donovan Ricketts And Marco Di Vaio Tie For The Castrol® Index Top Spot

WAYNE, N.J., Oct. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Castrol®, an official sponsor of Major League Soccer (MLS), announced today its final rankings report for the 2013 MLS regular season.  The Castrol Index, the official performance index of MLS, ranked all players from the data collected since the MLS season began on March 2, 2013, through the final game of the season. In a tie, Portland Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and Montreal Impact forward Marco Di Vaio both earned the "2013 Castrol Index Top Player" distinction by accumulating 810 points each in 2,880 and 2,743 minutes, respectively. Ricketts and Di Vaio emerged two points ahead of Chicago Fire forward Mike Magee.

Ricketts finished up the season conceding a total of 31 goals in 2,880 minutes of play, with Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando coming in a close second, with 28 goals conceded in 2,430 minutes. Ricketts and Rimando posted the highest saves/shots ration in MLS – 75 percent compared to the 71 percent average for the best 10 keepers – in line with their position as the top goalkeepers in this year's rankings.

Castrol is also excited to recognize the top position players of the 2013 MLS season. The top midfielder is Graham Zusi of Sporting Kansas City and the top defender is Drew Moor of the Colorado Rapids. Zusi's success at midfield was a result of his stellar passing performance, the best in MLS when taking into account the quality of the passes, or in other words, the probability of his team scoring with each of his passes. Moor earned the top defender spot due to his strength in clearances (second in MLS). Moor also seemed to go forward more frequently than others in his position and as a result, scored three goals.

In its third season, the Castrol Index continued to help soccer fans see the game in a different perspective by using the latest technology to objectively analyze the 2013 MLS season and determine top performances. In assessing every player's actions for net positive or negative impact on a team's ability to score or concede a goal, analysts have logged more than 1,800 player movements per match, examining the merits of every action.

"Over the last three seasons, the Castrol Index has further solidified its position as the performance assessment system for Major League Soccer. Our goal for the Index goes beyond a rankings platform – we strive to achieve greater fan engagement and MLS player support," said Tracy Drelich-Knauer, Associate Promotions & Sponsorship Manager for Castrol. "We're thrilled to hear that the players compare their Castrol Index rankings with one another in the locker room, which is a real testament to how the Index enhances competition among players."

The MLS Cup Playoffs will kick off on October 30 and 31 with the Knockout Round. Castrol invites fans to visit the MLS Cup page at MLSsoccer.com to test their predictions against the Castrol Predictor to determine who will be the final two clubs vying for MLS Cup 2013.  This tool forecasts the teams that will advance in the playoffs based on empirical data collected during the season. The Castrol Predictor looks at factors such as the number of goals expected to be scored, the number of goals expected to be conceded and whether the team is playing at their home stadium or on the road. 

To view the full Castrol Index, visit www.MLSsoccer.com/castrolindex.  Fans can also join the Castrol Index and Predictor discussion on Castrol's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/castrolusa or on Twitter using #castrolindex.

About the Castrol Index
The Castrol Index, a proprietary technology that objectively ranks a player's performance, was launched in 2008 with Castrol's official sponsorship of the UEFA Euro2008™ tournament. It was further expanded and refined in partnership with FIFA for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. This innovative tool analyzes and tracks every players move, providing statistical data and insightful analysis to fans, players and coaches to enhance their engagement with the game. 

About Castrol®
BP Lubricants USA Inc. markets premium lubricants and business-building programs directly to independent lube operators, service providers, new car dealers and leading retailers. Our leadership brands include Castrol® GTX® — a premium conventional motor oil; Castrol® GTX® High Mileage™ - a premium synthetic blend designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles; the Castrol® EDGE ® line of advanced full-synthetic super premium motor oils that offer unsurpassed strength and performance; as well as our range of commercial transport lubricants. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please call 1-888-CASTROL or visit www.castrol.com/us.

About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. MLS features many stars from the U.S., Canada, and around the world. Major League Soccer's 18th season features 19 clubs, each playing 34 regular-season matches. Those clubs include the Chicago Fire; Chivas USA; Colorado Rapids; Columbus Crew; D.C. United; FC Dallas; Houston Dynamo; 2012 MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy; Montreal Impact; New York Red Bulls; New England Revolution; Philadelphia Union; Portland Timbers; Real Salt Lake; San Jose Earthquakes; Seattle Sounders FC; Sporting Kansas City; Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. New York City FC was unveiled May 21, 2013. For more information about MLS, log on to the league's official website at www.MLSsoccer.com.

Contact Information:
Lauren O'Leary, Ogilvy Public Relations
212-880-5295/201-790-2875
lauren.o'[email protected]   

SOURCE Castrol