Six Potomac area NCAA players drafted early in MLS SuperDraft

A total of six players from three Potomac area were selected in the first two round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft on Friday, beginning with Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siad Haji at No. 2 overall to the San Jose Earthquakes.

The first two rounds also saw four players selected from the reigning NCAA national champion University of Maryland, and one player from Georgetown University, Brendan McDonough. Maryland players Dayne St. Clair, Chase Gasper, Andrew Samuels and Amar Sejdic were all taken, as the Terps had the most selections of any college team in the first two rounds of the draft.

+READ: MLS SuperDraft 2019 | Full Recap from Rounds 1 and 2

Virginia Commonwealth University (1): Siad Haji

Haji was one of seven players in the 2019 MLS Superdraft to sign a Generation adidas contract prior to the draft and combine. He became the second VCU player to ink a GA deal as Jason Johnson was selected by the Houston Dynamo with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 MLS Superdraft. Generation adidas is a joint venture between MLS and adidas and identifies a handful of the top collegiate underclassmen and youth national team players each year.

University of Maryland (4): Chase Gasper; Dayne St. Clair; Andrew Samuels; Amar Sejdic

St. Clair, selected by Minnesota United seventh overall, was the first goalkeeper chosen. The Canadian went the highest of any Terp since Casey Townsend was picked fifth overall in 2012. St. Clair recorded 13 shutouts and did not give up a goal for the final 500 minutes of the season, helping the Terps capture a national championship. A Generation adidas signee, St. Clair ranked in the top-15 in the country in goals against average and save percentage. He started every match in Maryland’s last two seasons.

Gasper will join St. Clair in the Twin Cities after being selected 15th overall by Minnesota United. A two-year starter at left back after transferring in from UCLA, Gasper joined St. Clair in Maryland’s fantastic defensive block that logged 13 shutouts and did not give up a goal for its final 500 minutes. Gasper also recorded five assists, including matching a school single game record with three against Ohio State.

Samuels, mainly a defensive midfielder who also played right back, was chosen 33rd by the Houston Dynamo, where he will join former Terps AJ Delagarza (player) and Michael Dellorusso (assistant coach). The Florida native started all 23 games and played 2,139 minutes, the second most on the team. He also added two assist in his final campaign. He played in 81 matches for his career.

Sejdic will head north of the border after being selected 34th overall by the Montreal Impact. A dynamic offensive threat, he lead the Terps with eight goals in 2018, including the game winning goal in the National Championship game. Sejdic was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and logged 23 goals and 16 assists over his four-year career. He was named the most valuable player of the 2018 College Cup.

Georgetown Univ. (1): Brendan McDonough

McDonough (Matthews, N.C. / Charlotte Catholic) was selected by the Vancouver Whitecaps with the 35th overall selection of the 2019 Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft on Friday. McDonough was the 11th pick of the second round. During the 2018 season at Georgetown, McDonough was a Second Team All-East Region and a Second Team All-BIG EAST selection in 2018. He and the defense managed a league-best 10 shutouts on the season. McDonough had one goal and one assist on the year for three points. His lone goal was the game winner against Marquette in the BIG EAST Championship.