Butler's Eric Dick was selected in the first round, 13th overall by Sporting Kansas City.
#BEfútbol MLS SuperDraft Round Up: Eight Players Selected
PHILADELPHIA – For the third consecutive year, the BIG EAST had a player drafted in the first round of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft as Butler’s Eric Dick, BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, headlined a group of eight #BEfútbol players drafted.
Since 2014, the BIG EAST has had 35 players selected in the MLS SuperDraft in addition to homegrown contracts signed. Of the 35, 12 of those have been first round picks. Seven of the BIG EAST’s 10 schools have had at least one player selected in the first round in the past five drafts.
Dick was selected 13th overall by Sporting Kansas City. His was the first goalkeeper taken in the draft. At No. 13, Dick was the highest-drafted Butler keeper in history. The highest overall player was Zach Steinberger who was selected with the eighth overall pick of the first round by the Houston Dynamo in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. Dick led the 2017 Bulldogs to a 14-5-2 overall record, a BIG EAST regular season championship, and an appearance in the NCAA Third Round. That postseason run matched the best finish in program history. The 6-5 goalkeeper was previously named a first-team NCAA Division I All-American, and the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year while also earning All-BIG EAST first team honors. He had a BIG EAST-best nine shutouts on the season, posting a 0.97 goals against average and .820 save percentage. Dick's nine shutouts this season are the most in a single season, while his 28 career clean sheets are also a Butler best.
The BIG EAST had four players taken in the second round, led by a pair from Creighton, Lucas Stauffer who was picked up third in the second round, 26th overall by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Ricky Lopez-Espin, the 10th pick of the second round, 33rd overall by Real Salt Lake. Creighton has now had 40 MLS Draft picks since the league began in 1996. Both Bluejays made the 2017 United Soccer Coaches All-Great Lakes Region teams (Lopez-Espin, First Team; Stauffer, Second Team). Lopez-Espin was the Co-BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year as he paced the conference with 15 points and seven goals during league play last year. Stauffer is a two-time All-BIG EAST First Team honoree and played 86 career matches for the Bluejays.
Georgetown’s Christopher Lema was drafted by FC Dallas as the 34th overall pick in the draft, 11th in the second round right after Lopez-Espin. Lema is the 18th player to be drafted or sign a contract with an MLS Club during Hoya head coach Brian Wiese’s tenure. Lema was a Second Team United Soccer Coaches All-American, a First Team All-Great Lakes Region selection and team MVP. Additionally, he was a First Team All-BIG EAST honoree for the second-consecutive year.
Providence forward Mac Steeves rounded out the first day of draft picks for the BIG EAST. Steeves was picked up by the Houston Dynamo, 20th in the second round, 43rd overall. Providence has now had eight players drafted into the MLS. Before Steeves, the most recent Friar to be drafted was reigning MLS Rookie of the Year, Julian Gressel. He was drafted eighth overall to Atlanta United FC. Steeves was the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, he had 19 points this year with eight goals.
On Sunday, three more BIG EAST players heard their names called, starting with Xavier defender Cory Brown who was selected 62nd overall by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Brown was the fourth Xavier player to be drafted in in the last seven years. Villanova defender Chris Bared followed Brown, picked up 68th overall by the Seattle Sounders FC.
Creighton’s Noah Franke rounded out the trio of BIG EAST defenders who were selected on Sunday. FC Dallas selected Franke 80th overall.
In addition to the drafted players, Georgetown’s JT Marcinkowski had signed a Homegrown Contract with the San Jose Earthquakes.
The first two rounds of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas were held in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 19. The third and fourth rounds were conducted via a conference call on Sunday, Jan. 21. As customary, the SuperDraft was held in conjunction with the annual United Soccer Coaches convention.
Over the past three drafts, 21 BIG EAST men’s soccer players have been drafted.
BIG EAST Players in 2018 MLS SuperDraft
| Round (Overall) |
Player |
Team |
| 1 (13) |
Eric Dick, Butler, GK |
Sporting Kansas City |
| 2 (26) |
Lucas Stauffer, Creighton, D |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
| 2 (33) |
Ricky Lopez-Espin, Creighton, M |
Real Salt Lake |
| 2 (34) |
Christopher Lema, Georgetown, M |
FC Dallas |
| 2 (43) |
Mac Steeves, Providence, F |
Houston Dynamo |
| 3 (62) |
Cory Brown, Xavier, D |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
| 3 (68) |
Chris Bared, Villanova, D |
Seattle Sounders FC |
| 4 (80) |
Noah Franke, Creighton, D |
FC Dallas |
Homegrown Contracts Signed in 2017-18
| JT Marcinkowski, Georgetown, GK |
San Jose Earthquakes |