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On Thursday, Major League Soccer held the 2020 SuperDraft, their yearly college entry draft to the league. Things got very exciting for Marquette men’s soccer fans very quickly, when New York Red Bulls suddenly pulled off a trade to jump up to #10 in the draft.
T R A D E
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) January 9, 2020
We're moving up to No. 10.
We're on the clock.@MLS #SuperDraft, pres. by @adidassoccer pic.twitter.com/oXKiQuFnUY
Then, moments later....
Rounding out the top ten of the 2020 #SuperDraft, @NewYorkRedBulls select defender Patrick Seagrist (@Pattyseags) from @marquettesoccer. pic.twitter.com/FuGSdZHyZ7
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 9, 2020
Yep, that’s Marquette defender Patrick Seagrist going #10 overall to a team that moved up in the draft to make sure they could get him. Three of the next four players selected in the draft were defenders, so it certainly seems that there were a number of options for Seagrist, but he’ll be headed to New York to join the Red Bulls.
Oh yes Patrick pic.twitter.com/wq0WT2vGsD
— Louis Bennett (@Loobe21) January 9, 2020
Even out of the back of MU’s formation, Seagrist still finished his senior season with two goals and a team high seven assists. Making use of his speed and tenacity, Seagrist was a superb outside/wing back for the Golden Eagles across the last four years, finishing his career with six goals and 16 assists while making 63 starts in 65 appearances. At #10 overall, Seagrist holds the program record for the highest SuperDraft selection, beating out Luis Barraza, who went #12 overall last year.
A quick look at what @Pattyseags can do. pic.twitter.com/0i76HGRmry
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 9, 2020
Marquette’s involvement in the SuperDraft wasn't over. 24 picks later, Luka Prpa went off the board to the Houston Dynamo.
At #34, @marquettesoccer midfielder Luka Prpa (@Luka_Prpa) heads to @HoustonDynamo. #SuperDraft pic.twitter.com/QESs8NBv5K
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 9, 2020
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— Houston Dynamo (@HoustonDynamo) January 9, 2020
Welcome to Houston @Luka_Prpa pic.twitter.com/tNcMyUSfwx
All Prpa did in his time at Marquette is launch himself into the top 10 in assists in program history. The talented midfielder burst onto the scene in 2016, tallying 10 goals and six assists, but found himself more of a creator and guiding light for the offense as his collegiate career went on. He started all of Marquette’s games in his first three seasons, while recovery from off season surgery limited him to 15 appearances and only 12 starts as a senior. Prpa wraps up his time at Valley Fields with 18 goals and 21 assists, the ninth most in program history. Prpa’s selection in the second round gives Marquette two SuperDraft picks in the first two rounds in program/SuperDraft history.
Technically, the SuperDraft is not over yet, although it has wrapped up for now. Things will resume on Monday via teleconference amongst the teams in the league. There is reason to believe that MU senior Josh Coan will hear his name called in the final two rounds on that phone conversation, so we’ll wait to see what happens.
In the meantime, head over to Once A Metro, our New York Red Bulls SB Nation friends, for more on how Seagrist might fit into their future. For more on Prpa’s possibilities of getting on the field, be sure to visit Dynamo Theory, our Houston-centric SB Nation sister site.