Since 2005, the University of Akron has produced 35 players who have either been selected in the Major League Soccer draft or sign Homegrown Contracts, including USMNT phenom DeAndre Yedlin, who became the first UA alumn to appear in a World Cup match for the U.S. in 2014.
Additionally, 13 Zips have had their names called during the first round of the MLS SuperDraft, including a league record five selections in the first eight picks in 2011 following the Zips national championship season.
Since 2008, Akron leads the country with eight players selected among the top-five selections in the MLS SuperDraft. The Zips also boast the highest total of players chosen among the top-10 draftees over the same span with 12.
Akron broke a second MLS record that day as seven UA players were chosen in the first two rounds, the most from a single team in draft history.
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Sinisa Ubiparipovic |
Evan Bush Montreal Impact (2012-Present) Signed by Montreal Impact (2011) Years at UA: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 ![]() |
Steve Zakuani Seattle Sounders (2009-13) Portland Timbers (2014) Drafted by Seattle Sounders (2009, No. 1 overall) Years at UA: 2007, 2008 ![]() |
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Ben Zemanski Chivas USA (2010-12) Portland Timbers (2013-2017) Drafted by Chivas USA (2010, No. 47 overall) Years at UA: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 ![]() |
Teal Bunbury |
Blair Gavin Chivas USA (2010-11) New England Revolution (2012) Drafted by Chivas USA (2010, No. 10 overall) Years at UA: 2007, 2008, 2009 ![]() |
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Anthony Ampaipitakwong San Jose Earthquakes (2011) Buriram United (2012-13) Bangkok United (2013-Present) Drafted by San Jose Earthquakes (2011, No. 33 overall) Years at UA: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 ![]() |
Perry Kitchen D.C. United (2011-15) Hearts of Midlothian (2016-2017) Randers FC (2017) LA Galaxy (2018-Present) Drafted by D.C. United (2011, No. 3 overall) Years at UA: 2010 ![]() |
Chris Korb D.C. United (2011-16) Drafted by D.C. United (2011, No. 31 overall) Years at UA: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 |
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Kofi Sarkodie Houston Dynamo (2011-15) San Jose Earthquakes (2016-17) Drafted by Houston Dynamo (2011, No. 7 overall) Years at UA: 2008, 2009, 2010 ![]() |
Michael Nanchoff Vancouver Whitecaps (2011-12) Portland Timbers (2013-15) Drafted by Vancouver Whitecaps (2011, No. 8 overall) Years at UA: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 ![]() |
Darlington Nagbe Portland Timbers (2011-2017) Atlanta United FC (2018-Present) Drafted by Portland Timbers (2011, No. 2 overall) Years at UA: 2008, 2009, 2010 ![]() |
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Zarek Valentin Chivas USA (2011) Montreal Impact (2012-13) Bodø/Glimt (2013-15) Portland Timbers (2016-Present) Drafted by Chivas USA (2011, No. 4 overall) Years at UA: 2009, 2010 ![]() |
Darren Mattocks Vancouver Whitecaps (2012-16) Portland Timbers (2016-17) DC United (2018-Present) Drafted by Vancouver Whitecaps (2012, No. 2 overall) Years at UA: 2010, 2011 ![]() |
Chad Barson Columbus Crew (2013-16) Signed Homegrown Contract in 2012 Years at UA: 2009-2012 ![]() |
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Scott Caldwell New England Revolution (2013-Present) Signed Homegrown Contract in 2012 Years at UA: 2009-2012 ![]() |
Wil Trapp Columbus Crew (2013-Present) Signed Homegrown Contract in 2012 Years at UA: 2011-2012 ![]() |
DeAndre Yedlin Seattle Sounders (2013-14) Tottenham Hotspur (2015-16 Sunderland (2015-16) Newcastle United (2016-Present) Signed Homegrown Contract in 2012 Years at UA: 2011-2012 ![]() |
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Dillon Serna Colorado Rapids (2013-Present) Signed Homegrown Contract in 2012 Year at UA: 2012 ![]() |
David Meves Portland Timbers (2013) MLS Supplemental Draft (2013, No. 3 overall) Years at UA: 2009-2012 |
Eric Stevenson New York Red Bulls (2014) Drafted by New York Red Bulls (2014, No. 34 Overall) Years at UA: 2010-13 ![]() |
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Aodhan Quinn Philadelphia Union (2014) Drafted by Philadelphia Union (2014, No. 52 Overall) Year at UA: 2011-13 ![]() |
Reinaldo Brenes Sporting Kansas City (2014) Deportivo Saprissa (2015) Belén F.C. (2015-Present) Drafted by Sporting Kansas City (2014, No. 76 Overall) Years at UA: 2010-13 |
Bryan Gallego Portland Timbers (2014) Signed Homegrown Contract Years at UA: 2011-13 |
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Saad Abdul-Salaam Sporting Kansas City (2015-2017) New York City FC (2018-Present) Drafted by Sporting Kansas City (2015, No. 12 Overall) Year at UA: 2012-14 ![]() |
Richie Laryea Orlando City SC (2016-Present) Generation adidas Drafted by Orlando City SC (2016, No. 7 Overall) Years at UA: 2014-15 ![]() |
Jonathan Lewis New York City FC (2017-Present) Generation adidas Drafted by New York City FC (2017, No. 3 Overall) Years at UA: 2016 ![]() |
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Danilo Radjen Houston Dynamo (2017) Drafted by Houston Dynamo (2017, No. 36 Overall) Year at UA: 2014-16 ![]() |
Adam Najem Philadelphia Union (2017) Homegrown Rights Acquired by Philadelphia Year at UA: 2013-16 ![]() |
Joao Moutinho Los Angeles FC (2018) Drafted by Los Angeles FC (2018, No. 1 Overall) Year at UA: 2017 ![]() |
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Niko De Vera New York Red Bulls (2018) Drafted by New York Red Bulls (2018, No. 31 Overall) Year at UA: 2014-17 ![]() |
Nate Shultz Los Angeles Galaxy (2018) Drafted by Los Angeles Galaxy (2018, No. 48 Overall) Year at UA: 2014-17 ![]() |
Stuart Holthusen Portland Timbers (2018) Drafted by Portland Timbers (2018, No. 64 Overall) Year at UA: 2014-17 |
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Ben Lundt FC Cincinnati (2018) Drafted by FC Cincinnati (2019, No. 47 Overall) Years at UA: 2016-18 ![]() |
New York City FC (2019) Drafted by New York City FC (2019, No. 43 Overall) Year at UA: 2018 ![]() |
Photo Credits: Columbus Crew (Chad Barson, Wil Trapp), D.C. United (Perry Kitchen & Chris Korb), Garrett Ellwood/Colorado Rapids (Dillon Serna), Houston Dynamo (Kofi Sarkodie), Craig Mitchelldyer/Portland Timbers (Darlington Nagbe, David Meves), Gary Rohman (Teal Bunbury), San Jose Earthquakes (Anthony Ampaipitakwong), Seattle Sounders FC (Steve Zakuani, DeAndre Yedlin), Sporting Kansas City (Saad Abdul-Salaam), Orlando City SC (Richie Laryea), New York City FC (Jonathan Lewis), MLS (Joao Moutinho), MLS (Niko De Vera), MLS (Ben Lundt), MLS (Abdi Mohamed).