2024 CPL–U Sports Draft
General information
SportSoccer
Date(s)December 14, 2023
Time1:00 PM ET
Network(s)YouTube
Overview
16 total selections in 2 rounds
LeagueCanadian Premier League
Teams8
First selectionOwen Sheppard, Valour FC

The 2024 CPL–U Sports Draft was the sixth annual CPL–U Sports Draft. Canadian Premier League (CPL) teams selected 16 eligible U Sports soccer players to be invited to their respective preseason camps with the opportunity to earn development contracts for the 2024 Canadian Premier League season.

Format

Players could be selected if they had one to four years of U Sports eligibility remaining, were in good academic standing, were planning to return to school the following year, and completed the CPL's draft declaration form by December 5, 2023.[1] On December 6, the CPL released the list of 203 athletes who declared for the draft.[2] Players who were selected can sign a full professional contract or a U Sports development contract, which allows them to return to university for the following season, without losing their eligibility.[3]

Teams were able to retain the rights to previously drafted players who had signed U Sports contracts. In total, seven players were retained by their CPL clubs.[2]

Each CPL team made two selections in the draft with selections made in the reverse order of the previous season's standings, including playoffs and final standings. Teams may trade selections; on draft day, Vancouver FC traded the 10th overall selection to Cavalry FC in exchange for the 15th overall selection and future considerations.[4] These future considerations eventually became Canadian winger Ben Fisk who transferred from Cavalry to Vancouver on January 9, 2024.[5]

Player selection

* Denotes player who has signed a professional contract for the 2024 season
^ Denotes player who has signed a developmental contract for the 2024 season

The following players were selected:[6][7]

Round 1

Pick #CPL teamPlayerPositionNationalityUniversityLast team/academy
1 Valour FCOwen SheppardFWCanada CanadaCape Breton
2 Vancouver FCLuke NormanMFCanada CanadaBritish ColumbiaWhitecaps FC Academy (L1BC)
3 Atlético OttawaLuca PiccioliMFCanada CanadaCarletonAtlético Ottawa (CPL)
4 York United FCChristian ZeppieriMFCanada CanadaYorkVaughan Azzurri (L1O)
5 HFX Wanderers FCDaniel ClarkeGKEngland EnglandCape BretonWoodbridge Strikers (L1O)
6 Pacific FCMichael MaslankaFWCanada CanadaToronto
7 Cavalry FCCaden RogozinskiDFCanada CanadaMount RoyalCalgary Foothills FC (L1AB)
8 Forge FCMouhamed NdiayeMFCanada CanadaUQTR

Round 2

Pick #CPL teamPlayerPositionNationalityUniversityLast team/academy
9 Valour FCGianfranco FacchineriDFCanada CanadaWindsorWindsor City FC (L1O)
10 Cavalry FC (from Vancouver FC)[lower-alpha 1]Rodane CatoMFCanada CanadaAlberta
11 Atlético OttawaSamuel LaPlanteDFCanada CanadaUQTRCS Saint-Hubert (L1QC)
12 York United FCJason HartillMFCanada CanadaCape BretonToronto FC Academy (MLS Next)
13 HFX Wanderers FCMax BodurthaMFCanada CanadaSt. Francis XavierWhitecaps FC Academy (L1BC)
14 Pacific FCIbrahem SaadiDFCanada CanadaWestern
15 Vancouver FC (from Cavalry FC)[lower-alpha 1]Thomas PowellMFCanada CanadaTrinity WesternUnity FC (L1BC)
16 Forge FCAmadou KoneFWCanada CanadaCarletonOttawa South United (L1QC)

Notes

  1. 1 2 Vancouver FC's second round pick (10th overall) went to Cavalry FC as a result of a trade on December 14, 2023 in exchange for Cavalry's second round pick (15th overall) and future considerations (Ben Fisk).[4][5]

Selection statistics

Draftees by nationality

RankCountrySelections
1 Canada15
2 England1

Draftees by university

RankUniversitySelections
1Cape Breton University3
2 Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières2
Carleton University2
49 universities1

References

  1. "U SPORTS Draft FAQ". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "2024 CPL-U SPORTS Draft: Full Prospect List". Canadian Premier League. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  3. McNulty, Paul (August 4, 2022). "Four Seasons In, the CPL Talent Pipeline Is in Full Swing". 13th Man Sports.
  4. 1 2 "Cavalry FC, Vancouver FC trade second round picks in 2024 CPL-U SPORTS Draft". Canadian Premier League. December 14, 2023. Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Vancouver FC acquire Ben Fisk from Cavalry FC". Canadian Premier League. January 9, 2024. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  6. "2024 CPL-U SPORTS Draft: Team-by-team breakdown of all 16 picks". Canadian Premier League. December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  7. Jacques, John (December 14, 2023). "2024 CPL-U SPORTS Draft Roundup". Northern Tribune. Retrieved December 14, 2023.

Further reading

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