Three former men’s soccer players were drafted in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Jan. 19, making it the fifth time Creighton has had three or more draft picks in a year.

Noah Franke, Lucas Stauffer and Ricky Lopez-Espin helped guide the Bluejays to two Elite Eight, three Sweet Sixteen appearances in the NCAA Tournament; and a 9-7-2 record their senior year. Creighton led the Big East in players sent to the draft this year. The conference as a whole sent eight players to the MLS. 

The Vancouver Whitecaps selected Stauffer, a senior defender from Owensboro, Kentucky, in the second round; he was picked 26th overall. At Creighton, he was selected to the Big East All-Rookie Team his freshman year and received a first team All-Big East selection as a junior. Speaking to the team, Stauffer echoed his excitement to make an impact on the team, “I have a lot of people to prove right,” he said in a press release.

Ricky Lopez-Espin, a senior forward from Miami, was also picked in the second round, 33rd overall, by Real Salt Lake. As a junior at Creighton, he was a second-team All-Big East selection and was tied for most goals. Lopez-Espin’s eagerness to play was not left to imagination. 

“It’s a childhood dream come true and I can’t be more thankful […] I love winning and I look forward to playing in front of their passionate fans,” Lopez-Espin said in a press release.

FC Dallas selected Noah Franke with the 80th overall pick in the fourth round. A senior midfielder from Orlando, he finished second in assists as a junior and also played defender throughout the season. 

Echoing his other drafted teammates, Franke seeks to bring a positive and winning atmosphere to his respective team.

“As for myself, I’m just trying to show that I can contribute at this level and bring something to this team that’s not already there,” Franke said in a press release.

The MLS 2018 season begins on March 3.