PHILADELPHIA - A pair of senior key to UMBC's run to the College Cup were selected in the MLS SuperDraft Thursday. Two-time All-American Oumar Ballo and Kay Banjo were both second-round selections.
Ballo, the America East Defensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season, was selected by the Houston Dynamo with the ninth pick in the second round, the 30th selection overall. The slot is the highest-ever for a Retriever, five of whom have been drafted since 2011.
Banjo, the America East Striker of the Year, went 38th overall to the Vancouver Whitecaps. He led America East with 22 points on eight goals and six assists this season.
The pair led UMBC on an unpresedented run to the NCAA Final Four as the Retrievers won four-straight road games over Wake Forest, Maryland, Lousiville and Creighton to became the first America East team to reach the COllege Cup. UMBC fell to Virginia, 1-0, in the national semifinals.
Ballo and Banjo are the fourth and fifth America East selections in the last two years. Overall, America East has had 10 former stars taken in the 19 years of the league while several others have been taken in the Supplemental Draft or signed as free agents, including including Bouna Coundoul, atwo-time America East Goalkeeper of the Year for Albany who appeared in 99 career MLS games and three-time Midfielder of the Year Leo Fernandes, whose played in 20 games for Philadelphia. Last year he made 13 apperances, including seven starts, and had two goals and an assist.
America East MLS SuperDraft Selections
2015 Oumar Ballo, UMBC 2nd Round (30th) Houston
Kay Banjo, UMBC 2nd Round (38th) Vancouver
2014 Damion Lowe, Hartford 1st Round (8th) Seattle
Pete Caringi, UMBC 3rd Round (48th) Montreal
Kadeem Dacres, UMBC 4th Round (65th) Chicago
2011 Levi Houapeau, UMBC 3rd Round (41st) Philadelphia
2010 Samuel Appiah, Boston U. 3rd Round (46th) Houston
2009 Steward Ceus, Albany 3rd Round (37th) Colorado
2004 Andrew Dorman, Boston U. 4th Round (58th) New England
1997 Rob Jachym, Hartford 1st Round (3rd) Columbus