BOSTON – UMBC’S Taylor Calheira and New Hampshire’s Yannick Bright were invited to attend the 2023 Major League Soccer College Showcase in Phoenix, Arizona from Dec. 6-9. There are a total of 44 invitees to the showcase, which features some of the top upperclassmen in all of the NCAA.

The four-day event will give technical staffs from every MLS club an opportunity to scout these top collegiate players ranging from freshmen to graduate students, participating in training sessions, testing, interviews and match play. The showcase is a closed-door scouting event officially sanctioned by the NCAA.

Calheira earned America East Striker of the Year honors in 2022 and 2023, after scoring 21 goals over the past two seasons. He has 32 career goals and 16 assists for 80 points in 61 career contests. Calheira is a three-time America East All-Conference First Team selection and one of the league’s most prolific scorers over the past decade.

Bright won his third straight America East Midfielder of the Year honor this season and is only the second student-athlete to win the award three times. He was also named to the All-Conference First Team for the third straight season and to the All-Academic Team for the second straight year. He just recently was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for the second consecutive season. For his career he has three goals and eight assists for 14 points.
 
This season three #AEMSOC programs were selected to the NCAA Tournament, the first time that feat has been accomplished in conference history. Bryant, New Hampshire and Vermont were nationally ranked throughout the year and all three were selected to the tournament. It marked the first NCAA Tournament appearance for Bryant, while Vermont earned its third straight bid and New Hampshire made its seventh consecutive appearance.
 
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.