Men's Soccer

America East Alums Exceling in Professional Soccer

BOSTON – The America East is one of the best soccer conferences in the nation and that was on full display last December as the Vermont Catamounts captured the NCAA Championship. In addition to National Champions it has also produced a number of professionals playing at home and abroad in some of the best leagues in the world.
 
The Catamounts run to the championship last fall was anything but easy. They  took down the No. 2, 3, 7 and 13th ranked programs in the NCAA Tournament to win the league’s first national crown. In the final they beat No. 13 Marshall 2-1 in overtime, on a game-winner by Maximillian Kissel.
 
The success of the league is also evident in the world of professional soccer. This past year marked the fifth straight season at least two #AEMSOC players were taken in the MLS Superdraft, including a third straight top-20 selection.
 
Vermont’s Sydney Wathuta was selected 16th overall, while Max Murray was taken one pick later by New York City FC at No. 17. Last year New Hampshire’s Yannick Bright was taken No. 15 overall by Inter Miami CF and he earned his way into the starting lineup by the end of the season, playing alongside Lionel Messi, and again this year.
 
Moise Bombito of UNH was selected No. 3 overall by the Colorado Rapids following the 2022 season. Last year was Bombito’s best as he was named an MLS All-Star, selected to the Canadian National Team and eventually to loaned to French Ligue 1 side Nice for a record fee.
 
Additionally, UNH alum Joshua Bauer plays for Nashville SC of the MLS, while UMBC’s Jonathan Bell is currently a member of the Seattle Sounders.
 
It's a run of success that shouldn’t be taken lightly as coaches and players know that success in the America East can lead to professional opportunities. Below is a complete list of former #AEMSOC standouts currently playing professional soccer in the United States.
 
UAlbany
Danny Vitiello, Sacramento Republic FC (USL Championship)
Shafique Wilson, Toronto FC II (MLS Next Pro)

Binghamton
Dylan McDermott, NYCFC II (MLS NEXT Pro)

Bryant
Vicente Valor, KR Reykjavík (Iceland First Tier)

UMBC
Jonathan Bell, Seattle Sounders (MLS)
Taylor Calheira, CF Tulsa (USL Championship)
Ryan Becher, St. Louis 2 (MLS Next Pro)
 
New Hampshire
Josh Bauer, Nashville SC (MLS)
Moise Bombito, OG Nice ((Ligue 1-France)
Yannick Bright Inter Miami CF (MLS)
Jassem Koleilat, Forge FC (Canadian Premier League)
Erik Lauta, Huntsville City FC (MLS Next Pro)
Rory O'Driscoll Las Vegas Lights (USL Championship)
Tola Showunmi Crawley Town (English EFL - League One))
James Thomas, One Knox, (USL League 1)
 
Vermont
Alex Nagy, Loudoun United FC (USL Championship)
Zach Barrett, Huntsville City FC (MLS Next Pro)
Yaniv Bazini, Tormenta FC (USL League One)
Max Murray, NYCFC (MLS)
Dani Rovira, Rhode Island FC (USL Championship)
Sydney Wathuta, Colorado Rapid II (MLS Next Pro)
Brian Wright Forge FC (Canadian Premier League)

ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
 
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -