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Stanley Picked 21st by Austin FC in MLS SuperDraft
1/21/2021 5:17:00 PM | Men's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C.—Former Duke men's soccer defender Aedan Stanley became the latest Blue Devil to join the ranks of Major League Soccer Thursday afternoon when he was picked 21st overall by Austin FC in the MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas.
Stanley is the sixth Blue Devil to be selected in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft since it was first held in 2001. Austin FC, an expansion team, acquired the 21st pick from Colorado to take Stanley as a left back.
"It's just an obvious fit looking at their roster," said MLS analyst Matt Doyle. "They're two deep almost everywhere except at left back. The only left-footed left back they have is Ben Sweat, who I think is a borderline MLS starter so if Aedan Stanley comes in her and impresses…there is maybe a starting job to be had. At the very least, if you're Austin, getting a left back who has some pro experience and was a well-regarded youth player – these guys don't grow on trees."
The St. Louis, Mo., native played two seasons at Duke, starting all 37 games and totaling nearly 3,300 minutes. A workhorse, he went the distance in 31 of those 37 outings. While he primarily played center back to shore up the Blue Devil defense, Stanley also saw time on the left flank as in 2019, providing three assists. His first career point was a massive one as he sent in the winning pass for the 1-0 win over Furman in the 2019 season opener.
Stanley did not miss a beat after electing to pursue a professional opportunity with Portland Timbers 2. He started all 16 games and played a total of 1,440 minutes at left back. He most recently signed with Sporting KC II after Timbers 2 announced it was going to skip the 2021 USL campaign.
There are currently four Blue Devils playing in Major League Soccer – Sean Davis and Brian White (New York Red Bulls), Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers) and Sebastien Ibeagha (NYCFC).
Of the 27 first-round picks in the SuperDraft, 12 of them came from ACC programs. Clemson and Wake Forest both had three apiece, while Virginia had two, Duke, Pitt, Syracuse and Virginia Tech each had one
selection.
#GoDuke
Stanley is the sixth Blue Devil to be selected in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft since it was first held in 2001. Austin FC, an expansion team, acquired the 21st pick from Colorado to take Stanley as a left back.
"It's just an obvious fit looking at their roster," said MLS analyst Matt Doyle. "They're two deep almost everywhere except at left back. The only left-footed left back they have is Ben Sweat, who I think is a borderline MLS starter so if Aedan Stanley comes in her and impresses…there is maybe a starting job to be had. At the very least, if you're Austin, getting a left back who has some pro experience and was a well-regarded youth player – these guys don't grow on trees."
The St. Louis, Mo., native played two seasons at Duke, starting all 37 games and totaling nearly 3,300 minutes. A workhorse, he went the distance in 31 of those 37 outings. While he primarily played center back to shore up the Blue Devil defense, Stanley also saw time on the left flank as in 2019, providing three assists. His first career point was a massive one as he sent in the winning pass for the 1-0 win over Furman in the 2019 season opener.
Stanley did not miss a beat after electing to pursue a professional opportunity with Portland Timbers 2. He started all 16 games and played a total of 1,440 minutes at left back. He most recently signed with Sporting KC II after Timbers 2 announced it was going to skip the 2021 USL campaign.
There are currently four Blue Devils playing in Major League Soccer – Sean Davis and Brian White (New York Red Bulls), Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers) and Sebastien Ibeagha (NYCFC).
Of the 27 first-round picks in the SuperDraft, 12 of them came from ACC programs. Clemson and Wake Forest both had three apiece, while Virginia had two, Duke, Pitt, Syracuse and Virginia Tech each had one
selection.
#GoDuke
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