PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Colorado School of Mines senior Tesho Akindele was drafted sixth overall by FC Dallas in the 2014 adidas Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Thursday at the Philadelphia Convention Center, becoming the first SuperDraft selection in Mines men's soccer history.
Following a draft-day trade with Philadelphia Union, FC Dallas took Akindele ahead of two-time MAC Hermann Trophy award winner Patrick Mullins of NCAA Division I runner-up Maryland as the first forward of the afternoon.
Akindele, a four-time Daktronics First Team All-American, four-time NSCAA All-American, and two-time Daktronics South Central Region Player of the Year, is the highest-ever drafted Division II player and the initial draftee since Scott Gordon of Lynn was chosen 53rd overall by FC Dallas in 2011.
"We're excited because coming into the draft we were looking to add some offensive power," said FC Dallas Technical Director, Fernando Clavijo. "Tesho is someone who can play up top or out wide. He's an intelligent, attacking player who is very physical. He likes to work on both sides of the ball."
Akindele led the RMAC offensively in 2013, ranking fifth in Division II in points (47), sixth in goals (19) and 14th in assists (9). He held the conference lead in shots (91) and was second in game-winners (5).
The two-time RMAC Player of the Year and four-time First Team All-RMAC choice owns the RMAC career scoring record with 76 goals and is first in program archives in points (185), assists (33), shots (296), shots on goal (167) and game-winners (19).
"I am very, very happy for Tesho and for everybody that follows a dream," said 16th-year Mines head coach, Frank Kohlenstein. "He was not highly regarded when coming to Mines, but through a culmination of his efforts and those of his teammates, the coaches and the training staff, he was able to see his dream come true."
A Thornton, Colo. native, Akindele was the active all-division NCAA leader in collegiate goals and points, tying for 11th and 13th, respectively, in the categories in the Division II record book.
He is the first Mines student-athlete drafted since Marshall Schuler was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 37th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
"He is young with a huge ceiling and he likes to take people on one-on-one," continued Clavijo. "He comes from a school where his coach likes his players to work extremely hard. We're never going to have to tell him that he needs to work harder off the ball."
Akindele reports to preseason training and spring camp later this month in Frisco, Texas. FC Dallas opens the regular season at home Saturday, March 8 against the Montreal Impact at Toyota Stadium.
FC DALLAS PRESS RELEASE | POST-DRAFT QUOTE SHEET
2014 FC DALLAS SUPERDRAFT CENTRAL
2014 ADIDAS MLS SUPERDRAFT COVERAGE
MINES MLS DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tesho Akindele: 6th overall (FC Dallas) – 2014 MLS SuperDraft First Round
Craig Thompson: 28th overall (Houston Dynamo) – 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft Second Round
Steve Mitchell (USA TODAY Sports)
