Manolo Sanchez Drafted by New York Red Bulls

Former Clemson men’s soccer player Manolo Sanchez was selected by the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer’s 2015 SuperDraft on Tuesday. New York made Sanchez the 79th overall pick. He is the third former Tiger to join MLS in the last week. 

This season, Sanchez tied for the team lead in games played (22), assists (6) and points (12). The Philadelphia native led the team with 37 shots and scored a key goal in Clemson’s 2-1 victory over then No. 6 Virginia on Oct. 17. An offensive presence in the attacking third all season, Sanchez scored three goals in 2014.

Sanchez joins Clemson products Amadou Dia, Phanuel Kavita, Thomas McNamara, Joe Bendik and Nathan Sturgis in MLS. Dia and Kavita were both teammates of Sanchez’s this past season when Clemson won the 2014 ACC Tournament championship.

Dia was drafted 20th overall by Sporting Kansas City on Thursday and Kavita signed a homegrown contract with Real Salt Lake early last week. With Dia’s selection and Kavita’s signing, this is the first time since 2003 that three former Clemson players will have the opportunity to play in MLS. That year, former Tigers Doug Warren, Ricky Lewis and Dimelon Westfield were drafted in Rounds 2 and 3 of the draft.