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Toronto, ON (January 29, 2021) –  The Canadian Premier League announced the 16 draft picks from the 2021 CPL-U SPORTS draft during a live presentation held today. Sixteen players will be invited to CPL Clubs’ preseason camp this year.

Since 2018, at the conclusion of the U SPORTS Men’s Soccer Championship, the Canadian Premier League holds a draft for eligible U SPORTS men’s soccer players who have registered and declared themselves ‘available’ to be selected through the League’s annual draft. This draft is open to any eligible U SPORTS underclassman that register for the draft. The CPL-U SPORTS Draft consisted of two rounds, eight picks in each round.

The player draft picks were announced in succession on January 29, 2021 at 3:00pm ET on CanPL.ca, @cplsoccer Twitter, OneSoccer and CBC digital.

1^st Round CPL-U SPORTS Draft Selection*:

1. FC Edmonton – Thomas Gardner – University of British Columbia
2. Atlético Ottawa – Cristopher Malekos – Carleton University
3. Valour FC – Yuba-Rayene Yesli – Université de Montréal
4. York United – Christopher Campoli – Ontario Tech University
5. Pacific FC – Christopher Lee – University of British Columbia
6. Cavalry FC – Victor Loturi – Mount Royal University
7. HFX Wanderers – Stefan Karajovanovic – Carleton University
8. Forge FC – Garven-Michée Metusala – Concordia University

2^nd Round CPL-U SPORTS Draft Selection*:

9. Forge FC – Jose da Cunha – Cape Breton University
10. HFX Wanderers – Kareem Sow – Université de Montréal
11. Cavalry FC – Ethan Keen – Mount Royal University
12. Pacific FC – Victory Shumbusho – University of British Columbia
13. York United – Danial Rafisamii – Ontario Tech University
14. Valour FC – Tony Mikhael – Carleton University
15. Atlético Ottawa – Reggie Laryea – York University
16. FC Edmonton – Jackson Farmer – University of British Columbia

* The order of the draft was based off of the Club’s regular season record over the course of the CPL’s 2020 season (Island Games) and was formatted in a “snake draft” order with FC Edmonton receiving the first-round selection.

This truly unique partnership between the Canadian Premier League and U SPORTS provides student-athletes with an opportunity to be signed to a CPL-U SPORTS Developmental Contract that allows a student-athlete with one to five years of U SPORTS eligibility remaining to sign with a CPL Club, while preserving their eligibility before returning to U SPORTS competition.

Read more to learn more about the 2021 CPL-U SPORTS Draft here.

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About the Canadian Premier League

Canadian Premier League (CPL) is Canada’s professional men’s soccer league that debuted on April 27, 2019. Playing in world-class and unique venues, and partnering with strong community-led ownership groups, the CPL is a league for Canadians by Canadians that will bring professional soccer to communities coast-to-coast.

For updates and more information, please go to CanPL.ca.

Connect with us on Twitter: @CPLsoccer and #CanPL

About U SPORTS

U SPORTS is the national brand for university sports in Canada. Every year, over 20,000 student-athletes and 900 coaches from 56 universities vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. U SPORTS also provides higher performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous World University Championships. For further information, visit USPORTS.ca or follow us on:

Twitter/Instagram/YouTube: @USPORTSca

Facebook: @USPORTSCanada

Media Contacts:

Micki Benedetti
Vice President Communications
Canadian Premier League                                                        
micki.benedetti@canpl.ca
Cell: 647-991-5343

Alan Hudes
Manager, Communications and Content
U SPORTS
Off: 905-508-3000 ext. 242
ahudes@usports.ca