MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC Selects Three College Standouts in MLS SuperDraft

Published on December 19, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City selected three college standouts on Tuesday in MLS SuperDraft 2024 presented by adidas, picking goalkeeper Ryan Schewe from Georgetown University with the 22nd overall pick in the first round, forward Dyson Clapier from the University of Akron with the 51st overall pick in the second round and defender Jonathan Robinson from Western Michigan University with the 80th overall pick in the third round.

MEDIA ASSETS: Photos and highlights of the club's three draft picks, as well as a video recording of the post-draft media availability with Sporting KC Vice President of Player Personnel Brian Bliss, are available to download here.

Schewe attended the adidas MLS College Showcase earlier this month -- recording the highest vertical -- and was selected in the first round after two outstanding seasons in goal at Georgetown University. The 6'4" goalkeeper appeared in 29 matches during the 2022 and 2023 collegiate campaigns, recording 86 saves and 12 shutouts with a 20-4-4 record and a 0.79 goals against average.

After joining Apotheos FC (NPSL) in the summer of 2022, Schewe was a Second Team All-BIG EAST selection as a junior after earning the starting spot and leading the conference in save percentage and shutouts. This year, the 21-year-old senior guided the Hoyas to the BIG EAST regular season championship while leading the conference with the lowest goals against average and most clean sheets. He earned BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-BIG EAST honors, as well as United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-East Region recognition.

Clapier starred at the University of Akron for the past four years, tallying 14 goals and 12 assists in 57 appearances, before being selected in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft. Clapier was a Second Team All-MAC selection in 2021 and led the Zips in assists in 2022, earning Third Team All-America and First-Team All-North Region honors from United Soccer Coaches along with First Team All-MAC recognition in addition to an invite to the adidas MLS College Showcase.

Outside of his NCAA career, the 21-year-old forward played two seasons in the USL Championship for Portland Timbers 2 in 2019 and 2020 - debuting at the age of 17 - before moving to USL League Two side Park City Red Wolves in 2021. In 2022, Clapier won the College Spring League Golden Boot with five goals in four matches and most recently Clapier joined NPSL club Akron City FC in 2023.

Coming off a stellar season in which he tied the school record and finished second in the NCAA with 13 assists, Robinson was selected in the third round of the MLS SuperDraft. The 22-year-old defender captained Western Michigan University to the regular season and Missouri Valley Conference tournament titles while earning First Team All-MVC and First Team All-West Region honors.

Robinson began his college career at Marquette University, playing 27 games for the Golden Eagles in 2021. Robinson then transferred to Western Michigan University, where he has registered three goals and 18 assists in 44 games played across the 2022 and 2023 campaigns for the No. 12 ranked Broncos - highlighted by an ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 play with the game-winning goal as time expired against the University of Wisconsin (link).

VITALS

Ryan Schewe (SHAY-way)

Position: Goalkeeper

Born: March 8, 2002 (21 years old)

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 195

College: Georgetown University

Hometown: Marietta, GA

Birthplace: Marietta, GA

Citizenship: USA

Dyson Clapier (clay-pee-urr)

Position: Forward

Born: May 15, 2002 (21 years old)

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 170

College: University of Akron

Hometown: Layton, UT

Birthplace: Layton, UT

Citizenship: USA

Jonathan Robinson

Position: Defender

Born: April 3, 2001 (22 years old)

Height: 5'8"

Weight: 155

College: Western Michigan University

Hometown: Gurnee, IL

Birthplace: Evanston, IL

Citizenship: USA

QUOTES

Sporting KC Vice President of Player Personnel Brian Bliss

On first round selection Ryan Schewe...

You saw what happened at the end of the year as we had to part ways with Kendall [McIntosh] which opened up the third spot of the rotation. As we also know, and nothing against Tim [Melia], he's getting another year older and is in the last year of his contract as well. You've got a nice guy in John Pulskamp in the middle. I think Ryan [Schewe], with the attributes he has at 6'5", maybe even 6'6" with a long wingspan and covers a lot of space in front of goal, he also had the highest vertical jump coupled with his height which makes him very good on crosses and commanding the box. Again, I'm not putting pressure on the kid, but we see him as possibly like Patrick Schulte at Columbus Crew or Roman Celentano at FC Cincinnati. He could turn into somebody like that. That would be a nice guy to have working under Tim and John.

On second round selection Dyson Clapier...

He's been on our radar since his freshman year at Akron. He was in consideration for a GA Contact his sophomore year. This year he had a down year, but he was hampered with a few injuries that kept him out, so he was a little bit start and stop, start and stop this season. We had kept tabs on him. I saw him up at Creighton this year when Akron came to Creighton to play. He still has the running ability, still has the power, still is very direct meaning he's a north south guy that plays on the wing. He cuts inside nicely on his right, can shoot from distance and he's got a lot of tools. I think he was flying under the radar because of the injury history this year, but people forgot what he did his freshman year and what he did in his sophomore year as well. I think he's a guy that can come and fight for a spot out on that flank. If he can't make it on the first team, then he's got a nice developmental spot with us on the second team. For sure he's got the tools he's just got to put it together.

On third round selection Johnson Robinson...

Western Michigan, as a college, has put themselves on the map in college soccer the last couple of years. There's been a few players taken out of the draft from Western Michigan over the last few years so people are starting to watch their program a little more. I think they had three kids taken this year. Not trying to make comparisons, or put pressure on anyone, but the duo up at New England with DeJuan Jones and Brandon Bye, this kid is cut from that same cloth. If he can come in and put it together, there's a possibility for him to get onto the first team squad with Logan Ndenbe down and out with his knee. We also have Zorhan Bassong who we picked up as a free agent, but this kid could come in and make something out of it. He's got 13 assists. That tells you a lot about how he gets up and down the line. How we like to play the game, our outside backs contribute a lot to the attack, and he's got those attributes of somebody that we could say "let's take a chance on him." He's got the physical attributes, let's see if he can fit into the system.

On the club's approach to the draft...

We always try to target a few positions. We didn't have a ton of openings in our roster in terms of numbers wise. Obviously, we he had a little bit of a hole in the middle of the midfield and at the backup goalkeeper position. The goalkeeper was a little bit more targeted, and the others were more of a best available.

Goalkeeper Ryan Schewe

On his selection in the SuperDraft...

I am just so thankful for this opportunity. I am celebrating with my family right now and I am extremely excited to see all that awaits.

Forward Dyson Clapier

On his selection in the SuperDraft...

I am extremely grateful. I would like to thank everyone who has gotten me to this point and I am ready to work.

Defender Jonathan Robinson

On his selection in the SuperDraft...

It was a crazy experience waiting, one of the worst waits of my life. Around the holidays, there's no better present than being drafted. I'm happy to be selected by KC and I can't wait to meet the team.

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Major League Soccer Stories from December 19, 2023


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