St. Louis CITY SC Selects Defender Zack Lillington, Goalkeeper Andrew Samuels and Midfielder Cooper Forcellini in 2026 MLS SuperDraft
MLS St. Louis City SC

St. Louis CITY SC Selects Defender Zack Lillington, Goalkeeper Andrew Samuels and Midfielder Cooper Forcellini in 2026 MLS SuperDraft

Published on December 18, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
St. Louis City SC News Release


St. Louis CITY SC selected three players in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, headlined by first-round pick Zack Lillington (7th overall) from UC Davis. The club also drafted goalkeeper Andrew Samuels from Princeton (37th overall) and acquired the 43rd pick via a trade with Orlando City SC, sending $50,000 in 2026 GAM, to select Cooper Forcellini from Xavier University.

A consistent and dependable presence for UC Davis, Lillington made 68 career appearances over four seasons, recording eight goals and nine assists. In 2024, he started all 18 matches, logged nearly 1,500 minutes, and earned All-Big West Second Team and United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region Second Team honors. In his senior campaign, he led the Aggies with 60 shots and 24 shots on goal, totaling three goals and three assists, including an 89th-minute game-winning goal against rival Sacramento State.

Samuels enjoyed a historic season at Princeton, earning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Ivy honors after starting all 19 matches in goal. He set a program record with 12 shutouts and finished the season with a 0.37 goals-against average, including a 0.25 GAA and 1.000 save percentage during the regular season, both best in the nation. Samuels allowed just seven goals all year and none in Ivy League play (a league first) while making three penalty-kick saves, including one in the Ivy League Tournament final en route to being named Tournament Most Outstanding Player. He led Princeton to an Ivy League Championship and Tournament double, while helping set multiple program records, and was recognized with All-Region, Academic All-American, and MAC Hermann Midseason Watch List honors.

Forcellini capped a standout collegiate career with a breakout senior season at Xavier, earning All-BIG EAST First Team and United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Third Team honors. In 2025, he started all 15 matches and ranked among the conference and national leaders with 10 goals and 22 points, finishing first in the BIG EAST in goals per game (0.67) while converting all five penalty kicks. He added two assists and two game-winning goals, becoming the program's first double-digit goal scorer since 2019 and earning MLS College Showcase and CSC Academic All-District recognition.

Across four collegiate seasons at Xavier and Bellarmine, Forcellini appeared in 69 matches, totaling 13 goals and six assists, while contributing to multiple conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances.

St. Louis CITY SC will open the 2026 MLS campaign at home versus Charlotte FC on February 21, with the match scheduled for 1:30 pm CT at Energizer Park.

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