BALTIMORE – Former FGCU men's soccer standout and 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year Rodrigo Saravia capped an extraordinary year on Thursday when he became the first player in program history to be selected in the MLS SuperDraft when he was picked 19th overall in the First Round by defending MLS runner-up Columbus Crew SC.
 
A native of Guatemala City, Guatemala, Saravia is the highest player in A-Sun history, just the fourth league product to be picked in the SuperDraft all-time and first since 2009. UNF forward Alex Morrell was taken by the Chicago Fire in the Second Round with the 22nd pick overall, giving the A-Sun two SuperDraft selections. Previously, the only other A-Sun draftees had been selected in the Fourth Round, in addition to a Second Round Supplemental Draft pick.
 
A four-year starter with FGCU, Saravia's rise began last summer when he was called into the full Guatemala National Team Camp and spent several months with the U-23 Guatemala National Team. It continued during the Eagles' regular season, and Saravia was then one of only 60 Division-I players who were invited to participate in the adidas MLS Player Combine in advance of the SuperDraft.
 
"Columbus was one of the team's that interviewed me (Chicago Fire being the other), and they told me they really wanted me," said Saravia. "Their style of play is very similar to the possession-based offense we had at FGCU, and that's how I like to play so I think it's a great fit.
 
"FGCU is my second home, and the coaches, my teammates and staff all did so much for me to help get me to this point. I'm so thankful and appreciative of their support," continued Saravia. "FGCU did so much for me, from giving me the opportunity to play, to helping me improve both on and off the field and to turning me into the player and person I am now. I'm just so grateful."
 
Saravia earned a plethora of collegiate awards, culminating with being named to the NSCAA All-Region Third Team last month. Saravia was an A-Sun First Team selection each of the past two seasons, was an A-Sun Second Team pick as a sophomore and a member of the A-Sun All-Freshman Team. Additionally, he was an A-Sun All-Academic Team member as a junior.
 
A central midfielder, Saravia controlled the middle of the pitch for the Eagles for the past four years. In that timeframe, FGCU played 69 total games, and Saravia appeared in 67 of them with 65 starts. He finished his career with 11 total points off two goals and seven assists – with three of those helpers coming this past season.
 
Not only did Saravia put together an outstanding collegiate career, he did so by playing against some of the best competition in the nation every year. Proof of that can be shown in this year's SuperDraft as FGCU played against each of the top-three selections during its 2015 non-conference schedule, and seven total players who were selected in the first two rounds of the SuperDraft (41 overall).
 
Saravia led FGCU to A-Sun regular-season championships each of his four years with the Green and Blue, a pair of A-Sun Tournament titles and two berths in the NCAA Championship where they earned a 0-0 tie before failing to advance on penalty kicks at USF in 2012 and allowed a diving-header goal in the 86th minute in a 1-0 loss at Coastal Carolina in 2014. Saravia helped lead FGCU to a record of 34-24-12 in his career, including a dominant 20-3-4 mark in conference games.
 
"This is another huge step for our program," commented FGCU's founding coach Bob Butehorn. "For Rodrigo to accomplish what he has, coming from a relatively unknown player and to put in the work and get his game to this level is absolutely a testament to the person he is and system that has been around him. I couldn't be happier or more proud of him."
 
Columbus Crew SC finished runner-up in the 2015 MLS Cup, falling 2-1 to the Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup Final. Entering the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, Crew SC defeated the Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls before falling short in an attempt to win its second MLS Cup.
 
When Saravia arrives in Columbus, he will see a pair of familiar faces. During Saravia's freshman season, the Eagles played then-No. 2 Akron, where current Crew SC players began their careers. Chad Barson and Wil Trapp were both members of that 2012 Akron team who now play for Columbus.
 
As one of the 10 original members of Major League Soccer, Crew SC won the 2008 MLS Cup. Crew SC also holds a unique place in U.S. Soccer history, playing in the first soccer-specific stadium in the United States with the opening of Columbus Crew Stadium on May 15, 1999. Since then, Crew Stadium, now Mapfre Stadium, has hosted multiple World Cup Qualifying matches including the US-Mexico rivalry on multiple occasions.
 
Saravia is the second member of FGCU's graduating class – with likely more to come – who will be playing professionally next season. Earlier this month, 2015 A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Guillen (El Paso, Texas/Coronado HS) signed a professional contract with FC Dallas as a homegrown player.
 
"I haven't really realized it yet," answered Saravia when asked about possibly playing against one of his FGCU teammates in the MLS. "It's going to be a new environment for me and it's an amazing feeling. It's a dream come true, I'm happy to be a part of the FGCU family and to now have the opportunity to represent the Eagles along with Aaron in the MLS is pretty awesome."
 
At the present time, Saravia will become the fourth FGCU product playing professionally, joining Cristian Raudales of FC Edmonton in the NASL (North American Soccer League) and Daniel Stanese of FC Augsburg II in Germany. Raudales graduated in 2011 and is still the program's all-time leader in points (43) and goals (19), while Stanese signed professionally in February of 2013 following his freshman season with Germany's top-tier Bundesliga for FC Nuremberg. It's made even more impressive when considering the program's first season was only in 2007.
 
2016 MLS SUPERDRAFT SELECTIONS
 
FORMER A-SUN PRODUCTS
SuperDraft
2007: Tommy Krizanovic (43rd overall, Round 4) – Jacksonville: He now plays for Jacksonville Armada FC
2009: Richard Jata (58th overall, Round 4) – Campbell
 
Supplemental Draft
2012: Aaron Schoenfeld (20th pick, Round 2) – ETSU: He is with Columbus Crew (was loaned out to Dayton Dutch Lions last season)
 
Other Notable Pros (Excludes FGCU)
Tony Taylor (Jacksonville) plays with NYCFC
Fredrik Brustad (Stetson) plays for AIK Solna in Swedish Top Division
Ryan Coulter (ETSU) plays for Sligo Rovers FC in Ireland Premier League
Sonny Guaderrama (Campbell) plays for Dorados de Sinaloa in LIGA MX in Mexico 
Rijad Kobiljar (Jacksonville) plays for FK Olimpic Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina's Top League
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men's soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer, Facebook /FGCUMSoccer and YouTube /FGCUAthletics.
 
COACH BUTEHORN
FGCU is led by Bob Butehorn, who has coached 54 A-Sun All-Conference selections since FGCU started its program in 2007. In just five years of postseason eligibility, Butehorn has guided FGCU to three A-Sun Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances – in 2011, 2012 and 2014 – and has won an unprecedented six-straight A-Sun regular-season championships. His teams have been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets. Having completed his 13th season as a head coach, Butehorn has a 115-90-25 (.554) overall record, 81-58-21 (.572) mark in his nine seasons at FGCU and 48-17-6 (.718) record in A-Sun contests.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.