It did cost them six figures, but they did get their man, Patrick Seagrist of Marquette, just to get the defender, they invested $100,000, well over the minimum salary in the league as they sent that much in GAM to the Fire to move up in the draft for #10. Just 5 picks later they went with Louisville forward, Cherif Dieye for their first round action. Just half done as in the 2nd round they selected UC-Davis backstop Walllis Lapsley with the #10 choice again, closing out day 1 with Deri Corge of Wright State at #41.
Seagrist:
-A 4 year player at Marquette, the defender at 6' but just 170 is well smaller than most of their back line. He lent the assist to 7 goals in his senior year with the Golden Eagles. Out of IL, he was an All-BIG East First team selection the last 2 years, he started 63 of his 65 games, creating 6 goals and assting on 16 goals from his back line position.
Dieye:
-The Sengal native is the 23rd player chosen from U of L, a far cry from my time in the city in 1986-'87, he is also the 7th player taken in the first round, that is impressive. Cherif is now done as a Cardinal but he was tops in every offensive category for his last season, 7 goals, 3 GWGs, 6 assists, 17 points, 79 shots, 36 on goal. Cherif was a USC All-South Region 2nd team and USC Scholar All-South region 2nd teamer and All-ACC his last 2 years, 2nd team in his senior and 3rd his junior years.
Lapsley:
-While in goal for the UC Davis Aggies the last 4 years they reached the Big West Tourney final in his last 3 years, took 2 regular season titles and the first Tourney title in 2019. #14 in this years NCAA and recepients of a first round bye, they hosted an NCAA game for the first time in their history at Aggie Soccer Field. He set the school record this fall with 9 blank sheets for a total of 21, the 0.89 GAA is now the DI record and 2nd lowest all time in team lore. Marks set by Wallis are a .784 save pct. and 35 wins. Facing BWC opponents with a low 0.63 GSS and .809 save pct, tops in the conference, nation wide he was #'s 6 & 9 in those categories. The school is the #5 public school in the country and he has his degre in global disease biology. Twice named to the league All-Academic Teamm earning Big West Conf. Scholar-Athlete in his 3rd year he had a few more accolades that year, CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII & All-Big West Honorable Mention. UC Davis had a historic year being in the top 25 of the top polls.
Corfe:
-Only the 5th Wright State player drafted, he had been with Manchester City for 6 years, quite the soccer education. His last year, Deri had 21 games, starting all but 1, with 1,769 minutes, 13 goals and 8 assists, the biggest the GWG in the first round of the NCAAs at Notre Dame and a 3-2 game, their first post season win ever. As a midfielder he had 106 shots, 44 on goal leading the Raiders to a Horizon League Championship and the 2nd round of the NCAAs. Selected to the USC All-North region First Team and First Team All-Horizon League. 2018 was another great year with 10 goals and 8 assists over 19 games, terrific output over his 18 starts with a team leading 75 shots, 34 on net and a GWG as he was named to 2nd team Horizon League and 2nd team All-North Region by the USC.
Please see the Facebook of Soccer Long Island Magazine for video of the first three.