The 1996 Major League Soccer College Draft was held on March 4, 1996, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

History As Major League Soccer prepared for its first season, the league began stocking teams with players. As the teams were being created at the same time, the league adopted a measured approach to building rosters. First, the league allocated four "big name" players to each team. Then on February 6 and 7, 1996, the league held its 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. Over sixteen rounds, teams selected players from any source. Then on March 4, 1996, the league held a three-round draft of collegiate players. The 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft was held later the same day.

^ Denotes player who has been inducted to the US Soccer Hall of Fame

* Denotes player who has been selected for an MLS Best XI team

Round 1 Pick # MLS team Player Position Affiliation 1 Kansas City Wiz Matt McKeon M St. Louis University 2 D.C. United Eddie Pope D University of North Carolina 3 Dallas Burn Brandon Pollard D University of Virginia 4 Tampa Bay Mutiny Adam Frye D UCLA 5 Kansas City Wiz Chris Snitko GK UCLA 6 New England Revolution Paul Keegan F Boston College 7 Los Angeles Galaxy Guillermo Jara F University of San Diego 8 Dallas Burn Jeff Cassar GK Florida International University 9 Colorado Rapids Mike Gentile M University of Wisconsin–Madison 10 Columbus Crew Mac Cozier F UNC-Charlotte

Round 1 trades

Round 2 Pick # MLS team Player Position Affiliation 11 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Scott Lamphear D University of Wisconsin–Madison 12 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Miles Joseph F Clemson University 13 San Jose Clash Derick Brownell F Santa Clara University 14 Tampa Bay Mutiny Casey Sweeney M Butler University 15 Kansas City Wiz Diego Gutierrez M Rockhurst University 16 New England Revolution Imad Baba M Clemson University 17 Los Angeles Galaxy Greg Vanney M UCLA 18 Tampa Bay Mutiny Steve Ralston M Florida International University 19 Colorado Rapids Paul Grafer GK William & Mary College 20 Columbus Crew Ricci Greenwood F Seattle Pacific University

Round 2 trades

Round 3 Pick # MLS team Player Position Affiliation 21 D.C. United Jesse Marsch M Princeton University 22 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Hamisi Amani-Dove F Rutgers University 23 San Jose Clash Eddie Lewis F UCLA 24 Tampa Bay Mutiny Nate Daligcon D Seattle Pacific University 25 Kansas City Wiz Dion Sebwe D Park University 26 New England Revolution Paulo Dos Santos M University of Rhode Island 27 Los Angeles Galaxy Ante Razov F UCLA 28 Dallas Burn Brandon Cavitt M Sacramento State University 29 Colorado Rapids PASS 30 Columbus Crew Todd Miller M Westminster College

Round 3 trades No trades reported.

References