ST. LOUIS, Mo. (January 15, 2009) - University of Connecticut men's soccer All-American O'Brian White (Scarborough, Ont.) and Akeem Priestley (Kingston, Jamaica) were both selected in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) convention on Thursday. Taken by Toronto FC with the fourth overall pick, White becomes UConn's seventh first-round draft pick. Priestley was taken as the 50th overall pick by the Kansas City Wizards while he and White become the 18th and 19th UConn players, respectively, to enter the MLS ranks since the league's inception in 1996.

White, a two-time All-American at UConn, wrapped up his stellar four-year career with the Huskies after being named the 2007 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner, a 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award finalist and a 2008 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy finalist.

He also leaves the UConn program as a two-time BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year selection as he recorded career tallies of 46 goals and 23 assists for 115 points.

Toronto FC finished the 2008 season with a 9-13-8 overall record for seventh place in the Eastern League standings. White joins the Toronto franchise which came into the MLS in October of 2005 as he will play for head coach John Carver.

Priestley finished the 2008 season at UConn with three goals and four assists for 10 points in 16 games played. Priestley leaves the Huskies with a three-year career tally of 44 points on 11 goals and 22 assists in 58 games played. He joins the Wizards, who finished the 2008 season in fourth place in the Eastern League standings with a record of 11-10-9.

The Seattle Sounders FC had the first pick of the 2009 MLS Superdraft as the new MLS franchise chose Akron forward, Steve Zakuani from London, England.

UConn All-Time MLS Draft Picks

Year     Player                     Round             Pick        Team

1999     Bobby Rhine           1st              6th        Dallas

           Maurizio Rocha        Project-40                Miami

2001     Brent Rahim            4th             45th      Los Angeles

2002     Chris Gbandi           1st              1st        Dallas

           Sam Forko              3rd              30th      NY-NJ

           Mansour Ndiaye       1st              7th        NY-NJ

           Bryheem Hancock    2nd              22nd     Los Angeles

2003     Shavar Thomas       1st              10th      Dallas

           Damani Ralph          2nd              18th      Chicago

2004     Lindon Pecorelli       3rd              30th      San Jose

2005     Easton Wilson         4th              38th      New England

           Esteban Arias*        3rd              33rd      Chivas USA

2006     Mpho Moloi*           1st              7th        Houston

           Willis Forko*            2nd             14th      Salt Lake

2007     Kevin Burns*          4th              50th      Columbus

2008     Julius James           1st               9th       Toronto

           Ryan Cordeiro         3rd               33rd      DC United

2009     O'Brian White         1st               4th        Toronto

           Akeem Priestley      4th               50th      Kansas City

*Supplemental Draft picks