VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected five players in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas on Tuesday.Â
In the first round, the ‘Caps used their 16th overall selection on Saint Louis University forward Simon Becher. The second round saw Luis Felipe Fernandez-Salvador from Clemson University taken 44th overall, and Giovanni Aguilar from California State University Northridge taken 49th overall. The third round saw Whitecaps FC select Théo Collomb from the University of North Carolina Greensboro 72nd overall and Vitor Dias from Marshall University 86th overall.
Forward Simon Becher
- Finished 2021 tied for first in NCAA goal contributions with 14 goals and 10 assists. Recorded a goal or assist in 11 straight matches, helping Saint Louis win the Atlantic 10 championship
- 2021 First Team All-American (United Soccer Coaches), Atlantic 10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year and All-Conference, Top Drawer Soccer First Team Best XI, and Hermann Trophy semifinalist
- Named to USL League Two Eastern Conference Team of the Year in 2021 when he scored 12 goals in 14 appearances while captaining Ocean City Nor'easters
- Called to U.S. youth national team camps on three occasions, including a U-20 camp in 2019
Becher, 22, scored 21 goals and recorded 13 assists in his three seasons at Saint Louis from 2019 to 2021. Prior to playing with the Billikens, Becher played his freshman season at Holy Cross University and led the Crusaders with seven goals, adding three assists.
In his final collegiate season in 2021, Becher finished tied for first in NCAA goal contributions with 14 goals and 10 assists. For his efforts he was named a First Team All-American by United Soccer Coaches, Atlantic 10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Conference, Top Drawer Soccer First Team Best XI, and a Hermann Trophy semifinalist.
During this most recent season, the native of Brooklyn, Connecticut scored a goal in nine straight matches, had a goal or assist in 11 straight, and had five game-winning goals to help Saint Louis win the Atlantic 10 championship.
Between collegiate seasons, Becher played in USL League Two. In 2019 he scored seven goals in 10 appearances for Reading United AC, and in 2021 he captained Ocean City Nor'easters and was named to the Eastern Conference Team of the Year with 12 goals in 14 matches, with six of them game-winning goals.
Prior to playing college soccer, Becher scored more than 70 goals for Oakwood SC in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, helping the club win the Northeast Division in 2016. He was called to U.S. youth national team camps on three occasions, including a U-20 camp in 2019.
Simon Becher
Position: Forward
Height: 6-01
Weight: 190
Date of Birth: July 20, 1999
Hometown: Brooklyn, Connecticut
Citizenship: United States
Status: Domestic
University: Saint Louis University
High School: Woodstock Academy (Woodstock, Connecticut)
Youth Club: Oakwood SC
TRANSACTION: Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected Simon Becher 16th overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft on January 11, 2022.
Midfielder Luis Felipe Fernandez-Salvador
- Named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team after scoring twice to help lead Clemson to the 2021 national championship title
- 11 goals and 14 assists in 69 career NCAA appearances and 51 starts
- Finished his senior season with eight goals and five assists in 23 appearances and 16 starts
- Played his youth with Shattuck St. Mary’s in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy
Fernandez-Salvador, 21, played a key role in helping the University of Clemson win the 2021 NCAA national championship, earning a spot on the College Cup All-Tournament Team.
The midfielder scored eight goals and recorded five assists in 23 appearances and 16 starts in his senior season. Overall, he finished his collegiate career with 11 goals and 14 assists in 69 appearances and 51 starts.
Originally hailing from Guayaquil, Ecuador, Fernandez-Salvador later played his youth soccer in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy with Shattuck St. Mary’s
Luis Felipe Fernandez-Salvador
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-10
Weight: 165
Date of Birth: February 28, 2000 in Guayaquil, Ecuador
Hometown: Royal Palm Beach, Florida
Citizenship: Ecuador, United States
Status: Domestic
University: Clemson University
High School: Shattuck St. Mary’s
Youth Club: Shattuck St. Mary’s
TRANSACTION: Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected Luis Felipe Fernandez-Salvador 44th overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft on January 11, 2022.
Midfielder Giovanni Aguilar
- Three goals and 11 assists in 71 starts and 72 appearances for California State University Northridge
- Named to 2021 Big West All-Conference First-Team
- Team-leading three assists along with three goals in 2021
- 2017 Big West Conference All-Freshman Team
Aguilar, 23, was named to the Big West All-Conference First Team after recording three goals and a team-leading three assists in 17 starts for California State in 2021.
The centre midfielder received Honourable Mention All-Conference honours in 2018 as well as 2017, and was named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman Team in 2017.
During his youth, Aguilar spent time with the academy of USL Championship side, where he was named to the U.S. Development Academy Western Conference Best XI upon helping the U-18 team reach the playoffs.
The native of Olivehurst, California signed with the Sacramento first team in the USL Championship on December 2021 after concluding his collegiate career. Whitecaps FC will retain Aguilar’s MLS rights.
Giovanni Aguilar
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6-0
Weight: 176
Date of Birth: March 8, 1998
Hometown: Olivehurst, California
Citizenship: United States
Status: Domestic
University: California State University Northridge
High School:
Youth Club: Sacramento Republic FC
TRANSACTION: Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected Giovanni Aguilar 49th overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft on January 11, 2022.
Forward Théo Collomb
- At the end of the 2021 regular season led the NCAA in goals (15) and goals per game (1.00), adding five assists
- Named 2021 Southern Conference Player of the Year and to the United Soccer Coaches All Region First Team
- In his freshman season, started all 14 matches and was named the SoCon co-Freshman of the Year and to the All SoCon First Team
- Played three seasons on the second team of French club Clermont Foot 63, starting 15 of his 30 appearances and scoring nine goals
Collomb, 21, played two seasons of collegiate soccer at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. In the 2021 season, he led the NCAA during the regular season in goals (15) and goals per game (1.00), adding five assists. For his efforts he was named 2021 Southern Conference Player of the Year and to the United Soccer Coaches All Region First Team.
In his freshman season, started all 14 matches, leading the Southern Conference with five goals and earning him SoCon co-Freshman of the Year and to the All SoCon First Team.
A native of Clermont, France, Collomb played three seasons on the second team of French club Clermont Foot 63, starting 15 of his 30 appearances and scoring nine goals
Théo Collomb
Position: Forward
Height: 5-11
Weight: 172
Date of Birth: July 11, 2000
Hometown: Clermont, France
Citizenship: France
Status: International
University: University of North Carolina Greensboro
Youth Club: Clermont Foot 63
TRANSACTION: Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected Théo Collomb 72nd overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft on January 11, 2022.
Midfielder Vitor Dias
- Led Marshall University to their first NCAA national championship title in 2020
- 14 goals, 15 assists in 49 starts and 54 appearances for Marshall University across three seasons
- 2020 NCAA All-Tournament Team, Mac Hermann Trophy semifinalist, Conference USA Player of the Year, Conference USA Offensive MVP, and First-Team All-Conference USA
- Recorded five goals, five assists in 17 starts in 2021. Named United Soccer Coaches Third-Team All-American, United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-Southeast Region, First-Team All-Conference USA, and Conference USA Co-Midfielder of the Year
Dias, 23, led Marshall University to their first NCAA national championship title in 2020. That season he tallied six goals and seven assists in 14 starts and 17 appearances, receiving accolades such as the Conference USA Player of the Year, the Conference USA Offensive MVP, being named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team, the All-Conference USA First-Team and was also a semifinalist for the Mac Hermann trophy.
This past season he was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-American Third-Team, the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region First-Team, the All-Conference USA First-Team and won the Conference USA Co-Midfielder of the Year after recording five and five assists in 17 starts in 2021.
The native of Brasilia, Brazil was also named to the Senior CLASS All-American Second-Team and was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
Across three season, Dias registered 14 goals and 15 assists in 49 starts and 54 appearances for Marshall.
Vitor Dias
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-10
Weight:
Date of Birth: April 30, 1998
Hometown: Brasilia, Brazil
Citizenship: Brazil
Status: International
University: Marshall University
High School:
Youth Club:
TRANSACTION: Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected Vitor Dias 86th overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft on January 11, 2022.
