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Two Ivies Selected in 2009 MLS SuperDraft
Created: 1/16/2009 9:14:24 AM
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 Alex Grendi (Penn) and Michael Fucito (Harvard) had their names called back-to-back during the 2009 Major League Soccer SuperDraft. But for the two Ivy players from similar backgrounds that were selected in succession, their respective careers will now skew away from one another in a stark contrast.
Grendi, the final pick of the third round (45th), heads to the 2008 MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew, while Fucito, the first selection in the fourth round (46th), will begin his career with the Seattle Sounders FC, an expansion team that could very well have him in the starting lineup for its inaugural season.
A native of Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Grendi was a playmaker from the beginning, and goes in the Penn record book as such. His 20 career assists puts him in a tie for third all-time. More impressive is that, prior to his arrival, the top five marks were all set in the 1970s. He has led the Quakers in assists three of his four seasons and was twice named the team’s Offensive MVP. As a freshman, he was the team’s co-Most Valuable Freshman, and as a sophomore earned All-Ivy honors. Alex scored eight goals including four game-winners while wearing the Red and Blue.
In 2008, he was a unanimous All-Ivy first team selection and was named to the NSCAA All-Northeast region third team.
"It is an honor to be considered one of the top college players in the country, and then to be drafted by the MLS Cup champs? I couldn't ask for more," said Grendi.
He joins two recent Quakers to be drafted to the MLS. Goalkeeper Matt Haefner C’02 was selected in the sixth round of the 2002 MLS Superdraft while fellow keeper Dan Cepero, was taken in the 2007 Supplemental Draft.
A native of Westford, Mass., Fucito was one of only two Ivy League players selected in this year's draft and became the fourth Harvard player chosen since the MLS draft's inception in 1996, joining Will Kohler (15th overall in 1997), Tom MacLaughlin (36th overall in 1998) and Kevin Ara (24th overall in 2004).
"This is a great honor and well-deserved," said Jamie Clark, the Virginia B. and James O. Welch '52 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Soccer. "Michael has proven to be a great player at the college level, and now he has a chance to bring his game to the next level. If he was healthy this season, he had the potential to be a top 10 choice. Seattle made a brilliant pick."
Fucito ranks fourth on Harvard's all-time goal, assist and scoring lists with 32 tallies and 24 helpers for 88 points. In 2008, he was named to the NSCAA All-America second team for the second straight fall and garnered his third consecutive All-Ivy League first-team selection after recording nine goals and collecting four assists. Fucito's 22 points during his senior campaign placed him second on the Crimson and third in the Ivy League. He was also second in the conference last fall with a Harvard-best four game-winning strikes and helped the Crimson to its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament.
A finalist for this year's Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, Fucito was honored by College Soccer News along with teammate Andre Akpan as the “Most Exciting Combination” in Division I Men’s Soccer and also garnered preseason All-America distinction by College Soccer News and Soccer America. Fucito, the 2004 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, was named to the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy Watch list prior to last year.
Columbus will begin its title defense on the road against the Houston Dynamo on March 21, while Seattle will usher in a new era on March 19 at home against the New York Red Bulls.
- A.S.
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Related Schools: Harvard, Pennsylvania
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Related Sports: Soccer
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