# 1996 MLS College Draft

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

* ↑ #1: D.C. United → Kansas City Wiz. 3 March 1996: Kansas City Wiz acquired this first-round pick and goalkeeper Garth Lagerwey from D.C. United in exchange for goalkeeper Jeff Causey.
* ↑ #2: New York/New Jersey MetroStars → D.C. United. 3 March 1996: D.C. United acquired this first-round selection from New York/New Jersey MetroStars in exchange for first-round (#1) and third-round (#21) picks in the 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft.
* ↑ #3: San Jose Clash → New York/New Jersey MetroStars → Dallas Burn. 4 March 1996: Dallas Burn acquired this first-round selection from New York/New Jersey MetroStars in exchange for a first-round pick (#8) in the 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft. On 26 February 1996, in the first trade in league history, New York/New Jersey had acquired this first-round pick and midfielder Rhett Harty from San Jose Clash in exchange for defender Troy Dayak.

## 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

* ↑ #11: D.C. United → New York/New Jersey MetroStars. 4 March 1996: New York/New Jersey MetroStars acquired this second-round pick, a second-round selection (#11) in the 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft, and goalkeeper Matthew Olson from D.C. United in exchange for a first-round pick (#8) in the 1996 Supplemental Draft.
* ↑ #18: Dallas Burn → Tampa Bay Mutiny. 4 March 1996: Tampa Bay Mutiny acquired this second-round pick from Dallas Burn in exchange for a second-round selection (#14) in the 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft.

## 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.