South Carolina men's soccer program makes history with two selections in 2024 MLS SuperDraft
The South Carolina men’s soccer program has seen many talented players climb through its ranks.
Brad Guzan, who has played for the United States men’s national team and professional clubs in England, was a Gamecock in 2003 and 2004. Another former USMNT star, Clint Mathis, also plied his trade with South Carolina from 1994 to 1997.
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Before both players went on to have successful professional careers, they were selected in Major League Soccer’s player draft. The annual event, now called the MLS SuperDraft, takes place after the NCAA men’s soccer season and allows the league’s 30 teams to add collegiate players to their first-team and reserve rosters.
Two South Carolina players heard their names called during the 2024 edition of the MLS SuperDraft. In the process, junior midfielder Ethan Ballek and sophomore midfielder Jonah Biggar made history.
This year marked the first time that multiple South Carolina players were taken in the same draft. Ballek and Biggar also became the first Gamecock draft selections since 2017, the year Orlando City SC selected Danny Deakin with a third-round pick.
Ballek was the first Gamecock off the board when he was selected in the third round. Nashville SC used the sixth pick of the round (No. 66 overall) to acquire Ballek.
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In his first season with South Carolina, he started in all 17 of the team’s regular season games. Ballek scored nine goals and added five assists (which tied for the team lead) across 1,318 minutes of action. He earned a place on the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Second Team and All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team for his efforts. Prior to transferring to South Carolina, he played two seasons of college soccer at Virginia Tech.
Four picks later, D.C. United took Biggar with the No. 70 overall selection of the draft. D.C. United is a club with local ties – its head coach, Troy Lesesne, hails from West Columbia.
Biggar – a Greer, South Carolina native – started in 16 matches this past season, totaling one goal and four assists across 1,390 minutes on the pitch. He appeared in 35 matches during his two-year college soccer career, playing 90 minutes in 24 of them. Biggar played for Greenville Triumph SC – an Upstate-based club that competes in USL League One, a lower-level professional soccer league – before committing to the Gamecocks in 2023.
