CPL–U Sports Draft
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/af/CPL%E2%80%93U_Sports_Draft_logo.png/150px-CPL%E2%80%93U_Sports_Draft_logo.png)
The CPL–U Sports Draft (French: Repêchage de la PLC–U Sports) is an annual event in which Canadian Premier League clubs select players from U Sports, Canada's governing body for university sports. The draft allows student-athletes to play professional soccer that year without affecting their university eligibility.[1]
Rules and procedure
[edit]Players are eligible to be drafted if they have one or more years of U Sports eligibility remaining and have declared for the draft.[2] Players who signed development contracts the previous year can be retained by their CPL clubs as long as they have U Sports eligibility remaining. Previously drafted players who do not sign and remain draft-eligible can re-enter the draft in subsequent years.[3]
The previous season's league standings, including playoffs and final standings, determine the draft order. The draft previously employed a "snake draft" format with the selection order reversing after each round, however this was discontinued after the 2021 draft.[4] Clubs have a window of time in which they must submit their pick, and failure to do so results in a pass. There is a break between each round, as well as one timeout per club.[5]
U Sports contract
[edit]Drafted players will get an invitation to the team's preseason camp, with the opportunity to earn a U Sports contract. The U Sports contract allows players to be paid to play in the CPL in the spring and summer, before returning to their university team before August 15 for the U Sports men's soccer season.[6] Players on U Sports contracts do not count toward their team's 23-man roster limit.[7] Players can also sign fully professional CPL standard contracts and forego their remaining university eligibility.[8]
Signed players can remain with their CPL club until the end of the season in early November by extending their U Sports contract. These players would be ineligible to participate in U Sports the same season as their contract but would regain eligibility the following year.[9]
List of drafts
[edit]Draft | Season | Date | Rds | Picks | City | First selection | School | Team | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 2019 | November 12, 2018 | 3 | 21 | Vancouver, British Columbia | ![]() | Carleton | Cavalry FC | [10] |
2019 | 2020 | November 11, 2019 | 2 | 14 | Montreal, Quebec | ![]() | Cape Breton | HFX Wanderers | [11] |
2021 | 2021 | January 29, 2021 | 2 | 16 | Held virtually | ![]() | British Columbia | FC Edmonton | [12] |
2022 | 2022 | January 20, 2022 | 2 | 16 | Held virtually | ![]() | Cape Breton | Atlético Ottawa | [13] |
2023 | 2023 | December 15, 2022 | 2 | 16 | Held virtually | ![]() | Toronto | Vancouver FC | [14] |
2024 | 2024 | December 14, 2023 | 2 | 16 | Held virtually | ![]() | Cape Breton | Valour FC | [15] |
References
[edit]- ^ Dheenshaw, Cleve (October 17, 2018). "New Canadian Premier League to hold draft for university soccer players". Times Colonist. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ "2021 CPL-U SPORTS Draft: The full prospect list". Canadian Premier League. January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
- ^ "2021 CPL-U Sports Draft to take place on January 29". Canadian Premier League. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Canadian Premier League announces date for 2022 CPL-U SPORTS Draft". canpl.ca. January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ "CPL-U SPORTS Draft 101: Detailing the process of the CPL's inaugural university draft". canpl.ca. November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ "CPL to partner with U Sports on sharing talent". Sportsnet. The Canadian Press. October 17, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ Jacques, John (13 March 2024). "Canadian Premier League Updates Roster Rules For 2024". Northern Tribune. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ Tierney, Mitchell (March 22, 2023). "'There was no doubt': Vancouver FC sign CPL-U SPORTS Draft first overall pick Anthony White". Canadian Premier League.
- ^ "2019 CPL-U Sports Draft announced, rules released". Canadian Premier League. October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
- ^ Bedakian, Armen (November 12, 2018). "Draft order revealed: Cavalry FC gets 1st pick in inaugural CPL-U SPORTS Draft". canpl.ca. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ "HFX selects Cape Breton's Cory Bent 1st overall in CPL-U SPORTS Draft". Canadian Premier League. November 11, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
- ^ "FC Edmonton take UBC's Thomas Gardner 1st overall in CPL-U SPORTS Draft". Canadian Premier League. January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ "2022 CPL-U SPORTS Draft: View all 16 picks here". Canadian Premier League. January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
- ^ "Canadian Premier League teams add young talent to rosters via U Sports draft". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
- ^ "2024 CPL-U SPORTS Draft: Team-by-team breakdown of all 16 picks". Canadian Premier League. December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.