FC Cincinnati made two selections in Tuesday’s MLS SuperDraft 2024 presented by adidas.
The Orange and Blue took Brian Schaefer from the University of South Florida with the club’s first pick, No. 27 overall in the first round. With the club’s second round selection, FCC took midfielder/forward Kenji Mboma Dem from the nearby University of Dayton.
Last week, FCC’s third round selection was sent to Austin FC in exchange for the rights to acquire and sign defender Kipp Keller.
Round 1, Pick 27 (No. 27 Overall): Brian Schaefer – Defender – University of South Florida
Brian Schaefer was selected by the Orange and Blue from the University of South Florida where he spent four seasons with the Bulls. With the selection, Schaefer becomes the second player selected by FC Cincinnati from USF (Avionne Flanagan, 2021).
In total, Schaefer appeared in 53 matches for South Florida, making 44 starts while scoring five goals to go along with three assists. The center back led the USF defense to seven clean sheets in his 44 starts and was named to the American Athletic Conference Second-Team All-Conference in 2022 and was an AAC All-Rookie selection in 2020.Â
Schaefer, 21, impressed as a freshman, playing in all 10 matches for the Bulls in 2020 and he earned starts in each of the team’s final eight matches of the season. Schaefer scored two goals as a freshman, with his first collegiate goal proving a match winner against nationally ranked Tulsa.Â
The Atlantic Beach, Florida native played his club soccer for the Jacksonville Armada of the National Premier Soccer League (2018-2019) where he scored two goals in 23 appearances. Schaefer also led Fletcher High School to a FHSAA Class 4A State Championship in 2018.Â
Round 2, Pick 27 (No. 56 Overall): Kenji Mboma Dem – Midfielder/Forward – University of Dayton
FC Cincinnati selected in the second round Kenji Mboma Dem from the University of Dayton. Mboma Dem is the second Dayton Flyer selected by the Orange and Blue all-time in the MLS SuperDraft (Jonas Fjeldberg, 2021).
Mboma Dem closed out his college career at Dayton after transferring from the University of Nebraska Omaha for his senior season. Mboma Dem scored nine goals and tallied three assists in 15 appearances, all starts, while logging 1,330 minutes. Mboma Dem scored six goals in his last five matches as a Flyer and was named First Team All-Atlantic 10.
Before his arrival to Dayton, Mboma Dem was a playmaker in Omaha, notching 12 goals and 12 assists in 42 games played. In 2022, Mboma Dem tallied six goals, eight assists and five games of two or more goal contributions. Over the course of his three-year career as a Maverick, Mboma Dem was named to the All-Summit Conference Newcomer Team (2020) and All-Summit First Team (2021).
A native to Mantes-la-Jolie, France, Mboma Dem attended the Northwood Prep School in New York where he helped the school advance to the semifinals of the U-19 Dallas Cup in 2018. The following season, Mboma Dem scored 26 goals and provided 12 assists in route to a U-19 IMG Cup title.
FC Cincinnati All-Time Selections in MLS SuperDraft
Year Rd/Select. – Player, College
2019 1 (1) – Frankie Amaya, UCLA
2019 1 (13) – Logan Gdula, Wake Forest
2019 2 (29) – Tommy McCabe, Notre Dame
2019 2 (30) – Jimmy Hague, Michigan State
2019 2 (37) – Ben Lundt, Akron
2019 3 (49) – Rashawn Dally, Quinnipiac
2020 2 (29) – Rey Ortiz, Portland
2020 3 (53) – Joris Ahlinvi, Indiana
2021 1 (2) – Calvin Harris, Wake Forest
2021 2 (29) – Avionne Flanagan, South Florida
2021 2 (54) – Jonas Fjeldberg, Dayton
2021 3 (56) – Matthew Vowinkel, Hofstra
2022 1 (2) – Roman Celentano, Indiana
2022 1 (14) – Ian Murphy, Duke
2022 2 (30) – Nick Markanich, Northern Illinois
2023 1 (22) – Joey Akpunonu, Bowling Green
2023 2 (51) – Hunter Morse, Western Michigan
2023 3 (80) – London Aghedo, Air Force
2024 1 (27) – Brian Schaefer, South Florida
2024 2 (56) – Kenji Mboma Dem, Dayton
