Canadian defender Moise Bombito selected 3rd by Colorado Rapids in MLS SuperDraft | CBC Sports

Montreal’s Moise Bombito, a junior defender at the University of New Hampshire, has been selected third overall by the Colorado Rapids at the MLS SuperDraft.

Bombito was named 2022 America East Defender of the Year and a second-team all-American selection, after helping lead a defence that ranked third in the NCAA with a 0.5 goals-against average.

He was third on New Hampshire with four goals and tied for second with two game-winners. The Wildcats posted 11 shutouts and outscored the opposition 38-12.

Bombito was one of eight players named to the Generation Adidas class ahead of the draft.

Generation Adidas is a joint program between Major League Soccer and Adidas that sees top collegiate underclassmen and youth national team players signed by MLS to contracts and made available in the draft. Their initial salaries do not count against a team’s salary cap.

The Rapids acquired the third pick in the draft from Toronto FC as part of a July 8 trade that brought midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye to Toronto.

The Whitecaps received the pick from Houston in exchange for the No. 13 pick and $225,000 US in general allocation money.

The French-born Ngando, 23, was the Southern Conference player of the year after contributing 14 assists in 2022 — tied for the second most in the NCAA — with UNC Greensboro.

He helped Greensboro reach the NCAA Division I quarterfinals for the first time in program history.