COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland men's soccer student-athletes Ben Bender and Brett St. Martin were selected in the MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas Tuesday afternoon. Bender was drafted No. 1 overall by Charlotte FC while St. Martin was picked in the second round 50th overall by Sporting Kansas City.
Bender and St. Martin became the 50th and 51st Maryland players selected in the history of the SuperDraft. Bender is the third Terp to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the SuperDraft (Maurice Edu, 2007; Leo Cullen, 1998). Maryland has had 17 selections in the last 18 SuperDrafts.
"I couldn't be happier to see Ben Bender and Brett St. Martin get selected in the MLS SuperDraft," Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski said. "Both represented the University of Maryland with distinction and now have the chance to achieve their professional dreams. We pride ourselves as a program on building champions first, and Ben and Brett are both championship people and players."
The first SuperDraft pick in the history of Charlotte FC, Bender goes to the Queen City as a 2021 United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American and Big Ten Midfielder of the Year. He led the Terps with seven goals and five assists and was a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection.
"This opportunity is amazing. MLS is such a great league," Bender said. "Playing professionally is something I've dreamed about since I was a kid. The downside to going pro is leaving Maryland and leaving my friends and coaches there. I've had so many close friends at Maryland. The coaching staff, Sasho, Jake [Pace] and Miles [Vaughn] did such a great job developing me that last few years and I'm going to miss it. But I think I'm ready for this next step."
The United Soccer Coaches selected Bender as a first-team All-Region selection. The Baltimore, Md., native was also named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. Bender burst onto the scene as a freshman in the 2020 season, earning All-Big Ten Second Team and Freshman Team honors.
"Charlotte FC is getting a player and person of tremendous quality in Ben Bender," Cirovski said. "Ben brings all the attributes necessary to succeed at the MLS level and fans in Charlotte will fall in love with his creativity, flair and love for soccer. I'm excited to see Ben continue to develop with [head coach] Miguel Angel Ramirez and the rest of the Charlotte FC organization.
A two-time team captain, St. Martin finished his Maryland career as a two-time All-Big Ten selection after earning first-team honors in 2021. The Mount Airy, Md., native was also a United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection.
"Brett St. Martin has been a tremendous leader in our program for four seasons and I'm thrilled to see him headed to Sporting Kansas City," Cirovski said. "Brett is a homegrown talent and national champion who was a great representative of our program on and off the field. I hope he continues to find success as he heads to the next level."
For his career, St. Martin played 61 college matches and started 55. He scored a pair of goals and notched a pair of assists. A stalwart at center back in his final three seasons, he contributed at right back during Maryland's national championship season in 2018.
Below is a breakdown of Terps and the MLS SuperDraft:
2022 - Ben Bender, first round (1st overall)
2022 - Brett St. Martin, second round (50th overall)
2021 - Matt Di Rosa, first round (25th overall)
2021 - Ben Di Rosa, second round (44th overall)
2019 – Dayne St. Clair, first round (7th overall)
2019 – Chase Gasper, first round (15th overall)
2019 – Andrew Samuels, second round (33rd overall)
2019 – Amar Sejdic, second round (34th overall)
2018 – Gordon Wild, second round (37th overall)
2018 – Jake Rozhansky, second round (44th overall)
2017 – Chris Odoi-Atsem, first round (12th overall)
2016 – Tsubasa Endoh, first round (9th overall)
2016 – Ivan Magalhaes, second round (26th overall)
2015 – Dan Metzger, second round (42nd overall)
2015 – Alex Shinsky, fourth round (68th overall)
2014 – Patrick Mullins, first round (11th overall)
2014 – Schillo Tshuma, first round (17th overall)
2013 - John Stertzer, first round (12th overall)
2013 - Taylor Kemp, first round (17th overall)
2012 - Casey Townsend, first round (5th overall)
2011 - Zac MacMath, first round (5th overall)
2011 - Billy Cortes, third round (38th overall)
2011 - Jason Herrick, third round (45th overall)
2010 - Drew Yates, second round (29th overall)
2010 - Kevin Tangney, third round (35th overall)
2009 - Omar Gonzalez, first round (third overall)
2009 - Rodney Wallace, first round (sixth overall)
2009 - Jeremy Hall, first round (11th overall)
2009 - A.J. Delagarza, second round (19th overall)
2009 - Graham Zusi, second round (23rd overall)
2008 - Stephen King, third round (40th overall)
2007 - Maurice Edu, first round (1st overall)
2007 - Chris Seitz, first round (4th overall)
2006 - Jason Garey, first round, (3rd overall)
2006 - Marc Burch, second round (24th overall)
2006 - Michael Dello-Russo, fourth round (42nd overall)
2006 - Kenney Bertz, fourth round (47th overall)
2005 - Domenic Mediate, second round (23rd overall)
2005 - Abe Thompson, supplemental draft second round (16th overall)
2005 - Noah Palmer, supplemental draft third round (25th overall)
2004 - Clarence Goodson, first round (7th overall)
2004 - Scott Buete, first round (9th overall)
2004 - Seth Stammler, second round (18th overall)
2004 - Sumed Ibrahim, second round (20th overall)
2002 - Taylor Twellman, first round (2nd overall)
2001 - Nick Downing, second round (21st overall)
2000 - Dan Califf, first round (6th overall)
1999 - Keith Beach, second round (17th overall)
1999 - Randy Merkel, third round (33rd overall)
1998 - Leo Cullen, first round (1st overall)
1998 - R.T. Moore, third round (34th overall)
