{"id":95048,"date":"2025-12-20T05:07:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T05:07:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/95048\/"},"modified":"2025-12-20T05:07:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T05:07:16","slug":"fc-dallas-selects-nick-simmonds-and-umberto-pela-in-2026-mls-superdraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/95048\/","title":{"rendered":"FC Dallas Selects Nick Simmonds and Umberto Pel\u00e0 in 2026 MLS SuperDraft"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. \u2013\u00a0A pair of Virginia players were selected in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft on Thursday (Dec. 18). Freshman Nicholas Simmonds<\/a> was selected by FC Dallas as the third overall pick while senior midfielder Umberto Pel\u00e0<\/a> was also taken by the club with the 44th overall pick.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After signing a Generation adidas contract<\/a> on Wednesday (Dec. 17), Simmonds becomes the first Cavalier to be taken in the top three of the MLS SuperDraft since Tony Tchani was picked second overall by New York Red Bulls in 2010.<\/p>\n

The selections of Simmonds and Pel\u00e0 mark the first time two UVA players have been taken by the same team in an MLS SuperDraft since Pablo Aguilar<\/a> and Sheldon Sullivan<\/a> were both taken just seven picks apart by Houston Dynamo in 2018.<\/p>\n

Throughout George Gelnovatch<\/a>\u2019s 30-year tenure, UVA has produced 38 MLS SuperDraft picks since its inception in 2000. With Virginia\u2019s pair of selections in the 2026 draft, 20 Cavaliers have been taken in the draft since 2018. UVA has had at least one player selected in seven of the last nine drafts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Virginia\u2019s 2026\u00a0MLS SuperDraft Selections
F \u2013 Nicholas Simmonds<\/a> \u2013 FC Dallas \u2013 Round 1, Pick 3\u00a0
M \u2013 Umberto Pel\u00e0<\/a> \u2013 FC Dallas \u2013 Round 2, Pick 44<\/p>\n

Simmonds earned first-team All-American honors after scoring 10 goals and adding five assists in his freshman season at Virginia. His 10 goals were the most among freshmen from power-four programs and earned first team All-ACC honors as well as the 2025 ACC Freshman of the Year award.<\/p>\n

A Midlothian, Virginia native, Simmonds was just the third Cavalier freshman in school history to earn first-team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches, joining U.S. Men\u2019s National Team legends Claudio Reyna (1991) and Tony Meola (1988). Simmonds\u2019 father, Gregory, previously played in MLS with the Miami Fusion in 2001 during his professional career in North America.<\/p>\n

Next stop, Dallas \ud83d\udc02#GoHoos<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/wH3xygCdJK<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Virginia Men’s Soccer (@UVAMenSoccer) December 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

A four-year member of the Virginia men\u2019s soccer team, Pel\u00e0 made 57 appearances and 54 starts in a Cavalier shirt. He started every game in which he was available from the start of the 2023 season and served as a captain in both 2024 and 2025. He totaled five goals and eight assists over four seasons as a central defensive midfielder.<\/p>\n

Pel\u00e0 engineered a breakout season on the stat sheet recording single-season highs with four goals and six assists while leading his team to an ACC regular season title. He was named a second-team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches as well as a first team Scholar All-American.<\/p>\n

Captain. Leader. Pro. #GoHoos<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/A6ijXI8oir<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Virginia Men’s Soccer (@UVAMenSoccer) December 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

In his four seasons at Virginia, Pel\u00e0 helped the Cavaliers to earn four consecutive first-round byes in the NCAA Men\u2019s Soccer Championship, including a pair of top-four national seeds. He also led his team to an ACC regular season title, two ACC semifinal appearances and one appearance in the ACC championship game.<\/p>\n