Major League Soccer today announced the 2018 Generation adidas class, which includes six standout collegiate underclassmen that will enter the professional ranks through the 2018 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas on Jan. 19 in Philadelphia. The league also announced the signings of three additional collegiate players ahead of the SuperDraft.
The Generation adidas class includes Wake Forest sophomore midfielder Ema Twumasi, who garnered 2017 All-ACC First Team honors after finishing second on the team in goals (10) and third in assists (7). The Accra, Ghana native helped Wake Forest to the quarterfinals in the NCAA Tournament, a year after finishing as runner-up in 2016. Michigan forward Francis Atuahene, a fellow Ghana native, joins the Generation adidas class after finishing tied for second on the team in goals (6) and assists (4) despite starting only 11 matches this season due to injury. The junior was named Second-Team All-Big Ten in 2017, following First-Team selections in 2015 and 2016. Joining Atuahene is Indiana forward Mason Toye, who was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-Big Ten in 2017. Toye led Indiana with 10 goals this season en route to the College Cup where the team fell in the championship match.
Fellow freshman Joao Moutinho of Akron joins the Generation adidas class after finishing tied for second on the team with five assists. Moutinho, a product of the famed Sporting Lisbon Academy in Portugal, helped Akron to a semifinal appearance at the 2017 College Cup. Syracuse sophomore midfielder Mo Adams joins the Generation adidas class after receiving All-ACC Second-Team honors while captaining the Orange in 2017. The Nottingham, England native earned All-ACC Third-Team and All-Freshman Team honors in 2016. Rounding out the Generation adidas class is University of Maryland junior forward Gordon Wild. Originally from Cologne, Germany, Wild was named a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist in 2016 after finishing in the top three nationally in goals scored and points.
Generation adidas is a joint program between MLS and adidas that is dedicated to developing exceptional domestic talent in the U.S. and Canada in a professional environment. Each year, a handful of top domestic collegiate underclassmen and youth national team players are signed by the league and placed in the SuperDraft. Generation adidas players do not count against an MLS team’s salary budget.
Ahead of the SuperDraft, MLS has also signed college seniors Jon Bakero (Wake Forest University), Tomas Hilliard-Arce (Stanford University) and Chris Mueller (University of Wisconsin).
For a live tracker of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft order, CLICK HERE.
2018 Generation adidas Players
Mo Adams (Syracuse University)
Francis Atuahene (University of Michigan)
Joao Moutinho (University of Akron)
Mason Toye (Indiana University)
Ema Twumasi (Wake Forest University)
Gordon Wild (University of Maryland, College Park)
