Casey Townsend understands the value of staying in school.
After a nine-goal season capped with first-team All-ACC honors in 2010, the then-junior forward was attracting considerable interest from MLS and overseas.
But after deliberating the decision with his family last winter break, Townsend opted to return to the Terrapins men’s soccer team for his senior season. That decision paid off Thursday, when Chivas USA selected the former MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist No. 5 overall in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.
Although many mock drafts projected Townsend to go in the mid-late first round, a strong showing at the MLS Combine earlier this week helped him become the fourth Terp taken in the top 10 of the SuperDraft in the last three seasons.
The Second-Team All American, who finished his Terps career tied for third on the program’s all-time scoring list with 43 goals, was named the Tom Fitzgerald 2012 Combine MVP after leading team adiPower to a 3-0 record.
Townsend could have an immediate impact for the Goats, who finished 13th in MLS with 41 goals scored last season.
“[The coaches] said they think I maybe can step on the field and play right away,” he told MLSsoccer.com. “They love my mentality–they see that I’m a hard worker and they seem the same way, they’re competitive guys and I think I’ll fit right in.”
Senior center back Alex Lee, who was also receiving consideration from several MLS clubs, went undrafted.