SAN DIEGO — For the first time ever, a UC Santa Barbara student-athlete has been selected first overall in his or her sport's draft, as Gaucho Men's Soccer star Manu Duah became San Diego FC's first-ever selection in Friday's Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
 
"It really, really means a lot to me," Duah said. "From all the hard work, I never, never could have dreamed that I'm going to be the number one pick, but through God everything is possible, and now that I'm here, the job is not done yet. It's a new chapter; I need to focus and work hard on that. I'm really, really excited, I never thought that I would have gotten here."
 
Duah is the fifth Gaucho soccer player in the last 10 years and the 32^nd overall.
 
"We are very happy for Manu on his selection as the number one pick in the MLS draft," UC Santa Barbara Head Coach Tim Vom Steeg said. "It is testament to his talent as well as the collective play of the entire team this season. History was made today not just for our program but for the entire Athletic Department. We wish him the very best as he takes the next step on his soccer journey."
 
Previously, the highest position any UC Santa Barbara student-athlete had been drafted was fourth overall, with men's soccer's Luis Silva being picked by Toronto FC in 2012 and baseball's Dillon Tate being selected fourth overall by the Texas Rangers in the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft. Gaucho soccer alumnus Michael Boxall was selected first overall in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft, though that took place immediately following the three rounds of the SuperDraft and is considered a secondary draft.
 
San Diego FC is the newest MLS team, set to play its first season of competition in 2025. Duah joins a roster that includes Mexican National Team forward Hirving Lozano and Panama National Team midfielder Anibal Godoy, along with 13 other players. By signing his MLS Generation adidas contract prior to the draft, Duah is now guaranteed a spot on San Diego's roster — their supplemental roster at least — for the next three seasons. Duah and San Diego are set to open their 2025 MLS campaign on Feb. 23 against reigning MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy.
 
"Manu hits the key profile of the club. He's a high-talent, young player with amazing character and values," San Diego FC Head Coach Mikey Varas said. "His talent is really high, and he's a young player. He's done great in his college career, the next step is to see how he adapts. We're not going to limit anybody's story before we're out on the pitch together. Ultimately, what we have found is it takes a bit of time to adapt from the college game to the pro game because of how often the training is and how intense the training is. But what we know for sure is we have a top player in Manu, and we'll have a very individualized plan for him to make sure we get him performing for the team at the right moment and with a ton of confidence."
 
In his single season with UC Santa Barbara, Duah played 14 games in Blue and Gold, with the Gauchos going 8-3-3 in those matches, including six clean sheets. He provided one assist but mostly wowed scouts and fans alike with his defensive midfield play, covering vast swaths of the field, winning the ball back strongly and cleanly, dribbling past opponents and shrugging off tackles as though they were hardly there, and spraying pinpoint passes short and long.
 
The MLS SuperDraft consists of three total rounds on Friday, with live coverage on MLSsoccer.com. More Gauchos, including Big West Offensive Player of the Year Alexis Ledoux, will hope to hear their names called later today.