Portions courtesy of Brown Sports Information

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Brown senior Jon Okafor was selected in the third round of the 2011 MLS Super Draft with the 40th overall pick by Chivas USA. The midfielder from Verona, N.J., helped Brown advance to the final-16 of the 2010 NCAA Championship, as the Bears were one of four Ivy League teams to appear in the tournament.

By selecting Okafor, Chivas USA ensured that an Ivy League student-athlete was selected in the MLS Super Draft for the fifth consecutive season. Since the MLS instituted the Super Draft in 2000, 19 Ivy Leaguers have been selected a total of 20 times.

Okafor helped guide the Bears to three NCAA Tournament appearances in his four-year career and combined for 40 points on 14 goals and 12 assists. In 2010, he led Brown to the third round of the NCAA tournament, as he saw action in 15 games and ranked second on the team in scoring with five goals and three assists. Okafor tallied Brown’s first goal in its 2-1 first-round NCAA victory over Boston College as the squad finished 12-4-4 overall.

With Okafor’s selection, the Ivy League has seen five players selected in the last three MLS Super Drafts. Last season, Harvard’s Andre Akpan and Kwaku Nyamekye were selected. Akpan was chosen in the second round with the 22nd overall pick by the Colorado Rapids, while Nyamekye was selected in the fourth round and 60th overall by the Columbus Crew. In the 2009 MLS Super Draft, Penn’s Alex Grendi was chosen 45th overall (3rd round) by the Columbus Crew and Harvard’s Michael Fucito was then taken 46th (fourth round) by the Seattle Sounders.

All-Time Ivy League Selections in the MLS Superdraft*

2011
Jon Okafor (Brown); 40th overall (third round); Chivas USA

2010    
Andre Akpan (Harvard); 22nd overall (second round); Colorado Rapids
Kwaku Nyamakye (Harvard); 60th overall (fourth round); Columbus Crew

2009
Alex Grendi (Penn); 45th overall (third round); Columbus Crew
Michael Fucito (Harvard); 46th overall (fourth round); Seattle Sounders

2008
Matt Britner (Brown); 41st overall (second round); New England

2007
Andrew Daniels (Brown); 18th overall (second round); FC Dallas

2005
Chris Gomez (Brown); 28th overall (third round); FC Dallas

2004
Kevin Ara (Harvard); 24th overall (third round); D.C. United
Jay Alberts (Yale); 37th overall (fourth round); Kansas City Wizards
Adom Crew (Brown); 41st overall (fifth round); Columbus Crew
Ian Pilarski (Cornell); 49th overall (fifth round); Chicago Fire
Matthew Haefner (Penn); 52nd overall (sixth round); Columbus Crew

2002
Matt Behncke (Princeton); 18th overall (second round); Dallas Burn
Cory Gibbs (Brown); 38th overall (fourth round); Los Angeles Galaxy
Mike Nugent (Princeton); 46th overall (fourth round); Chicago Fire
Brian Lavin (Yale); 57th overall (fifth round); Kansas City Wizards

2001
Cory Gibbs (Brown); 40th overall (fourth round); Miami Fusion
Scott Powers (Brown); 51st overall (fifth round); Columbus Crew
Matthew Cross (Brown); 72nd overall (sixth round); Kansas City Wizards

1999
Bobby Meyer (Dartmouth); 32nd overall (third round); Colorado Rapids

1998
Hans Wittusen (Brown); 22nd overall (second round); Dallas Burn
Tom McLaughlin (Harvard); 36th overall (third round); New England Revolution

1997
Will Kohler (Harvard); 15th overall (second round); New York/New Jersey MetroStars
Andrew Lewis (Princeton); 25th overall (third round); New York/New Jersey MetroStars

1996
Jesse Marsch (Princeton); 21st overall (third round); D.C. United

* - Includes MLS Super Drafts (2000-2011) & MLS College Drafts (1996-1999)