Eric Bird Selected 41st Overall in MLS SuperDraft by Philadelphia Union

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Jan. 15, 2015

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia midfielder Eric Bird (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) was selected by the Philadelphia Union in the 2015 Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Thursday (Jan. 15). A second-round selection, Bird was the 41st overall pick.

The first two rounds of the draft were conducted Thursday. The last two rounds will be held by teleconference on Tuesday (Jan. 20).

A two-year team captain, Bird played 73 career matches at Virginia, including 69 starts. Bird was a two-time All-American, picking up third-team honors during the Cavaliers’ NCAA College Cup season in 2013 and then nabbing second-team laurels in 2014 as UVa went on to win its seventh national championship following a penalty-kick shootout against UCLA.

Bird was the Cavaliers’ first two-time All-American since Nico Colaluca in 2004 and 2006. He is the first Cavalier selected in the draft since Hunter Jumper was a second-round pick of the Chicago Fire in 2012.

After suffering a serious knee injury midway through his freshman season, Bird bounced back with a vengeance. He started all 21 games in 2012 as the Cavaliers reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. In his first year as team captain, Bird led UVa to a 13-6-5 record, the ACC Championship game and an appearance in the NCAA College Cup. Bird led UVa in scoring in 2014 and was a First-Team All-ACC selection as the Cavaliers won the national championship.