On Thursday, the fifth edition of the CPL-U SPORTS Draft will take place (watch for FREE on the OS YouTube channel), where a total of 16 players will be picked from the top prospects in Canadian university soccer.
With a list of 199 eligible players, however, there are several new faces – and some familiar ones – involved in this year's draft process.
Here are 11 players who impressed in U SPORTS this past season and could hear their names called on Thursday, starting with six players to watch:
Pablo Hempelmann-Perez
School: Queen’s University
Position: Attacker
Year: 1st
The 19-year-old is one of the more exciting attacking prospects in this year’s draft. In his first year with the Queen’s University Gaels, Hempelmann-Perez scored six goals and added an assist, while taking 35 shots, third most in the OUA.
Hempelmann-Perez also spent this past summer playing in League1 Ontario for the North Toronto Nitros appearing in 11 matches.
Before committing to Queen’s, the Toronto native played several years for the youth teams of NAC Breda in the Netherlands. This should provide him with some good experience stepping into a professional environment should his name be called on Thursday.
Ameer Kinani
School: Toronto Metropolitan University
Position: Forward
Year: 1st
After transferring from George Brown, Kinani had quite the first season with Toronto Metropolitan University. That included scoring a 90th-minute penalty kick against Carleton in the OUA quarter-finals for TMU, who would eventually reach the final. He had four goals in 11 regular season matches for the Bold this season.
Kinani turned heads in League1 Ontario this past season, scoring 17 goals for ProStars FC which was fourth best in the league.
Another player with a professional pedigree, Kinani spent time with Cartagena FC in Spain and the Iraq U-19 national team for the U-19 Asia Cup. The Canadian national futsal team recently called him up for a camp in Montréal.
Jakub Parizek
School: Cape Breton
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Year: 1st
One of the few international players available in the draft, Parizek’s solidity in defensive midfield was key to Cape Breton lifting a sixth straight AUS championship.
The defensive midfielder had two goals, both of which were game-winning goals, and an assist in his debut U SPORTS season.
Prior to coming over to Canada from the Czech Republic, Parizek played for his hometown club České Budějovice’s B team. He also spent time with FC Písek in the Czech third division on loan.
Logan Rieck
School: St. Francis Xavier
Position: Attacking midfielder
Year: 2nd
Rieck was tied for the most goals scored in the AUS this year with nine — good for sixth in all of U SPORTS. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder added six assists — tied for second-best.
He put up an assist in a 2-0 win over UNB in the AUS semifinals. StFX, however, would ultimately lose the final to Cape Breton by that same scoreline.
Prior to joining StFX, the Cambridge, Ontario native played club soccer for FC London in League1 Ontario.
Aiden Rushenas
School: Dalhousie
Position: Goalkeeper
Year: 2nd
Only one goalkeeper has been taken in the last three CPL-U SPORTS Drafts, that being Rayane Yesli by Valour. Should one be taken this year, however, Rushenas is a top candidate.
The 19-year-old has had two outstanding seasons with Dalhousie. This year he finished third in the AUS in saves made with 47.
Rushenas also played goalkeeper for the Halifax Wanderers’ recently developed U-23 side this past summer. The Toronto-born goalkeeper also spent time training with North Toronto Nitros of League1 Ontario before committing to Dalhousie.
Perry Zorbas
School: Waterloo
Position: Rightback
Year: 3rd
Zorbas became a key player for a very solid University of Waterloo Warriors team this past season. The third-year fullback finished tied for second in the OUA in assists with five, adding a pair of goals as well.
The Oakville product was named an OUA second-team all-star for his play this past season. He was a key player for Waterloo during their stunning upset of top-seed York University Lions during the OUA quarter-finals.
This past summer, Zorbas spent time with Hamilton United during their debut season in the top men’s division of League1 Ontario, playing in 19 matches.
As is often the case, this year’s pool of eligible players includes a handful of familiar faces, several of whom have been selected before and a few who have even featured in the CPL over the past few years. As part of the CPL-U SPORTS Draft’s unique system, players are able to return to school in August after playing professionally in the CPL and retain their U SPORTS eligibility.
Some who opt for that path, as well as players who get drafted but don’t sign a contract, then re-enter the draft pool the following year in hopes of finding their opportunity in the pro game.
So, don’t be surprised if you’ve already heard a few of the names called out at this week’s draft. Here are five potential draftees who may be familiar.
Raphaël Garcia
University: Carleton
Position: Right-back
Year: 2nd
Garcia is a bit of a CPL throwback here, having played for Valour FC in 2019 and 2020. The 23-year-old right-back has 17 appearances for the Winnipeg club to his name, but in the past two years he has been impressing at the U SPORTS level for the Carleton Ravens.
He helped Carleton to a national silver medal in 2021, following it up with a strong 2022, though the Ravens lost to Toronto Metropolitan in a close OUA quarter-final. Garcia played eight games for Carleton this past year, playing an important role at right fullback. With significant professional experience already under his belt, Garcia could be a strong option for a CPL side this year.
Kairo Coore
University: Cape Breton
Position: Attacker
Year: 2nd
The native of Ajax, Ontario played in the CPL in 2022 for FC Edmonton, scoring two goals in 10 appearances. The Eddies selected him second overall in the 2021 draft, and Coore went on to feature regularly for the club at the pro level before returning to Cape Breton for his second year of U SPORTS soccer.
Coore was a key attacker for the Capers this past season, scoring 15 times in 12 games en route to winning the Atlantic University Sport championship (Cape Breton’s sixth in a row). The talented forward will be hoping to make an impact again at the CPL level this year, having entered the draft for a second time.
Colin Gander
University: Guelph
Position: Left-back
Year: 4th
Another player who featured regularly in the 2022 CPL season, Gander made 15 appearances for the Halifax Wanderers this past year. He did well in his minutes, playing as either a fullback or a wingback on the left of the Wanderers’ defence.
Gander returned to Guelph in August this past year, where he would play 12 matches, scoring four goals and providing two assists. He’s also previously played at the League1 Ontario level for Guelph United, and has shown in his time in Halifax that he’s a capable defender at the professional level.
Skyler Rogers
University: Mount Royal
Position: Winger
Year: 1st
The 18-year-old winger is making his first appearance in the CPL-U SPORTS Draft pool, but this won’t be his first brush with the pro level. Rogers, a Calgary native and a product of the Foothills academy, signed a development contract with Cavalry FC this past year and went on to play three professional games for the club.
Rogers spent his first year of university at Mount Royal in his hometown, and as a rookie he made 15 appearances as the Cougars went on to win a bronze medal in the Canada West conference. The youngster is strong on the dribble and can help create from wide areas at the pro level. He’ll also qualify as a U-21 player this coming season for any CPL side who chooses to draft him.
Christopher Campoli
University: Ontario Tech
Position: Midfield
Year: 4th
Campoli will appear in the CPL-U SPORTS Draft for a third time this year, having previously been picked by York United and Halifax in the past two drafts, though he has yet to break into the pro game. The attack-minded midfielder offers a creative presence and is capable of both scoring goals and assisting, and he could provide some spark to a CPL side through the middle.
The Woodbridge native had another impressive season at Ontario Tech, scoring 13 goals in 11 games to lead the entire OUA. His six assists also put him in a tie for most in the conference, proving his multi-faceted skillset. Campoli will be hoping the third time’s the charm for him as he attempts to find his opportunity in the CPL.
