With his college head coach, Bryan Cunningham, in attendance, former UCF goalkeeper Sean Johnson became the first Knight ever selected in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft when the Chicago Fire used the 51st overall pick in the fourth round on him Thursday in Philadelphia.

Chicago finished the 2009 season second in the Eastern Conference with an 11-7-12 record. The Fire acquired the pick that was used on the 6-foot-4, 20-year old out of Georgia from San Jose.

Sean Johnson

Johnson was the second keeper taken in all, two spots after United States Under-20 teammate Brian Perk out of UCLA was drafted at the start of the round by Philadelphia.

He now looks to become just the second UCF alum to ever compete in an MLS game, as he’ll follow in the footsteps of Eric Vasquez who played for the Columbus Crew in 2006 after being drafted in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft. Former Knight goalkeeper Ryan McIntosh came close to earning playing time with D.C. United, but never appeared in a game.

The MLS began play in 1996 and Chicago has competed in three MLS Cup games, winning in 1998 and losing in both 2000 and 2003.

Johnson was a two-year starter who never missed a game in 37 consecutive matches at UCF in 2007 and 2008. He ranks fifth all-time at the school in saves with 191 while his 108 stops in ‘08 are the most in a season-season since 1986 and are tied for the third-best single-season effort in program history.

Joining Johnson in being drafted by MLS teams out of Conference USA were Kentucky’s Jason Griffiths (48th overall by New England) and SMU’s Dane Saintus (54th overall by FC Dallas).

– More Sean Johnson Coverage –

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