WASHINGTON – Georgetown University's
Dylan Nealis was selected by Inter Miami CF with the third overall selection of the 2020 Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft on Thursday. Additionally, Achara was picked 25th overall by Toronto FC with both players going in the first round.
The seniors led the Hoyas to the program's first NCAA Championship in a thrilling 3-3 double overtime victory as GU prevailed 7-6 in penalty kicks. After graduating from Georgetown in December with a degree in management from the McDonough School of Business, Nealis became the first senior in program history to pre-sign with MLS. Achara also graduated in December with a degree in psychology from Georgetown College.
A MAC Hermann Trophy finalist, Nealis was named both United Soccer Coaches First Team All-America and First Team All-East Region marking his first All-America honor. The defender is the reigning two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-BIG EAST honoree. The two-year team captain was selected to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team this season and earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors three times in 2019. Nealis started all 24 games for the Blue & Gray and ranked fifth on the team in scoring with four goals and five assists for 13 points on the year. The GU defense had 13 shutouts for the season.
In his career, Nealis started in 76 of 78 games played and had seven goals and 14 assists for 28 points. Two of Nealis' three brothers have been MLS draft picks including his brother Jimmy who played on the Hilltop and was drafted 37th overall by the Houston Dynamo in 2013.
Achara was a Second Team All-BIG EAST honoree this season after missing a number of games with an injury. In 15 games played with 11 starts, he was GU's third-leading scorer with six goals and five assists for 11 points, this included two game winners.
In his career, he has tallied 21 goals and seven assists for 43 points in 55 games played. As a junior, Achara was a First Team All-BIG EAST honoree and a Second Team All-East Region selection.
Along with Georgetown's third NCAA national championship in school history, the Hoyas set a new program record for wins in a season finishing the year with a mark of 20-1-3 and finished the season on a 17-game unbeaten streak dating back to September 24 at Louisville. The squad also won the BIG EAST Regular Season as well as the BIG EAST Championship for the third-consecutive year.
In their time on the Hilltop, the team earned three NCAA Tournament berths advancing to the Round of 16 three times, the quarterfinals twice and capping off their careers with the championship.
With the selections, Georgetown Head Coach
Brian Wiese has now had 21 players drafted or sign with an MLS club in his tenure on the Hilltop. He has had at least one player drafted by an MLS club every year for the past eight seasons. This is just the fourth time in program history that a Hoya has been selected among the top five.
