The Canadian Premier League (CPL) held their inaugural U SPORTS collegiate draft on Monday, and three players who have come through the Whitecaps FC Academy were selected by local side Pacific FC.
The new Victoria club picked three midfielders, starting with Thomas Gardner (sixth overall), followed by Zach Verhoven (ninth overall), and concluding with Nick Fussell (20th overall). All three players played their college soccer at UBC.
“We’re familiar with these players. I’ve worked with them and watched them progress,” noted assistant coach James Merriman, himself a former coach in the Whitecaps FC Academy.