Baltimore, Md. – Robert Morris University men's soccer senior forward
Neco Brett was the 40th overall pick by the Portland Timbers in the second round of the Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft Thursday afternoon in Baltimore, Md. Brett joins Musa Shannon (1997, 3rd round, 28th overall) as Colonial players who have been selected in the MLS Draft.
"He has upside. He has flair. He can score goals. We feel like we can put him in the mix there with the other forwards at T2 (the Timbers United Soccer League team) and see who can rise to the top." Timbers head coach Caleb Porter told
The Oregonian.
Brett was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division I All-America Team. The Colonials senior forward was the first player in Northeast Conference history to earn Player of the Year honors three times and has been a three time All-NEC First Team selection. He was a NSCAA All-Northeast Region First Team pick for the third consecutive time this season.
Brett led the NEC in scoring for a third straight season, finishing the year with 13 goals and five assists for 31 points. Seven of those 13 goals proved to be game-winning scores. That number set a new RMU single season standard and was the second most in Division I this season. He was seventh nationally in total points as well as goals. Brett was slightly better in goals per game, finishing fifth with an average of 0.72 per game.
Brett's season got off to a hot start with five goals in the first three games, including a four-goal outburst at Cleveland State. It was the second time Brett had tallied four goals and gave him three career hat tricks, tied for most in team history.
The senior forward finished with 100 career points, a number that ranks third in team history and is six points off the school record of 106 set by Major League Soccer draft pick Musa Shannon (1993-96). Brett is second with 41 career goals. His name can be found in the top 15 of all nine RMU offensive career record categories and 20 times overall in the team's season record book.
Over the last three seasons, Brett has scored more points than any player in Division I. He led the nation in points in 2013 with 36 and then had more goals than anyone in the country in 2014 when he found the back of the net 15 times.
Robert Morris returned to the NEC Tournament in 2015 after posting a 4-2-1 (13 pts) record in NEC games placing them third in the regular season standings. The Colonials finished the year 10-8-1 overall, the fifth time in team history RMU reached double-digit victories.
