By CODY LINN

Marshall Athletics

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University men’s soccer goalkeeper Oliver Semmle was taken with the 41st overall pick (12th pick in the second round) in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft on Wednesday by the Colorado Rapids.

“Great to see Oliver get drafted,” Herd men’s soccer head coach Chris Grassie said. “I think for the last three years he’s been the best keeper in college. Now the work has to begin to earn a contract.”

Semmle put together quite the season in goal for Marshall as he won a pair of Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week awards this season, was named second-team all-conference and Second-Team All-Southeast Region by the United Soccer Coaches.

The graduate student from Au am Rhein, Germany, played every minute in goal for the Herd except for 16 minutes, while accumulating an 11-4-4 record this season with a Sun Belt best .738 goals against average and a .774 save percentage, second best in the conference. Semmle’s holds the program record with 25 shutouts during his career. He had six shutouts during the 2022 season, second best in the conference.