BERKELEY – California men's soccer defender Simon Lekressner is one of 40 players invited to participate in the inaugural MLS College Showcase, the professional league announced Wednesday. The MLS event will run from Friday through Sunday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
 
The three-day event will give technical staffs from every MLS club an opportunity to scout the top collegiate prospects in the nation, including players with remaining NCAA eligibility.
 
The MLS College Showcase will feature 40 top college players, ranging from freshmen to seniors, participating in a series of training sessions, testing, interviews and match play. This event will allow MLS clubs to interact with potential SuperDraft selections earlier in their collegiate careers without jeopardizing players' collegiate eligibility.
 
The showcase occurs in conjunction with the College Cup taking place in nearby Cary, North Carolina, and is a closed-door scouting event officially sanctioned by the NCAA.
 
Lekressner, a senior who graduates in December, produced the best season of his collegiate career in 2019. He posted career highs in goals (5), points (12), gamewinning goals (2) and starts (18) and was a key contributor to Cal reaching the postseason. His play earned Lekressner berths on the All-Pac-12 first team and on the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region second team. In the classroom, the economics major likewise impressed, with Lekressner claiming the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
 
The eligible player list for the 2020 MLS SuperDraft will be announced at a later date.