New York, N.Y. -- Former UC Davis forward Maximilian Arfsten was selected in the first round, 14th overall, by the Columbus Crew in the 2023 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
Arfsten tallied nine goals and eight assists in two seasons (39 games) as an Aggie. Eight goals, including a hat trick against San Francisco, and seven assists came in the 2021 season and the forward was subsequently named The Big West Offensive Player of the Year and to the All-Big West First Team. The Fresno, Calif. product was a 2019 Big West All-Freshman Team performer with one goal and one assist.
Arfsten played the 2022 season for the San Jose Earthquakes II, logging minutes in 24 games with 21 starts. The former Aggie was second on the team with nine goals and led the team with six assists, and had two multi-score games including two goals and an assist in a 4-1 win over Minnesota in the last match of the MLS Next fall season.
Arfsten becomes the 52nd standout from The Big West to be taken in the MLS SuperDraft, and 14th first-round selection. The UC Davis program has now produced four draft picks in the last five years, three of them being in the first round.
| Big West MLS SuperDraft First Round Selections |
| Player |
School |
Year |
Pick |
Club |
| Sean Franklin |
CSUN |
2008 |
4 |
LA Galaxy |
| Ciaran O'Brien |
UC Santa Barbara |
2008 |
5 |
Colorado Rapids |
| Andy Iro |
UC Santa Barbara |
2008 |
6 |
Columbus Crew |
| Chris Ontius |
UC Santa Barbara |
2009 |
7 |
DC United |
| Luis Silva |
UC Santa Barbara |
2012 |
4 |
Toronto FC |
| Sam Garza |
UC Santa Barbara |
2012 |
6 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
| Marco Franco |
UC Irvine |
2014 |
13 |
Chicago Fire |
| Otis Earle |
UC Riverside |
2015 |
15 |
FC Dallas |
| Nick DePuy |
UC Santa Barbara |
2017 |
19 |
Montreal Impact |
| Roy Boateng |
UC Davis |
2019 |
16 |
New York Red Bulls |
| Noah Billingsley |
UC Santa Barbara |
2020 |
18 |
Minnesota United FC |
| Danny Trejo |
CSUN |
2021 |
14 |
Los Angeles FC |
| Nabilai Kibunguchy |
UC Davis |
2021 |
18 |
Minnesota United FC |
| Maximilian Arfsten |
UC Davis |
2023 |
14 |
Columbus Crew |
| UC Davis MLS SuperDraft Selections (as Big West member) |
| Name |
Year |
Rd. |
Pick |
Club |
| Quincy Amarikwa |
2009 |
3 |
32 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
| Roy Boateng |
2019 |
1 |
16 |
New York Red Bulls |
| Wallis Lapsley |
2020 |
2 |
36 |
New York Red Bulls |
| Nabilai Kibunguchy |
2021 |
1 |
18 |
Minnesota United FC |
| Maximilian Arfsten |
2023 |
1 |
14 |
Columbus Crew |