Two players from the 2023 Vermont Green FC squad were selected by Major League Soccer clubs in the 2024 SuperDraft. Nate Jones was selected in the first round with the fifth overall pick by Austin FC, and Zach Zengue was taken by Columbus Crew in the second round, fifty-eighth overall.

Within an hour of their selection, Austin FC traded Nate Jones to Colorado Rapids for $250k in General Allocation Money and the 31st draft pick. The towering defender from the University of Washington could be a key component for the Rapids’ as they rebuild their roster after underperforming in 2023. Jones played 9 games for Vermont Green FC this past summer, proving to be a massive defensive asset alongside center back partner Moussa Ndiaye.

Zach Zengue, a sophomore at Georgetown, was selected by Columbus Crew in the second round. Zengue was a regular component in Adam Pfeifer’s high-flying attack last summer for Vermont Green, scoring 5 goals in 12 matches. Zach’s older brother Xavier was also selected by Columbus in last year’s MLS SuperDraft, and is currently signed with MLS NEXT Pro team Columbus Crew 2.

Zengue will make a decision in the coming weeks if he’ll begin his professional career with Columbus, or return to Georgetown to maintain his collegiate eligibility. If he should opt to return to his university, Zengue would be eligible to return to the Green in 2024, and Columbus would retain his MLS rights. 

Jones and Zengue become the latest Vermont Green FC players to be selected in the MLS SuperDraft, following Owen O’Malley, Eythor Bjorgolfsson, and Nicholas Christoffersen who were picked in the 2023.

The entire club is incredibly proud of Nate and Zach, and we wish them an abundance of success in the next phases of their career. We’re honored that these young men wore the Vermont Green colors and we’re so eager to follow and support them on their professional journeys.

2024 Season Tickets are available now! Over 1,100 of the 1,250 available tickets have already been sold. Get yours before they’re gone: tickets.vermontgreenfc.com