Former Mercer soccer player Barzee Blama '27 made history by becoming the third men’s soccer player from Mercer to be drafted into Major League Soccer under Head Coach Brad Ruzzo.
Blama was drafted by Charlotte F.C. with the 77th pick of the draft, giving the North Carolina-based club their third and final draft selection of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. The SuperDraft, much like the NBA Draft or NFL Draft, gives franchises in the league a chance to sign up-and-coming college talent from around the country.
The 19-year-old made the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team his first year as a Bear, and was named the 2023 SoCon Freshman of the Year while leading Mercer to a 7-6-8 record that season. He netted eight goals, including one brace against SoCon foe Virginia Military Institute, registered an assist and put 72 percent of his shots on target as a freshman. The season the team finished 6-5-7 as Blama tied for first on the team with five goals, and led the team with 15 shots on goal.
The forward joins Will Bagrou '17, drafted by Sporting Kansas City in 2018, and Ousman Jabang '22, drafted by CF Montréal in 2022 as the only Bears to be drafted into the MLS. Blama was joined by teammates Sekou Agard '25 and Woodi Pondeca '25, who were each draft eligible.
Charlotte F.C. is coached by Dean Smith and they finished fifth in the Eastern Conference of the MLS in 2024 with a 14-9-11 record, the club's best since first fielding a team. Through 34 games, Charlotte scored 46 times, the sixth-least in the conference, so if he breaks through to the first team, Blama could provide some extra offensive firepower.
