Colorado Rapids’ second-round draft pick Joseph Greenspan will soon learn where he’ll be deployed after his graduation from the Naval Academy.
Midshipman Joseph Greenspan was selected No. 26 overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by the Colorado Rapids. (Provided by the Naval Academy)
The 22-year-old midshipman was selected by the Rapids with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, but has a five-year Naval commitment upon graduation. After two years, Greenspan can apply for deferment but is not guaranteed to have his remaining three years of service deferred, said Cmdr. John Schofield, a spokesman for the Naval Academy’s public affairs.
Schofield said Greenspan has been assigned into . Of Greenspan’s graduating class of about 1,000 midshipman, Schofield said 250 were assigned into surface warfare. On Thursday night, his class will one-by-one select their ship assignments in order of class rank.
“It’s basically the Naval equivalent of the NFL draft,” Schofield said.
The closest home ports to Colorado are in San Diego and Washington state, he said, but it is conceivable Greenspan could be deployed halfway around the globe for 6- to 9-month stretches at a time.
Greenspan’s graduation is scheduled for May 22, after which he’ll have about a month of post-grad leave time, Schofield said.
Rapids Sporting Director Padraig Smith said last week that Brian Crookham, the club’s Senior Director of Soccer Development, has been in discussions with Greenspan regarding his availability.
“(Crookham)’s involved in negotiations with Joseph and with his representatives as well to try and make sure that we get him at every available opportunity, we get to bring him into the club and get to know the philosophy that we have and to meet the people,” Smith said. “But we’re really confident with who he is. We feel that he was one of, if not the best defenders, certainly in this draft class.”
The 6-foot-6 central defender certainly has the accolades to support that claim. Greenspan was a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the college player of the year. He was also a first team All-American as voted by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), College Soccer News and TopDrawerSoccer.com.
Smith said selecting Greenspan at No. 26 overall, considering the potential the Rapids see in him, was too much to pass up.
“We feel in 2017, he’s still going to be one of the top talents in what would be that draft class,” Smith said. “We’re very comfortable with that pick and with how we’ll progress over the next two years.”
