Nashville SC makes Althoff graduate Maher 2nd pick in Major League Soccer Draft
Jack Maher, a 2018 graduate of Althoff who spent the past two years as a member of the Indiana University soccer program, was chosen Thursday as the second overall selection in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Draft by Nashville SC.
Maher, 20, a second-team All-American and Big 10 defensive player of the year in 2019 who spent several seasons with the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club, was notified of his selection when Nashville SC general manager Mike Jacobs and nearly 30 team supporters traveled to the Maher home in Caseyville to deliver the news.
Maher had a tryout with Nashville earlier this past summer in which he impressed the scouts so much that a normal three-day workout lasted much longer as he spent two weeks training with the MLS expansion team.
Maher could not be reached for comment Friday morning. Maher’s father, Jim Maher, said his son was flying to Orlando, Florida, and will then travel to Nashville early next week for the start of training camp, which begins Wednesday.
“It’s a wonderful time for Jack and our entire family,” Jim Maher said. “There are a lot of things going on right now ... all good.”
A 6 -3, 175-pound defender, Maher was the Big 10 Freshman of the Year in 2018, started all 46 games of his career at Indiana, recording 10 points on four goals and two assists.
Maher joins Nashville after signing a Generation Adidas contract last month. It is a joint agreement that makes the nation’s top college underclassmen draft-eligible. The agreement is free from counting against the respective club’s salary. It also allows athletes to keep their scholarships.
Maher also has plenty of international experience. He has helped the U.S. U18 National Team win the 23rd International Vaclav Jezek Tournament in the Czech Republic and also played key roles with the U.S. National team in tournaments in Slovakia and Portugal.
The son of son of Jim and Jenny Maher, Jack Maher has three brothers — J.D., Joey and Josh.
Inter Miami CF, which like Nashville will be an expansion team in the MLS in 2020, chose Robbie Robinson of Clemson with the No. 1 pick
This past August, the St. Louis ownership group #MLS4TheLou was awarded an MLS expansion franchise. The St. Louis team will begin play in 2022.
