When the Blue Devils open the preseason Tuesday against No. 10 Georgetown, they will be without one of their best offensive weapons.
Forward Jeremy Ebobisse has withdrawn from Duke and signed with Major League Soccer, the Washington Post reported Monday evening. Ebobisse was entering his junior season and trained with the U.S. U20 national team. According to the report, the Bethesda, Md., native will likely be a top-five selection in January's MLS Draft and is expected to train with D.C. United or the Richmond Kickers until then.
Ebobisse reportedly told Duke officials last week he had decided to turn pro.
“We are happy for Jeremy as he pursues his dream of playing professional soccer,” Blue Devil head coach John Kerr said in a statement. “It’s always exciting to see Duke players playing at the next level as he joins the likes of Mike Grella, Andrew Wenger, Sean Davis, Darrius Barnes, Sebastien Ibeagha and Zach Mathers as Blue Devils in Major League Soccer. We wish Jeremy the best in his pursuits.”
The loss of Ebobisse, a team captain who earned third-team All-ACC honors last season, means that the Blue Devils will now have to replace their top two scorers from last season. Zach Mathers graduated after posting eight goals and eight assists last fall.
Ebobisse scored seven goals and had four assists last season after posting two goals and three assists as a freshman. He also had a productive summer for the U20 national team, scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory against Japan and scoring against Panama and Costa Rica as well.
After taking on Georgetown Tuesday, the Blue Devils will take on No. 3 Clemson in their second exhibition Friday.
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