Although Mike Grella and Darrius Barnes will never don a Duke jersey again, it doesn't mean their playing days are over.
The two former Blue Devils were selected 34th and 40th, respectively, in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft in St. Louis, Mo. Thursday.
Toronto FC, whose 34 goals were fourth-lowest in the league last year, chose a first team All-American selection and the ACC Offensive Player of the Year in Grella. Toronto finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 9-13-8 record.
Still, Duke's leading scorer may not make it up to Toronto, as he is expected to consider his playing options in Europe. Unlike Barnes or Pavelid Castaneda, Grella did not attend the MLS Player Combine last week.
A staple of the Duke defense for the last three years and co-captain this season, Barnes was drafted by the New England Revolution, where he'll play alongside former Blue Devils Jay Heaps and Michael Videira. The Revolution made the playoffs with a 12-11-7 record, but fell in the first round to the Chicago Fire, the eventual runner-up. After allowing 43 goals this season, New England is hoping Barnes can strengthen its backline, drawing from his Duke experience that saw 32 shutouts in 70 starts.
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