NEW YORK, N.Y. – Orange senior defender Ezra Prendergast (Kingston, Jamaica) was selected by the Chicago Fire with the 34th overall pick in the 2006 Major League Soccer (MLS) Supplemental Draft on Thursday, Jan. 26. Prendergast is the first Orange player to be selected by an MLS club since Chris Aloisi was chosen in the sixth round of the 2004 SuperDraft by the Los Angles Galaxy.
Prendergast earned 2005 All-BIG EAST and NSCAA All-New York Region second-team honors in his final SU campaign. He was a third-team all-region honoree in 2004. Last season Prendergast helped the Orange to the BIG EAST Championship for the first time since 2000. He anchored an SU backline that contributed to six shutouts and posted the fifth-lowest goals-against average in team history (0.89).
On offense, Prendergast chipped in two goals and an assist in two seasons for a total of five points. He competed in 34 matches in his career with 29 starts. Against nationally-ranked Cincinnati on Oct. 15, 2005, he set the school record for the fastest goal ever to start a game, scoring 57 seconds into the match.
The 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft featured four rounds and 48 overall selections. Prendergast was Chicago's third pick in the draft. The Fire also selected Floyd Franks of North Carolina, Dasan Robinson of Dayton, Howard's Idris Ughiule and Richard Mupfudze of Western Kentucky.
The Fire reached the MLS Cup playoffs in 2005, losing to the New England Revolution in the conference final.