BALTIMORE, MD – Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected striker Christopher Hellmann in the second round (29th overall) of today’s 2016 MLS SuperDraft.
STRIKER CHRISTOPHER HELLMANN
- 49 goals and 29 assists in 45 appearances with Lynn University
- Led NCAA Division II in goals and won Division II National Championship in 2014
- Two-time Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and D2 South Region Player of the Year
Hellmann, 23, joins Whitecaps FC after three successful seasons with the Lynn University Fighting Knights of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division II.
The German striker averaged more than a goal per game with the Fighting Knights, scoring 49 goals in 45 total appearances. Hellmann, who also had 29 assists during his time at Lynn University, is a two-time Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and D2 South Region Player of the Year. He was the first player in the program's history to repeat as the D2 South Region Player of the Year.
In 2015, Hellmann tallied 17 goals and 13 assists, leading the league in both goals and points. The left-footed forward recorded at least one goal or assist in 13 of his 15 appearances, logged three multi-goal games and two hat-tricks, and recorded four multi-assist outings.
Hellmann’s most successful season came in 2014, when he led NCAA Division II in goals and points and helped the Fighting Knights capture the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship. The 6-foot-0, 180-pound forward scored 28 goals in 21 appearances that year. He was also named the D2 College Cup Most Outstanding Offensive Player and an NSCAA First Team All-American.
A native of Cologne, Germany, Hellmann played club soccer for FC Astoria Waldorf in Germany’s Oberliga Baden-Württemberg. He was also a PDL MVP finalist in 2014 with Des Moines Menace, recording nine goals and seven assists.
Christopher Hellmann
Position: Forward
Height: 6-00
Weight: 180 pounds
Date of Birth: October 16, 1992 in Cologne, Germany
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Citizenship: Germany
Status: International, Unsigned
Last Club: Lynn University Fighting Knights
How Acquired: Selected 29th overall in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft by Whitecaps FC
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