While the hope of every MLS academy is to be producing players for the first team on a consistent basis, everyone knows that the vast majority of players graduating from the academies will find their way to universities across the United states. Today is National Signing Day for universities and colleges across the United States of America. While pretty much all of the focus in the media is on college football, today is also the day that thousands of high school seniors are declaring their intent to play college soccer in the fall.

D.C. United announced today that fourteen players from the U-18 academy team have committed to playing Division 1 soccer in the fall with half of them staying local in Maryland or Virginia.

DCU's Director of Youth Development Soony Silooy said, "We're proud of the college commitments our Academy players have made for the 2013 fall season. The chance to play at the collegiate level is a great achievement, and we're confident that each of them will make their mark at their respective universities."

Carlos Canas - Longwood University
Goalkeeper
Three years with DCU

Suliaman Dainkeh - University of Maryland
Defender
Three years with DCU

James Doll - Duke University
Midfielder
Three years with DCU

Lars Eckenrode - University of Michigan
Defender
Three years with DCU

Rafael Fagundo - Wake Forest University
Defender
Three years with DCU

Patrick Foss - University of Virginia
Defender
Three years with DCU

Benjamin Ferrell - Longwood University
Defender
One year with DCU

Ian Harkes - Wake Forest University
Midfielder
One year with DCU

Braden Horton - University of Pittsburgh
Goalkeeper
One year with DCU

Christian Kershaw - Loyola University Maryland
Defender/Midfielder
Three years with DCU

Kennedy O'Shea - Coastal Carolina University
Forward
Five years with DCU

Michael Sauers - University of Maryland
Midfielder
Two years with DCU

David Warburton - Loyola University Maryland
Defender
Two years with DCU

Abdi Yusuf - University of Central Florida
Defender/Midfielder
Three years with DCU