After selecting a defender with their first round pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, D.C. United stayed defensive in the second round, selecting Eric Klenofsky with the 34th overall pick, a 6’6” goalkeeper from Monmouth University. Klenofsky started during his four years for the Hawks, though he was limited to 11 games in 2016 due to injuries.
Klenofsky conceded just 46 goals in 66 career games with Monmouth, earning plenty of collegiate accolades along the way. In 2014, he lead the nation in goals against average, giving up just 11 goals in 21 games, to go along with 12 shutouts. The keeper even recently went on trial with Everton in England, spending a week with the Premier League club.
Klenofsky also spent this past summer with the New York Red Bulls’ U23 team in the Premier Development League (PDL). The New Jersey-born Klenofsky was also called into the Antigua and Barbuda national team for Gold Cup qualifiers back in October, but he declined the call-up, choosing instead to stay with Monmouth. However, he left the door open to play for Antigua and Barbuda in the future.
There will be plenty of competition for Klenofsky once he joins up with the Black-and-Red. Bill Hamid is the undisputed starter, though he recently had to withdraw from US national team camp with a knee injury. Travis Worra performed admirably filling in for Hamid last year, keeping his spot ahead of Tally Hall and Andrew Dykstra. Charlie Horton was added just at the start of the season, and spent most of his time playing for the Richmond Kickers.