BALTIMORE – Two-time Patriot League Midfielder of the Year Justin Ingram became the latest Loyola University Maryland men's soccer player to hit the professional ranks on Tuesday when he was selected in the second round of the Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft by Inter Miami CF.
 
The 2021 graduate of Loyola led the conference with 24 points, scoring seven goals and assisting on 10 while leading the Greyhounds to the 2021 Patriot League Regular-Season and Tournament Championships with a return to the NCAA College Cup for the first time since 2009.
 
"Justin is a big-time player. We knew that when we got him," said Loyola Head Coach Steve Nichols. "He was an Under-16 and 19 US Youth National Team Player and a recruit who was given the No. 10 jersey immediately upon his arrival at Virginia. What he did here over the last three years was develop into an incredible leader and team-first guy who was willing to do whatever it takes to win a game.
 
"Big time players make big time plays as evidence of his game-winner in the Patriot League final with seven minutes left. We were in that same situation for the last five years, and he finally got us over the hump, getting us to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009."
 
In the Patriot League Championship Game against American University, Ingram struck a free kick from five yards outside of the box, driving it past the Eagles' wall and into the right corner of the goal to give Loyola a 2-1 advantage in the 83^rd minute.
 
Ingram, a native of Indianapolis, was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region First Team for the second year in a row after his dominant season as a graduate student at Loyola. He totaled three or more points in five games during the season and scored 19 points against Patriot League opposition with six goals and seven assists in 11 contests against league schools.
 
A three-year starter at Loyola after transferring from the University of Virginia, Ingram played in 44 games for the Greyhounds and had an equal number of total points with 13 goals and 18 assists.
 
He was a three-time All-Patriot League honoree at Loyola, picking up second-team recognition in 2019 before garnering first-team honors and the Midfielder of the Year Award during the 2020 and 2021 campaigns.
 
Ingram is the third Loyola player chosen in the last three MLS SuperDrafts, following his former teammates Josh Fawole (second round, D.C. United, 2020) and Barry Sharifi (third round, New York Red Bulls, 2020). Overall, Ingram is the fifth Loyola player to be selected in the draft as he joins Fawole, Sharifi, Milos Kocic (2009) and Christof Lindenmayer (2000, 2002).