Banks, Sippola Taken In MLS Supplemental Draft

Horizon League men's soccer standouts J.C. Banks (Milwaukee, Wis.) of Green Bay and Butler's Ben Sippola (Northfield, Minn.) were drafted in the Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft on Tuesday.  Banks was selected eighth overall by Toronto FC, while the Columbus Crew picked up Sippola 30th overall in the second round.

Banks paced the Horizon League in scoring in his senior year, finding the back of the net on 12 occasions and pacing the League with 30 points.  The senior led Green Bay to a NCAA Tournament berth in 2009 and brought the Phoenix within penalty kicks of a second straight tournament bid.

With 43 career goals, Banks is tied for ninth in Horizon League history.  In 2009, Banks earned Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors, following it up with First Team All-Horizon accolades in 2010.  In the offseason, Banks was recognized on the NSCAA Great Lakes All-Region Second Team and was named to a College Soccer News Third Team All-American.

Sippola received Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year awards in 2010, following a senior year in which he led Butler to an undefeated record entering the NCAA Tournament and a top 10 national ranking.  The senior was named to the 2010 First-Team NSCAA All-American team, the first Bulldog to earn first-team honors in men’s soccer history.

The Northfield, Minn.-native finished directly behind Banks in the Horizon League with 25 points, combining for eight goals and nine assists from his midfield position.

In the postseason, Sippola was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2010 Horizon League Men’s Soccer Championship and picked up 2010 CoSIDA Academic All-District V Team recognition as well.