Charlotte soccer standout Riyon Tori turns down MLS

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Charlotte 49ers midfielder Riyon Tori passed on starting his professional soccer career in favor of returning to school for another year with the 49ers.

Professional soccer can wait for Riyon Tori.

A month after being picked in the third round by Orlando City in last month’s MLS SuperDraft, the Charlotte 49ers midfielder announced Monday he’ll return to school for his senior season. A new MLS rule allows underclassmen to return to college while the team that draft them to retain his professional rights for two years. As a result, Orlando City will retain Tori’s MLS rights until December 31, 2025.

Tori, the 16h 49er drafted by an MLS team, was picked 83rd overall. By returning to school, he forfeits his future draft eligibility.

“Coach [Kevin Langan] believes in me, I love my teammates, I love this place, I love this city, and I want to win the national championship,” Tori said in a statement.

Tori, a transfer from St. Johns, helped the 49ers to a 13-4-1 record, the American Athletic Conference tournament title and a first-round win against High Point in the NCAA tournament. The Osaka, Japan, native earned first team all-conference and second team all-region after staring all 18 matches (the only Charlotte player to do so) and played at least 60 minutes in each game. Tori tallied two assists and a goal.

“We are very proud and excited for Riyon that he was drafted by Orlando,” Langan said. "Obviously being an underclassman, this is new territory for the player, the MLS club, and the program. When Riyon decided to come to America, his goals were clear… one, obtain his university degree and two, become a professional player.

“As he enters the final 12 months of his studies and college career, he knows he has to continue to attack each day with drive and focus to fulfill these goals. We are confident that he will cement himself as one of the top midfielders in college soccer before he embarks on his pro career."

Said Tori, who is pursuing a degree in criminal justice: “First, I need to graduate college. I think that is a really important thing. I want to be a first-team All-American. I want to win the [national] championship, that’s my goal. I know it’s going to be hard, and we lost in the second round last year but when we played against Clemson (a 3-0 loss), I felt like we could compete at this level."

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