VANCOUVER –
Henri Godbout was selected second overall by Vancouver FC while fellow UBC Thunderbird
Joven Mann was taken 11
th by the Halifax Wanderers in the 2025 CPL-U SPORTS Draft held Thursday.
The first time multiple Thunderbirds have been chosen in the two-round draft since 2021, UBC has now had 13 total selections since the inaugural draft in 2018, the second highest total of any university and far and away the Canada West leader.
"It's well deserved, the two that have been chosen for this year's draft," said UBC head coach,
Mike Mosher. "It's part of some of our sub-goals, say, of our program for players of our group that have interest, that we provide opportunities for them to get exposure and opportunities to try to play at the next level and certainly the CPL Draft is a key component of that. Not only have we had guys drafted but we've had guys who have gone on and played and some have played significant minutes. I hope for Joven and Henri that they'll get the same sort of opportunities and get themselves on the pitch for the coming CPL season."
Both Godbout and Mann will now have the opportunity to attend their respective training camps in the New Year and compete for roster spots for the 2025 CPL season.
Shadowing teammate
Luke Norman's second overall selection by Vancouver FC last December, it comes as no surprise Godbout was taken so early, given his outstanding rookie Canada West season.
Playing in all 21 regular season and playoff games for the 'Birds and starting in all but one of them, Godbout burst onto the scene with three goals and seven points in his first four games. Finishing the campaign just one off the conference lead with seven goals, the forward tied for third in Canada West assists with five and finished the regular season fourth in total scoring with 12 points. Five of Godbout's eight goals were game winners, the most by any UBC player in 30 years – all helping earn him 2024 Canada West Rookie of the Year.
A major factor in UBC securing their first U SPORTS Championship title in 11 years last month in Oshawa, Godbout scored twice in the T-Birds' quarter-final victory over UNB and added a pair of assists in the team's semifinal win over McGill. The U SPORTS All-Rookie was also named to the championship tournament All-Star team.
"It's a great fit," said Mosher of Godbout's selection by Vancouver. "We've had good dialogue with Vancouver FC right since they started, the communication with that club and the personnel there has been quite good. For Henri, being linked with the club that's nearest and most convenient is very much a positive."
A fellow Canada West All-Rookie, Mann impressed right of the gate for UBC, also playing in all 21 games in 2024 while also saving some of his best for when it mattered most. As the season wore on, so too did Mann's impact, culminating in being chosen as U SPORTS Championship MVP. The Surrey, B.C. native scored three times including the only goal of the gold medal match against Montreal. Assisting on Norman's game winner in the U SPORTS semifinal, Mann completed 2024 with six goal and three assists.
"I'm really happy Joven's getting this opportunity, he's a good player, he's a really good individual and he's a player that's deserving of this opportunity," said Mosher. "He kind of emerged maybe a little bit more in the national tournament and the playoffs because that's when we had to push him higher up the field. Credit to him, he played really well as a striker and it's a position he hasn't played a lot of. The way he combines with Luke and some of the other guys, that helped become the secret recipe to get us to the top of the mountain. He can score goals, he's a good finisher and has a good shot so we thought he was the best fit as we got to the most impactful games of the year to play that role. Huge credit to him for adapting and playing a position that he's not completely familiar with."
U SPORTS players still in school have the ability to sign a development contract with CPL teams which permit players to return to their university program prior to the start of their respective conference seasons. The 2025 CPL season will get underway in April with the official schedule to be announced in the coming weeks.
