COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids announced today the club has signed forward Donavan Phillip to a two-year contract through the 2027 season with three additional club option periods extending through June 30, 2030. Phillip was selected by Colorado with the 62nd overall pick (Round 3, Pick 2) in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. Phillip will occupy an international roster spot and will join the team upon receipt of his ITC and P-1 Visa.
“We’re excited to add Donavan to our group,” said Colorado Rapids Sporting Director Fran Taylor. “He’s a dynamic attacking player with a strong competitive edge and a proven ability to impact games at critical moments. Donavan’s production, mentality and background make him a strong fit for our environment, and we’re looking forward to continuing his development at the professional level.”
Phillip, 21, joins the club following a historic collegiate season at NC State, highlighted by earning the 2025 MAC Hermann Trophy, college soccer’s most prestigious individual honor. The award has been presented annually since 1967 and is determined by a vote of United Soccer Coaches member coaches nationwide.
“We’re really proud of the work our scouting group did to identify Donavan two seasons ago as a sophomore,” said Rapids Director of Player Personnel Brian Crookham. “Drafting him a year before he went on to win the MAC Hermann Trophy speaks to the depth of our evaluation process and our willingness to lean into the updated SuperDraft rules. As the draft pool has expanded, we’ve been intentional about using those changes to our advantage, and Donavan is a great example of that approach. He’s a high-upside player with strong physical tools, a competitive edge, and a clear trajectory, and we’re excited to now bring him into our professional environment.”
The Castries, Saint Lucia, native led the nation in goals during the 2025 collegiate season, helping guide NC State to a 16-3-4 record and the program’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA Men’s College Cup Final. Phillip closed out the season with 19 goals and two assists, becoming the first NC State men’s player to score at least 19 goals in a season since 1984, while also recording the program’s most points in a single season (40) since 1991.
Phillip’s standout campaign also earned him United Soccer Coaches First Team All-America honors and ACC Offensive Player of the Year recognition.
Phillip grew up in Saint Lucia and attended boarding school at Kiski Prep in Pennsylvania, where he won two national titles. Soccer runs deep in his family, as his father played professionally in Jamaica, his uncle also played professionally and currently competes on a senior national team, and his mother represented Saint Lucia in cricket, rugby and soccer.
As part of recent MLS SuperDraft eligibility changes expanding the player pool to include underclassmen, Phillip’s selection reflects Colorado’s ability to identify top-level talent within a deeper draft field.
TRANSACTION: Colorado Rapids sign forward Donavan Phillip to a contract through December 2027, with three additional option periods extending through June 30, 2030. Phillip will occupy an international roster spot and will join the team upon the receipt of his ITC and P-1 Visa.
Donavan Phillip
Position: Forward
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190
Date of birth: January 4, 2005
Birthplace: Castries, Saint Lucia
Acquisition date: January 23, 2026
