Once a reserve call-up fighting for minutes in League1 Ontario, Barrie defender Luc Ihama is now bound for pro soccer with Cavalry FC after going 14th overall in the 2026 CPL–U Sports Draft.
In 2025, the 22-year-old right-back made 11 appearances (nine starts) in OUA play in his first year since transferring from Centennial. In those matches he logged 294 minutes and totaled one assist and was dangerous on the right side of the pitch.
The former Simcoe County Rovers player is described as an excellent defensive presence, especially in the air, who also loves to get all the way to the by-line.
In 2023, Ihama was a member of Simcoe County Rovers' League1 Ontario championship-winning team, but did not appear in the Canadian Championship the following spring.
During his time with the Rovers, Ihama made eight appearances between the regular season and playoffs, and was held goalless through those 83 minutes.
He was originally called up to the squad from the reserve program during the 2022 League1 Ontario semifinals after spending his entire youth career in Barrie.
Ihama will be invited to preseason training with Cavalry to compete for a roster spot. If signed to a CPL-U Sports contract, he can maintain his college eligibility while earning professional experience in the top flight of Canadian soccer.
A teammate with the Rovers and the Bold, Noah Bickford was also selected, going first round (eighth overall) to Forge. The Oakland transfer had two goals, posing a strong aerial threat on set pieces.
This marks the first time in program history that two TMU men's soccer players were selected in the same draft.
The Bold finished second (8-1-2) in the OUA East division in 2025, and lost to Carleton in the OUA quarterfinals.
Cavalry's other pick was local 21-year-old forward Emmanuel Dan-Adokiene out of Trinity Western. The Calgary-based squad finished third (11-9-8) in the CPL in 2026, eventually losing to Atlético Ottawa in the CPL Final.
The first-overall selection of the draft was central midfielder Calin Calaidjoglu out of Montreal, who was taken by expansion franchise Supra du Québec. In 2025, This year, he helped Montreal to an RSEQ championship and was named a second-team All-Canadian.
Prior to Friday, 115 players had been taken in the U Sports draft, including eight chosen more than once. Of those, 68 went on to sign contracts with CPL clubs.
CPL-U SPORTS DRAFT
FIRST ROUND
1. Supra, Calin Calaidjoglu, midfielder, Montréal; 2. Supra, Alexandre Marcoux, forward, UQTR; 3. Vancouver, Joseph Green, defender, Mount Royal; 4. Pacific, Archie Tugwell, defender, Victoria; 5. Vancouver, Matheus De Souza, goalkeeper, UFV; 6. HFX Wanderers, Harvey Hughes, fullback, Cape Breton; 7. Cavalry, Emmanuel Dan-Adokiene, forward, Trinity Western; 8. Forge, Noah Bickford, defender, TMU; 9. Atlético Ottawa, Gabriel Tardif, midfielder, Brock.
SECOND ROUND
10. Vancouver, Nicolas Nadeau, fullback, UBC; 11. Pacific, Luke Norman, midfielder, UBC; 12. Inter Toronto FC, Michael Williams, goalkeeper, York; 13. HFX Wanderers, Kautchy Andji-Yapi, forward, Moncton; 14. Cavalry FC, Luc Ihama, fullback, TMU; 15. Forge, Maxime Bourgeois, midfielder, Sherbrooke; 16. Atlético Ottawa, Joseph Daher, midfielder, Carleton.
