Babacar Niang

Photo by: Wake Forest Athletics

Height:
5-11
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Dakar, Senegal
High School:
The Pennington School

Drafted with the No. 78-overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft by Minnesota United.

Career Honors

2023-24 ACC Academic Honor Roll
2023-24 ACC Top Six For Service
2023 All-ACC Academic Team Selection
2022-23 ACC Academic Honor Roll
2022 All-ACC Academic Team Selection
2022 All-ACC Third-Team Selection
2021-22 ACC Academic Honor Roll

2024 (Senior)
Named to ACC Preseason Watch List … Appeared in nine matches with six starts, finishing tied for second on the team in goals with four … Recorded a brace in a 3-2 comeback victory over Central Arkansas including the game-winning strike … Logged his third goal of the season on a diving header against Gardner-Webb (Sept. 6) … Scored the game-tying goal in a 1-1 draw with No. 14 Elon (Sept. 17).

2023 (Junior)
Appeared in 14 matches with five starts on the season, recording seven points from two goals and three assists … Scored the game-winning goal in a season-opening 3-1 victory over Grand Canyon on Aug. 24 … Also scored the Deacs’ goal in a 1-1 draw with Cal on Aug. 27 … Recorded assists in three of his final four appearances on the season against Wofford (Oct. 10), North Carolina (Oct. 14) and Notre Dame (Oct. 20) ... Selected with the No. 78 overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft by Minnesota United.

2022 (Sophomore)
Appeared in 18 matches with 13 starts, collecting four goals and two assists … Earned third-team All-ACC honors … Made an immediate impact in his season debut in a 2-0 victory over UAB, recording a goal and an assist … Earned the first of 13-straight starts in a 6-1 victory over George Mason on Sept. 20 … Scored in back-to-back matches against Clemson (Sept. 24) and Duke (Oct. 1) … Recorded an assist on Wake Forest’s lone goal in a 1-0 victory over Jacksonville on Oct. 4 … Scored the game-winning goal in a 3-0 victory over No. 9 Louisville on Oct. 28.

2021 (Freshman)
Appeared in six matches with one start … Was named to the Starting XI in his collegiate debut against VCU (Aug. 26) … Recorded his first career goal, a game-winner, against Syracuse (Oct. 29) in a 2-0 victory.

Background
A member of TopDrawerSoccer’s No. 1 recruiting class for 2021… Was rated a 4-star recruit by TopDrawerSoccer … Ranked No. 78 in the IMG Top 150 … Also rated a top-five recruit out of the state of New Jersey … Has earned All-American honors during his time at The Pennington School … Was also the Prep Player of the Year and an All-Area Player of the Year … Was a team captain during his senior season ... Selected Wake Forest over North Carolina, Indiana, UCF, Portland, Michigan and Syracuse.