CARSON, Calif.– The LA Galaxy continued to add to their roster this afternoon as they selected four players in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft.
With the third overall pick of the Supplemental Draft, which was acquired on Thursday from D.C. United, the Galaxy selected midfielder Daniel Keat from Dartmouth University. Originally born in Wellington, New Zealand and a member of New Zealand’s 2008 Olympic team, Keat had 20 goals and 13 assists in 64 career games with the Big Green. After missing the 2008 season through injury, Keat set career-highs with eight goals and six assists in 2009 to earn NSCAA Third Team All-American honors. The 23-year-old was a co-captain for Dartmouth this season and helped lead them to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in his five years at the school, reaching the Third Round before losing in overtime to UCLA.
Later in the first round, with the 16th overall pick, which was also acquired from D.C. United on Thursday, the Galaxy selected Stanford defender Ryan Thomas. A native of Claremont, Calif., Thomas had two goals and 12 assists in his four years with the Cardinal, helping them reach the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament as a junior in 2009. A three-time UYSA national champion with Arsenal FC where he was a teammate of Hector Jimenez, the Galaxy’s second round pick in last week’s MLS SuperDraft, Thomas had three assists in each of his four years at Stanford and was named Second Team All-Pac-10 as a senior in 2010 after being an Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 honoree as a junior when he played in and started a career-high 20 games.
In the second round of the Supplemental Draft (34th overall) the Galaxy selected midfielder Dustin McCarty from the University of North Carolina. A member of the North Carolina team that reached the 2008 College Cup Final, McCarty began his college career at the University of Central Florida, earning Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors in 2007. He transferred to North Carolina before the start of the 2008 season and went on to appear in 60 games during his three years with the Tar Heels, scoring three goals and adding three assists. The brother of current D.C. United midfielder Dax McCarty, he helped North Carolina reach the NCAA College Cup in both 2009 and 2010, falling in the semifinals each year.
The Galaxy rounded out the Supplemental Draft by selecting goalkeeper Zach Johnson in the third round (52nd overall). A four-year starter at the University of West Virginia, Johnson helped lead the Mountaineers to the NCAA Tournament in both 2007 and 2010 before falling to the eventual National Champion each year. The 2008 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, Johnson finished his college career with a 37-28-15 record with 36 shutouts and a goals against average under 1.00. A native of Lumberton, N.J., Johnson played all but eight minutes for the Mountaineers over the last four years and set a school record with 13 clean sheets as a freshman in 2007.
The Galaxy will open the 2011 MLS season on Tuesday, March 15 when they head to Seattle to take on the Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field in MLS First Kick 2011, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. That game, which will kick off at 6:30 p.m., will be shown live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as online at ESPN3.com. The Galaxy will then host the New England Revolution in their home opener at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 20 at The Home Depot Center. Tickets are available for that match through the Galaxy Kickoff Pack, which includes four tickets and two Galaxy blankets, starting at $96. BUY NOW
