CARSON, Calif. (Tuesday, January 17, 2012) – The MLS Cup 2011 Champion LA Galaxy made five selections in the four-round, 76-pick MLS Supplemental Draft, which was held this afternoon via conference call. The Galaxy held their four natural selections as well as an additional fourth round pick (62nd overall), which they acquired from Chivas USA in a trade last August, in the Draft.
WATCH: Bryan Gaul Highlights
With their only first round pick (19th overall) of the Supplemental Draft, the Galaxy selected Bryan Gaul from Bradley University. A four-year starter for the Braves, the 6-foot-5, Naperville, Ill. native began his college career as a defender and midfielder before being moved up front ahead of the start of his junior season. In his final two seasons at Bradley, Gaul, who played club soccer for the Chicago Magic, scored 23 goals and added eight assists, giving him 31 goals and 13 assists in 83 games for his college career. He was an All-Missouri Valley Conference selection as a junior and again as a senior, when he finished second in the Conference in scoring.
WATCH: Rafael Garcia Highlights
In the second round (38th overall), the Galaxy selected Cal State-Northridge midfielder Rafael Garcia. A native of Granada Hills, Calif., Garcia was named to the All-Big West Conference First Team as a senior despite missing six games at the start of the season. A teammate of current Galaxy defender Sean Franklin with the Matadors in 2007, Garcia finished his college career with six goals and nine assists in 68 games. A Galaxy fan growing up, Garcia played high school soccer at Canoga Park High School, graduating in 2006 before heading to Cal State-Northridge. He missed the most of the 2008 season after suffering a knee injury in the first game of that year, but he returned to start all 50 of the games that he appeared in from 2009-2011, tallying a career-high six assists in 2010.
WATCH: Yuri Gorentzvaig Highlights
In the third round (57th overall), the Galaxy added Brazilian youth international Yuri Gorentzvaig, who was one of seven youth internationals that were invited to the MLS Combine. A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, the 6-foot-2 forward began his career in 2001 at Sao Paulo, the same club that produced recent Galaxy stars Juninho and Leonardo. In addition to his time at Sao Paulo, the 21-year-old also played for fellow Brazilian sides Pão do Açucar, Pequeninos do Joquei, Nacional FC, Santos FC and SC Corinthians before joining Flamengo last season and playing for their side in the Paulista A3 regional league.
With the first of their two fourth round picks (62nd overall), the Galaxy selected forward Stephen Posa from the University of San Diego. Also capable of playing in the midfield, Posa had six goals and 10 assists in 75 games during his four-year career with the Toreros, scoring twice in each of his final three seasons. A Second Team All West Coast Conference selection as a junior and a senior, Posa was also named to the NSCAA All-Far West Region Second Team during his final year playing for head coach Seamus McFadden.
The Galaxy concluded the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft by selecting defender Justin Davies from San Diego State with the 76th pick of the Draft. An All-Pac 10 Honorable Mention selection following his sophomore and junior seasons, Davies had four goals and three assists in 71 games during his four years with the Aztecs, who were 4-0-2 when he had either a goal or an assist. The brother of U.S. National Team forward Charlie Davies, Justin Davies was originally born in Lawrence, Mass. and played his high school soccer at the Brooks School in North Andover, Mass. before joining the Aztecs.
The LA Galaxy will open preseason ahead of the 2012 MLS season next week at The Home Depot Center. They will return to competitive action on Wednesday, March 7 when they take on Toronto FC in the first leg of their 2011/12 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal, which will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They will open the 2012 MLS season three days later on Saturday, March 10 when they host Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center in MLS First Kick 2012, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. That game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. (PT) and tickets are on sale now as part of season ticket packages as well as three and six-game plans. For more information about this game or to purchase tickets, please visit the club’s official website at www.lagalaxy.com.
