CARSON, Calif. (Wednesday, February 29, 2012) – The LA Galaxy announced today that the club has signed veteran goalkeeper Bill Gaudette. The 30-year-old joined the Galaxy on trial for the start of preseason last month and has appeared in parts of three preseason games, allowing two goals in 129 minutes of action. In order to make room for Gaudette on the roster, the club has waived goalkeeper Nick Noble. Per club and league policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Gaudette began his MLS career in 2005 with the Columbus Crew after being selected by the club in the first round of the MLS Supplemental Draft. Following a standout four-year career at St. John’s, Gaudette appeared in six games as a rookie in 2005, keeping a clean sheet and earning his first career win in a 1-0 win over Colorado on June 11. The following season, he played in an MLS career-high 11 games, recording a 3-5-3 record with three shutouts and a 1.18 goals against average while splitting the goalkeeping duties with Jon Busch, Noah Palmer and Dan Popik.
After leaving the Crew following the 2007 MLS season, Gaudette signed with the Puerto Rico Islanders of the USL First Division. He was selected as the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year that season, helping the Islanders win the Commissioner’s Cup, which is given to the team with the best regular season record, for the first time while also helping them reach the semifinals of the 2008/09 CONCACAF Champions League. He led the Islanders to the postseason in each of his three seasons with the club, including the 2010 USSF Division 2 Pro League championship when the upset Rochester, Vancouver and Carolina on the way to their first league title. He spent the 2011 season with the NASL’s Montreal Impact, appearing in nine games for the club.
Noble signed with the Galaxy in December after a two-year stay with Ljungskile SK of the Swedish Seperettan. He appeared in four of the club’s seven preseason games so far this year, allowing six goals.
The Galaxy will play their first official game of 2012 on Wednesday, March 7 when they face 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 starting at just $30. For more information about this game or to purchase tickets for all Galaxy home games, please visit the club’s official website at www.lagalaxy.com.
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