PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – UCSB’s David Walker was selected in the third round and No. 43 overall in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Thursday by Houston Dynamo. He becomes the 11th UCSB player to be selected in the MLS SuperDraft.
Walker led UCSB and the Big West Conference with 10 goals and totaled 24 points during the 2009 season. The Orange, Calif. native set a school record for matches played in a career after hitting the pitch 88 times during his four seasons with the Gauchos and was a member of the 2006 NCAA National Championship team.
The forward ended his senior season with First Team All-Big West accolades and scored all three of the Gauchos’ goals during their run to the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament this past fall.
Walker becomes the 18th UCSB player to be drafted in the past eight years. UCSB currently has seven former players active in the MLS: Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Ciaran O’Brien (Colorado Rapids), Andy Iro (Columbus Crew), Eric Avila (FC Dallas), Tino Nuñez (Real Salt Lake), Kyle Reynish (Real Salt Lake) and Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA).
Walker was the second Big West player to be drafted this year following Chad Borak of Cal State Northridge, who was picked No. 40 overall.
