Senior defenders Tim Pontius and James Kiffe were selected during Tuesday’s Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft, bringing the total count of 2012 UCSB draft picks to four.
The Seattle Sounders selected Pontius in the second round (33rd overall) and the San Jose Earthquakes drafted Kiffe in the fourth round (63rd overall).
UCSB center back Tim Pontius was picked by the Seattle Sounders in the MLS Supplemental Draft. (Vince Agapito photos)
The 2012 UCSB draft class, which also includes MLS SuperDraft first-round picks Luis Silva (fourth overall, Toronto FC) and Sam Garza (sixth overall, San Jose Earthquakes) is the second largest in program history behind the 2008 class, in which six Gaucho players were selected.
Pontius is the second Gaucho in the last two years to be selected by Seattle, following former teammate Michael Tetteh, who was a Generation adidas signee and was picked in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft’s second round.
Pontius was an All-Big West First Team selection following his senior season and was selected as the Gauchos’ Defensive MVP. This past fall, he played in 21 games and scored three goals and tallied an assist. For his career, he played in 62 matches for the Gauchos, scoring six goals and tallying two assists. During his sophomore and junior seasons, he helped UCSB post goals against averages of 0.75 and 0.77, respectively, which rank in the program’s all-time top-10.
Kiffe, a San Marcos High alum, garnered Big West Defender of the Year honors after playing in 22 games and scoring two goals to go along with six assists. He was also an All-Big West First Team honoree, an ESPN LA All-Area Team pick and an All-Far West Region First team selection.
In all, 22 UCSB players have been drafted into the MLS since 2004, including 10 players that have gone in the Supplemental Draft. Last year, center back Michael Boxall was chosen as the No. 1 pick overall by the Vancouver Whitecaps.
