Jan. 18, 2011

Stanford, Calif. - Senior defender Ryan Thomas became the second Cardinal player selected in the MLS Draft on Tuesday, when he went in the first round of the supplemental draft to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Thomas was the 16th overall pick in the supplemental portion of the draft and the 70th player selected overall.

"I was watching the draft online and it was a shock to me to be picked by the Galaxy," said Thomas. "I grew up in L.A. and would go to watch the Galaxy games at the Rose Bowl and now I am going to get to play on that field."

Thomas joins Bobby Warshaw who was taken by FC Dallas last week as Stanford players that will be entering MLS next season.

Thomas was a second team All-Pac-10 selection in 2010 as a dynamic overlapping left back for the Cardinal. Thomas totaled one goal and three assists as one of the top two-way players in the Pac-10.

Thomas will join the Galaxy when they resume practice next Monday. Los Angeles won the Western Division last season under former U.S. National Team coach Bruce Arena. The Galaxy does not lack for star power with Landon Donavan and David Beckham being among its top players as well as former Stanford great Todd Dunivant.

Thomas is in the middle of his senior year at Stanford, but will leave school to pursue his professional soccer career. However, Thomas does intend to get his degree. "Education is very important to me and I definitely plan on finishing my degree later on," said Thomas.

Thomas and Warshaw will join four former Stanford players currently playing in MLS. These players include Todd Dunivant of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chad Marshall of the Columbus Crew and Taylor Graham and Roger Levesque of the Sounders FC. Marshall was the last Stanford player to be selected in the first round, being taken in the 2004 first round by Columbus.