CARSON, Calif. (Friday, December 14, 2012) – After trading up to the No. 2 pick from the No. 19 pick earlier in the day, the LA Galaxy made two selections in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Process this afternoon, claiming midfielder Colin Clark from the Houston Dynamo and goalkeeper William Hesmer from the Columbus Crew. The club now owns the MLS rights to both players and has seven days to extend genuine contract offers to them. If the Galaxy cannot reach an agreement with either of the players, the club will hold the right of first refusal for that player within MLS.
READ: Flurry of activity for the Galaxy on Re-Entry Draft day
WATCH: Clark PK gives Houston 1-0 win vs. RSL
In the first round of the Re-Entry Process, the Galaxy selected Clark, a veteran midfielder who had spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Houston Dynamo. A native of Fort Collins, Colo., Clark made his MLS debut with the Colorado Rapids in 2006 after signing with the club prior to the start of that season. A left-footed winger, Clark spent the first four-and-a-half years of his career with the Rapids, setting a career-high with five goals in 2008 and a career-best of five assists the following year. He was traded to Houston late in the 2010 season and helped the Dynamo win back-to-back Eastern Conference Championships in 2011 and 2012, losing to the Galaxy in MLS Cup each time. The 28-year-old, who has made one appearance for the U.S. National Team, appeared in 14 games for the Dynamo in 2012, making six starts. In the first seven years of his MLS career, Clark has played in 127 games, making 93 starts while scoring 15 goals and adding 13 assists.
WATCH: Hesmer stops Mwanga blast (2011)
In the second round of the Re-Entry Process, the Galaxy selected Hesmer, a 31-year-old goalkeeper who missed all of last season after undergoing hip surgery in April. The Crew’s all-time leader in games played and games started in goal (130), wins (59), shutouts (41) and saves (412), Hesmer, helped lead the Crew to the Supporters’ Shield in 2008 and 2009, as well as the club’s first-ever MLS Cup championship in 2008. After playing his college soccer at Wake Forest, Hesmer was selected by Kansas City in the second round of the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. He made his MLS regular season debut with Kansas City in 2006 before being acquired by Toronto FC in the 2006 MLS Expansion Draft. The North Carolina native was then traded to Columbus, where he established himself as the Crew’s top goalkeeper. A finalist for the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2008, Hesmer had a career-high 17 wins that season while appearing in all but one of the Crew’s games.
