Jan. 18, 2008
BALTIMORE, Md. - Gonzaga University senior forward George Josten and senior defender Austin Washington have become the second and third Bulldogs drafted in the history of the MLS, Josten going in the second round as the 20th pick overall to the Columbus Crew and Washington in the fourth round as the 54th pick overall to the Chicago Fire in Friday's Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft.
Josten and Washington join 2001 second-round draft pick Brian Ching as the only Bulldogs to be drafted. Ching was drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy, played for the San Jose Earthquakes and currently plays for the Houston Dynamo.
Josten was the second player from the West Coast Conference selected in Friday's draft, Rob Valentino taken as the 13th selection of the first round by the New England Revolution.
Columbus went 9-11-10 this past season for 37 points and sixth in the Eastern division of the MLS. On June 15, 1994, Columbus, Ohio was introduced as the first of the 10 inaugural MLS clubs.
The Idaho Falls, Idaho, native is in Baltimore to receive the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Men's Soccer Scholar Athlete of the Year award at Saturday's awards luncheon.
Josten was a three-time All-West Coast Conference selection, a three-time NSCAA/adidas All-Far West Region selection and was a NSCAA/adidas third-team All-America selection this past season, the first All-America honor in Gonzaga soccer history. He is the first Gonzaga player to earn NSCAA/adidas Scholar Athlete of the Year honors, maintaining a 3.83 GPA in mechanical engineering.
He closed his career ranked third in school history in career goals (34) and assists (17) and fourth in career points (85). He was one of 29 players on the 2007 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.
Washington, a Spokane native and graduate of Ferris High, was a two-time All-WCC second-team selection. He helped anchor a Gonzaga defense this past season that allowed just 0.71 goals/match. The school record is 0.68. The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001.
The Fire went 10-10-10 for 40 points and fourth place in the MLS Eastern Conference, but the Fire made a run to the Eastern Conference championship match before losing to host New England 1-0. On the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, Oct. 8, 1997, an announcement was made making Chicago the 12th team in the MLS. The new Major League Soccer team assigned to Chicago was named the Chicago Fire. Its inaugural season was 1998.
