Oct. 9, 2009

Soccer America has tabbed former Maryland standout and current Los Angeles Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez as its pick for Major League Soccer Rookie of the Year as announced in its October edition of the magazine.

Gonzalez has started every match for the Galaxy, which has already punched its ticket to the playoffs this season after leading the West Division with an 11-6-11 record. The defender has notched 2,492 minutes in L.A.'s back line and also picked up a goal and an assist in his rookie campaign.

Joining Gonzalez as former Terps on the Soccer America's 2009 MLS All-Rookie Team is A.J. Delagarza, Rodney Wallace and Jeremy Hall.

Delagarza joined Gonzalez as a starter on the right side of the Galaxy defense. He has one goal and one assist in 22 games this season. The duo has helped L.A., a team that gave up the most goals in the MLS in 2008, cut its' goals against average in half this season.

Wallace, the youngest of the four players from Maryland on the list after leaving the Terps following his sophomore campaign, has had a tremendous year at D.C. United. Wallace has earned 23 starts while playing in 26 games in the United midfield in 2009. He has three goals and three assists for D.C., which currently sits in fourth in the East Division with an 8-8-12 record.

Hall has played the third most minutes for the New York Red Bulls this season. After a stellar junior season at midfield where he led the national champion Terrapins in scoring and was named Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player, Hall has made the successful transition to the Red Bulls' back line in 2009, starting 20 of 22 matches he's appeared in.