WASHINGTON, DC - Having acquired the rights to Ezra Hendrickson from the Dallas Burn in exchange for a fifth round selection in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft and future considerations, D.C. United announced today that the club has signed the defender. Per League and team policy, the terms of the contract were not disclosed. Hendrickson returns to Major League Soccer after a short stint with the Charleston Battery of the A-League, and will be available for United's exhibition match this evening against the current A-League Eastern Conference leaders, Rochester Rhinos.
"We are thrilled to have Ezra join United," said Dave Kasper, United Technical Director. "He's a solid veteran defender who has won several championships during the course of his professional career and we look forward to his significant contributions towards the success of our club."
Hendrickson was drafted by the MetroStars in 1997 and made eight appearances before a trade sent him to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Over the next seven years, he appeared in 145 matches for the Galaxy - including a start in their 2002 MLS Cup championship - tallying 17 goals and adding 26 assists. He was also named the Galaxy MVP for 2001, the same year that they won the US Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. A July 2003 trade sent Hendrickson to the Dallas Burn, where he made 16 appearances (15 starts), picking up a goal and an assist.
In his brief stint with the Battery in 2004, Hendrickson started five games in which he recorded three shots on goal. Originally from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Hendrickson has 50 caps under his belt with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Team, seven of which came during 2002 World Cup qualifiers. He recently represented his country as captain of the squad that advanced to the semifinal qualifying phase for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
