Tommy Williamson Drafted By San Jose Earthquakes
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BERKELEY – Forward Tommy Williamson, the leading scorer for the Cal men's soccer team in 2019, was chosen 12th overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes on Thursday. He becomes the latest in a long line of Golden Bears to earn selection into Major League Soccer.
"It was really a surreal feeling," Williamson said. "I've always wanted to be a professional soccer player ever since I was a little kid, and it feels great to achieve my dreams now.
"I'm very pleased to be drafted by the team I wanted to be drafted by the most. It came together perfectly. I'm glad to be their first selection and to get to play alongside the leading MLS goalscorer of all time in Chris Wondolowski."
"This is an incredible day for Tommy and Cal men's soccer," Cal head coach Kevin Grimes said. "With everything that the pandemic threw at us, it's great to see Tommy start off the New Year with a first-round selection by our hometown Quakes. We couldn't be happier for him and his professional career to get started with a fantastic coaching staff in San Jose. Tommy follows in the footsteps of numerous Cal first-round draft picks in the MLS SuperDraft."
The results of the 2021 draft can be found by clicking here.
With the MLS SuperDraft held virtually for the second straight year, Williamson watched the draft from the living room of the house he shares with some Cal teammates.
"When I heard my name and saw it on the screen I was in shock," he said. "My teammates did most of the screaming for me, and it was an awesome feeling."
A 6-1, 175-pound product of Villa Park, California, Williamson scored a career-high nine goals in his junior season in 2019, when he helped to lead Cal into the NCAA Tournament. His breakout season – which included team highs in goals, points (18), gamewinning goals (3), shots (43) and shots on goal (20) – earned him a berth on the All-Pac-12 second team. Williamson scored winners against Oregon State on Oct. 3 (on a 71st-minute penalty kick), San Diego State on Oct. 10 (on a sixth-minute goal) and No. 4 Stanford on Nov. 14 (on a 56th-minute PK).
Williamson could play his final season for Cal this spring or decide to turn professional. There are 13 former Bears who are currently in the pro ranks. Seven of those 13 play in MLS. The seven include goalkeeper Drake Callender (Inter Miami FC), Williamson's former Cal teammate; 2020 MLS Cup champion Hector Jimenez (who won the 2020 title with the Columbus Crew and is now with Austin FC); Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United); Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC); Sam Junqua (Houston Dynamo FC); Jonathan Klinsmann (Los Angeles Galaxy); and Nick Lima (the former Quakes defender now with Austin FC). Chosen at No. 2 overall by D.C. United in 2014, Birnbaum holds the distinction of Cal's highest drafted player in MLS. He's followed by his former Cal teammate Christian Dean, who was chosen at No. 3 by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft.