CARSON, Calif. - After helping the Los Angeles Galaxy win the preseason Desert Diamond Cup this past weekend in Tucson, Ariz., former Bradley star Bryan Gaul (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley H.S.) has secured a roster spot as the defending MLS Cup champion prepares for the 2012 season.

Selected in the first round of the Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft Jan. 17, Gaul has gotten a long look in the Galaxy backline in the preseason and played all 90 minutes in Saturday's Desert Diamond Cup championship game against New England.  LA earned the title in a penalty kick shootout, 4-2, after playing the Revolution to a scoreless draw in regulation.  The eighth Bradley player to be drafted by a MLS team, Gaul will become the fifth former Brave to take the field in Major League Soccer, following Bryan Namoff, Gavin Glinton, Tim Regan and Luke Kreamalmeyer.

Gaul made headlines at Bradley by leading the Braves to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2010, 2011) for the first time in program history.  A versatile, left-footed player, the 6-foot-5 Gaul earned was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, earning honorable mention recognition as a left back in 2009 and first-team honors one of The Valley's top-scoring forwards in 2010 and 2011.

The Galaxy, which features international stars Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Robbie Keane, will open their 2012 schedule Wednesday when they visit Toronto FC for the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions League series.  Los Angeles will begin its MLS schedule Saturday by hosting Real Salt Lake, then will host Toronto FC March 14 for the return game in the CONCACAF Champions League series.  Both legs of the CCL series will be televised on Fox Soccer Channel.