Matt Pickens

Acquired: Traded to Colorado from Chicago on January 15, 2009 along with the 28th pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft for allocation money and the 20th pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.

MLS CAREER

2011

• Played every minute of all 34 games of the 2011 season in goal, a career high, and earned a record of 12-9-13 and 77 saves.
• Recorded eight shutouts in the 2011 season. Pickens is second in all-time shutouts for the Rapids with 22, behind Joe Cannon with 25
• Playoffs: Started all three playoff games and notched his fifth career playoff shutout against Columbus Crew (10/27).

2010

• Started 29 games with a record of 11-8-10 with 88 saves and seven shutouts.
• Playoffs: Started all four playoff games and posted shutouts in first leg of Eastern Conference Semifinal vs. Columbus (10/28) and in Conference Final vs. San Jose (11/13).

2009

• Started 19 games in goal and had a record of 9-6-4 with 39 saves and a 1.16 goals against average.
• Made his Rapids debut starting in the season opener at Chivas USA (3/21).

2007

• Recorded career-highs in games played (27), games started (27), minutes (2,430), saves (102), GAA (1.15) and shutouts (10).
• Played in all but three of Chicago’s games.

2006

• Started all eight league appearances, going 5-3-0 and collecting a 1.38 GAA during the last quarter of the Fire's regular season.
• Finished first in MLS with 82.5 save percentage and 3rd with a .625 winning percentage.
• Earned MLS Player of the Month honor in September after going 4-2-0 with a 0.83 GAA and 89.5 save percentage.
• Earned his first career MLS shutout vs. D.C. United (9/17).
• Started all four Fire games in USOC play, recording a 4-0-0 record and 0.50 GAA (2 GA) in helping the Fire to the title.

2005

• Finished the season with a 2-2-1 record and 1.20 GAA in five appearances, three starts.
• Earned first career MLS win on 4/16 vs. San Jose (4/16) in his first career MLS start.

2004

• Selected by the Fire in the second round of the 2004 MLS SuperDraft (19th overall), making him the first former member of the Chicago Fire Premier (formerly Fire Reserves) PDL club to be drafted by the Fire senior team.
• Did not see any game action with the Fire during the season.
• Sent on loan to the A-League's Virginia Beach Mariners, where he allowed only 0.93 goals against in three starts despite registering a 0-2-1 record.

NATIONAL TEAM

2011

• Participated in his fourth straight January training camp.

2010

• Called in for January camp in Carson, California. 

2009

• Participated in second consecutive January training camp.

2008

• Invited by U.S. MNT Head Coach Bob Bradley to participate in his first National Team training camp during January.
• Participated in training camp with the National team in November 2008 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

• During the 2009 off-season, trained with French club Rennes.
• Spent first part off 2008 with Queens Park Rangers of the English Championship (Second Division) and was released from his contract after the season.
• Spent two seasons with the Chicago Fire Premier (formerly the Chicago Fire Reserves) of the USL Premier Development League.
• Had a remarkable performance during his second year with the Fire Premier in 2003, registering 13 wins and six shut outs in only 16 games played (1,503 minutes), helping the team to the PDL Central Conference Championship.
• Named to the 2003 All-PDL Team and helped the Fire Premier to the PDL Championship game in 2003
• Was named the 2002 PDL Goalkeeper of the Year.

COLLEGE

• Finished his collegiate career at Missouri State (then Southwest Missouri State) second on the all-time chart in goals against average (1.25) and fifth in saves (191).
• Earned First-team All-Midwest Region, First-team All-MVC, All-MVC Tournament team, First-team All-MVC Academic and First-team NSCAA All-America Scholar Athlete honors.
• During his first year at SWMS, earned Second-team All-MVC and All-Midwest Region honors, as well as a spot on the Valley's All-Newcomer team.
• In 2000, posted 12 shutouts and a 0.59 goals-against average over 22 games for St. Louis Community College at Meramec.

PERSONAL

• Played high school soccer at St. Francis Borgia High School in Washington, MO and co-captained the Knights to a runner-up finish in the district playoffs his senior season.
• Off the field interests include reading, fishing, camping, listening to music and exploring new places.
• Celebrated the birth of his first child, daughter Kamelia Ayanna Pickens, on December 29, 2011 with wife Loubna.