Barrett Helps Dynamo to CONCACAF Champions’ Cup Semifinals

The former Tribe All-American is in his eighth MLS season.

03/05/07 3:20PM

Williamsburg - Former William and Mary All-American Wade Barrett captained the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer into the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup semifinals with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Costa Rican rival Puntarenas FC. The Dynamo notched a 2-0 win over Puntarenas FC in College Station, Texas on March 1, after falling in the opening leg, 1-0, on Feb. 21.

It marked the first Champions’ Cup win by an MLS team over a Costa Rican team since 2000. The MLS Champions will battle defending Copa Sudamericana champion Pachuca in the semifinals. The Mexican club will travel to Houston for the first leg on March 14, before the teams meet in Pachuca on April 5.

Paul Dalglish scored the opener for Houston in the 27th minute, and Kelly Gray notched the deciding goal in the 74th, both coming through close-range strikes off rebounds. The goals overturned a 1-0 deficit the Orange faced after the first leg in Puntarenas.

Major League Soccer will have a pair of teams in the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup semifinals as D.C. United defeated CD Olimpia of Honduras, 7-3, on aggregate to garner a slot in the final four. The MLS side will face CD Guadalajara (Chivas) of Mexico in the semifinals.

Barrett capped his seventh MLS season in 2006, winning his second MLS Cup Championship. He accomplished the feat in 2001 as well as a member of the San Jose Earthquakes. After being drafted in the first round, 12th overall, by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 1998 College Draft, Barrett spent five seasons with the Earthquakes before moving to Europe where he played for AGF Aarhus in the Danish SuperLiga and Norway's Fredrikstad FC.

Barrett returned to the MLS in 2005 and was the captain of the San Jose Earthquakes. Following the 2005 season, the Earthquakes moved to Houston and became the Dynamo. Barrett has played 173 career games in the MLS, including 167 starts. He has six goals and 27 assists during his seven seasons. In 2002, he was a MLS All-Star selection and named to the MLS Best XI following the season. He was also one of three finalists for the MLS Defender of the Year in 2002.

Barrett earned All-America honors for the Tribe in 1997. Also during his senior season at the College, he was named the W&M Tribe Club Senior Male Athlete of the Year. Barrett led the Tribe to 70-18-4 record during his four seasons in Williamsburg. He finished his Tribe career with 102 points on 38 goals and 26 assists. His goal total ranks fourth in school history, while his point and assist totals rank sixth and seventh, respectively.

W&M advanced to the NCAA Tournament during each of his final three seasons and won CAA Championships in 1995 and 1996. During the 1996 season, the Tribe won a school-record 20 matches on its way to the NCAA Quarterfinals, before falling to eventual national champion St. John’s. Barrett was a four-time First-Team All-CAA selection and the conference player of the year in 1997.

W&M head coach Chris Norris played with Barrett during his freshman season at W&M in 1994. The Tribe went 18-3-1 during that season and despite being ranked as high as No. 5 and finishing the season ranked No. 14, the Tribe did not garner a NCAA Tournament invitation.