01/06/2020
Hear what recent 2020 draft pick .billingsley has to say about his pathway into the MLS. - “Leaving my home and family at 18 to travel to the U.S. was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. I was terrified to be starting over in a foreign country 10,000 miles away from everything I was familiar with. However, it was by far the smartest thing I have ever done. UCSB has provided me with an outstanding education, I was able to complete my degree in Sociology while also competing at the highest level. As an 18-year old, I found myself playing in packed stadiums filled with 14,000 people cheering me and my teammates on. The soccer team quickly became a family to me and showed me the best ways to succeed academically, athletically, and socially. My freshman year I made the Big West All American team, which resulted in me gaining global recognition. In the following years I went on to play for the New Zealand U23 team, traveling the globe and ultimately qualifying for the 2020 Olympics. Following my final season at UCSB I was selected first round in the 2020 MLS Superdraft by Minnesota United.”