Missouri State goalkeeper Lance Parker has signed a developmental contract with Chivas USA of Major League Soccer. Parker completed his collegiate career in 2007 and becomes the latest Bear to join the professional ranks.

Parker started 36 games and logged 3,586 minutes in goal and finished with a 1.00 goals against average for his career. He was a two-time first-team selection on the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete and CoSIDA Academic All-District VII Men’s Soccer Teams, maintaining a 3.67 GPA as a general business major. A two-time All-Conference second-team pick, Parker was the league’s defensive player of the week on October 1, 2007 and then tabbed as the MVC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week, October 4, 2007.

"Lance has done a great job of preparing himself to be a professional soccer player," MSU head men’s soccer coach Jon Leamy said. "This has always been a goal of his and he has worked extremely hard to turn a goal into reality. To see Lance sign with Chivas, play for a coach such as Preki and have the opportunity to train with teammate Brad Guzan, a U.S. National Team goalkeeper, is truly something special. It is well deserved and something that everyone in our Bears Soccer Family takes pride in."

Parker joins a long line of outstanding goalkeepers that have represented Missouri State University professionaly. "It has been a tremendous year for our goalkeeper family with Lance turning pro along with Matt Pickens (former MSU goalkeeper standout), further establishing himself with our U.S. National Team and his signing to play in England. (Pickens is under contract with Queens Park Rangers of the English Championship League) It is important for our current and future goalkeepers to understand the tradition and history that MSU has had with the developing goalkeepers. It is certainly a tradition we would like to continue," Leamy said.