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name: Matt Pickens
position: GK height: 6-3 weight:200 Birthdate: April 05, 1982 Hometown: Washington, MO last club: |
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| Regular Season Stats | full bio l year-by-year stats l video highlights |
| year | club | gp | gs | min | shts | svs | ga | gaa | pg | pa | w | l | t |
| 2009 | Colorado | 19 | 19 | 1,710 | 7 | 39 | 22 | 1.16 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
| Career | 59 | 57 | 5,160 | 18 | 198 | 68 | 1.19 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 19 | 15 | |
| Most Recent Video Highlights |
| date | clubs | video description |
| 03/28/09 | Wizards @ Rapids |
 Matt Pickens save reel
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| 07/01/07 | Rapids @ Fire |
Pickens posts a shutout for Fire
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| 06/03/07 | Crew @ Fire |
Matt Pickens Save Reel
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After not seeing first-team action until the Open Cup in August, Pickens certainly made up for lost time by establishing an MLS-best 82.5 save percentage in League play over his eight appearances and collecting a 9-3-0 record and solid 1.08 GAA in USOC and MLS play combined. The Missouri State product faced plenty of heat in the postseason against New England, but he rose to the challenge in his first MLS Cup Playoffs appearance by stopping all eight shots faced in a 1-0 shutout win in Leg One at TOYOTA PARK. Pickens did what he could in the away leg, stopping eight of 10 shots in 120 minutes of intense action before seeing the home-standing Revolution prevail in penalty kicks. Pickens' incredible three months in net did not go unnoticed, as he was named by U.S. Interim Head Coach Bob Bradley as a late addition to the U.S. MNT's training camps in January and February. Pickens is proving that the Fire's scouting and Youth Development programs are paying dividends, as the Missouri native was, along with Denny Clanton, the first player from the Premier Development League's Chicago Fire Premier (formerly Fire Reserves) to make Chicago's senior club roster after being drafted by the "Men in Red" in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. With confidence abound after a whirlwind last six months, Pickens should be prepared to cement his place as the clear go-to-guy in between the posts for the Fire in 2007.
MLS Experience
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 Got the win in his first MLS start of 2006 on 9-03 vs. NY, stopping seven of eight shots in helping the Fire to a 2-1 victory Earned his first career MLS shutout on 9-17-06 vs. DC in 1-0 win Made his first start in 2006 with the first-team on 7-12 vs. Club America, making 1 save in the Fire's 2-1 exhibition loss MLS Cup Playoffs: Started both of the Fire's contests in the 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinal Series vs. NE, posting a 1-1-0 record and 0.86 GAA Saved all 8 shots faced in his MLS postseason debut on 10-22 vs. NE, pacing the Fire to a 1-0 victory in Leg One Stopped eight of 10 shots on 10-28 in Leg Two @ NE in the Fire's 2-1 loss that eventually led to a 4-2 defeat in the series' penalty kick tiebreaker Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: 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 Made first start in League or Cup play on 8-14 vs. KC, making 3 SVS in a 2-0 shutout win in the 4th Rd. USOC match Made six saves on 8-23 vs. NE, helping the Fire to a 2-1 win in the USOC quarters Posted another win in USOC play on 9-06 vs. DC, stopping four shots en route to a 3-0 Semifinal win Closed out his run in the USOC on 9-27 vs. LA by making 3 SVS, helping the Fire to a 3-1 win and a 4th USOC title MLS Reserve Division: Started in all seven of his appearances for the Fire Reserves and posted a 0-4-1 record and 1.83 GAA Combined with David Mahoney for a team shutout on 4-09 @ LA, helping the Fire Reserves post a 1-0 victory in their MLS RD season opener.2005: Finished the season with a 2-2-1 record and 1.20 GAA in five appearances (three starts) Made MLS debut on 4-09 @ DC, entering at the halftime break in place of an injured Zach Thornton to help the Fire to a 1-1 draw Earned first career MLS win on 4-16 vs. SJ in his first career MLS start Returned to first-team play on 8-10 vs. KC as a halftime sub in a 3-2 Fire loss Recorded second career win on 8-13 vs. LA Missed last nine weeks of action due to injury (R high ankle sprain on 8-19 @ KC) MLS Reserve Division: Saw first minutes in three months (R groin strain) for Fire Reserves on 8-07 vs. DC and did not allow a goal in 45 minutes of play in the first half of a 4-1 win Finished Reserves campaign with five games started, going 0-1-2 overall with a 1.00 GAA in 359 min. of play.
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 an 0-2-1 record Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: Did not play in the 2004 USOC.
International
Invited by former Fire head coach and U.S. MNT Interim Head Coach Bob Bradley to participate in his first national team training camp during January and February 2007 in advance of international friendlies against Denmark (Jan. 20) and Mexico (Feb. 7).
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).2003: Played in 20 matches, starting 19, for Missouri State, logging 1,822 minutes and registering a 1.38 GAA.
2002: Started 19 of 20 matches last season, posting a 1.38 goal against average Notched five shutouts in 2002, which is the fifth best single-season total in school history 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.
2001: Posted the third-best single-season saves (103) and fifth-best single-season GAA (1.13) totals in Bears history Earned Second-team All-MVC and All-Midwest Region honors, as well as a spot on the Valley's All-Newcomer team Selected as the MVC Defensive Player of the Week twice.
2000: Posted 12 shutouts and a 0.59 goals-against average over 22 games for St. Louis Community College at Meramec.
High School/Club
High School: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.Club: 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 Helped the Fire Premier to the PDL Championship game in 2003 Was named the 2002 PDL Goalkeeper of the Year.
Personal
Son of Dwayne and Barbara Pickens Followed the career of U.S. National Team stalwart Kasey Keller since a teenager Helps out as a goalkeeping trainer for multiple clubs across Chicagoland Off the field interests include reading, fishing, camping, listening to music and exploring new places Music interests include hip-hop, country and classic rock Favorite TV shows include 24, Entourage, and Family Guy Best movie picks are Troy and Top Gun ... Owner of internet travel company website www.travelpicksandcruises.com.
