Brad Davis Earns 2011 MLS Best XI Honors

Houston Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis has been named to Major League Soccer's Best XI, league commissioner Don Garber announced today. It is the first career Best XI selection for Davis, a finalist for the 2011 MVP award, which will be announced on Nov. 18, and a four-time MLS All-Star.

The MLS Best XI recognizes the league's top 11 players at each position on the field - one goalkeeper, three defenders, five midfielders, and two forwards. The Best XI members received the most votes from the media, MLS players and MLS coaches and general managers.

Davis led MLS with 16 assists during the 2011 regular season and added two more in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Davis started every match, scored four goals, and led the league with 121 offensive chances created, 52 ahead of the closest competitor. At no point during the regular season did Davis go three games without notching a goal or an assist, and he was named to MLSsoccer.com's Team of the Week seven times, tied for the highest total in the league. He left Sunday's Eastern Conference championship game against Kansas City in the first half after suffering a right quad injury, but the Dynamo went on to win their third conference title.

"This is definitely a big honor," Davis said. "It's my first time on the Best XI, so it's been a special year to be in the Best XI and in the running for MVP. I'm proud and I'm happy with the year that our team had, and I'm excited that we still have one game left."

The selection of Davis is the seventh Dynamo selection to the MLS Best XI in the team's six-year history. Houston had two players selected in 2006, 2007, and 2009. Previous Dynamo players to be named MLS Best XI include defender Geoff Cameron (2009), defender Eddie Robinson (2006), midfielder Dwayne De Rosario (2006, 2007), midfielder Ricardo Clark (2006), and midfielder Stuart Holden (2009).

The 2011 MLS Best XI is as follows:

Goalkeeper - Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders)
Defender - Todd Dunivant (LA Galaxy)
Defender - Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy)
Defender - Jamison Olave (Real Sale Lake)
Midfielder - David Beckham (LA Galaxy)
Midfielder - Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo)
Midfielder - Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United)
Midfielder - Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
Midfielder - Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
Forward - Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)
Forward - Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)