At least one South Dakota native has played professional soccer in Major League Soccer: Chris Houser, born in Pierre and a Sioux Falls Washington High School graduate, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1998 and played three seasons as a defender.
When people ask whether anyone from South Dakota has played in Major League Soccer, the answer is yes—and it goes back to a single player whose path reads like a local story that reached the national stage.
Chris Houser was born in Pierre. He graduated high school from Sioux Falls Washington. In 1998, after spending three years at Southern Connecticut State, he was selected in the second round of the Major League Soccer Draft by the Tampa Bay Mutiny.
Houser then played three seasons for Tampa Bay as a defender. After his first season, he was a Rookie of the Year nominee. While he was still in college, he also played for the national team in the World University Games in 1997.
Soccer, in many ways, is where South Dakota’s sports reputation can feel thinner. The story often sounds like it should be full—South Dakota has produced plenty of standouts in football. basketball. and baseball. But when it comes to soccer players at the very top level, that list has been surprisingly short. A Wikipedia page for noteworthy soccer players from South Dakota lists just three names, including Houser.
For a state known for athletes in other sports, Houser’s Major League Soccer career is a reminder that the talent has been there. It just hasn’t been as widely documented—and that’s why this question keeps coming back.
South Dakota MLS Chris Houser Tampa Bay Mutiny Pierre Sioux Falls Washington Southern Connecticut State World University Games soccer