Former University of Michigan soccer player Kofi Opare couldn't ask for a better place to start his Major League Soccer career. Opare was selected in the second round of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft (No. 24 overall) on Thursday by the Los Angeles Galaxy who won back-to-back league championships in 2011 and 2012.

Opare, who played his final season for the Wolverines in 2012, is the seventh Michigan player to ever be selected in the MLS SuperDraft and the first since Justin Meram was taken in the first round (No. 15 overall) by the Columbus Crew in 2011. Opare, Meram and Soony Saad, selected in the supplemental draft in 2011, are the only three Michigan players currently in MLS.

"I'm very excited and honored to represent the University of Michigan on the professional level," said Opare in a release. "It is a dream come true and something that I have focused on since I was young. I have always wanted to play professional soccer and to have the opportunity represent the Los Angeles Galaxy is something I am truly looking forward to."

Opare -- a 6-foot-2 190 pound defender -- started all four years at Michigan, helping the Wolverines to the national semifinals under former coach Steve Burns in his sophomore year and the second round of the NCAA tournament as a senior.

"This is an exciting day for Kofi and the Michigan men's soccer program," said current Michigan head coach Chaka Daley. "We are pleased to have one of our own go to a perennial MLS power like the LA Galaxy. We wish him luck as he embarks upon his professional soccer journey."

The Galaxy is coached by former U.S. National Team coach Bruce Arena and captained by Landon Donovan. Though Donovan has one year left on his contract, it's unclear whether he'll return to the squad in 2013. David Beckham left the team following the 2012 season after six years with the club.

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.