Chance Myers has to move quickly.

The sophomore defender was taken by the Kansas City Wizards as the No. 1 overall selection in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Friday, and he has little time to sit at home and savor the achievement.

Myers returned home to Thousand Oaks from a training camp in Florida with the U-23 national team on Monday, and he leaves Thursday to move to Kansas City.

“I was super stoked (to be No. 1),” Myers said. “It was such a surprise. No one expected it in the draft room, on the floor. When I found out I was thrilled to get going and get started.”

The Bruin defender had been projected by MLSnet.com to possibly go fourth and stay close to home with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Myers pointed to a strong showing at the combine as the biggest boost in his stock. Still, it wasn’t until moments before the selection that Myers knew how high he would go.

“(I only found out a) couple seconds before they called my name,” he said. “I was sitting with all the players. Coaches have their own booth; they looked over, gave the thumbs up and told me they were going to choose me.”

Myers has a three-year guaranteed contract with his new team, with the option to extend that contract to five years.

Myers becomes the second UCLA player in the last three years taken with the top pick, and the fourth such Bruin overall. In 2006, Toronto FC took speedy defender Marvell Wynne with the No. 1 pick. Before that, defender Steve Shak was taken by the New York Metrostars – now Red Bull New York – in 2000, and in 1997, defender Tahj Jakins was taken by the Colorado Rapids. The Bruins have produced more No. 1 picks than any other university in the country.

Joining Myers at the top of the draft was junior Tony Beltran, who was taken by Real Salt Lake with the third pick in the draft. Senior Mike Zaher went not long after to Toronto FC in the third round with the 30th pick overall.

The pair of Myers and Beltran represents the first time any school has ever had two players chosen in the first three picks of the MLS SuperDraft. Both are part of Generation Adidas, a program aimed at mimicking the European program of youth soccer and keeping American talent in the country.

The Bruins lose a lot of speed with Myers’ early departure and will miss Beltran’s experienced presence in the midfield.

“We lose a lot,” goalkeeper and former teammate Brian Perk said. “(It’s) a big loss. (Myers is) a very fast right back, was going to obviously be our starter. ... We’ll miss Tony’s versatility anchoring us down at center mid. It’s going to be tough to replace them, but I think we have the players to do it.”

While it had been clear for a while that the junior Beltran would be leaving, Myers’ status was a lot less certain.

Weighing all of his options, Myers’ decision to leave early did not come easy. It wasn’t until Jan. 6, less than two weeks before draft day, that he made the decision to turn pro.

“If you asked me to do it in one day, I couldn’t do it,” Myers said. “It took me three weeks to make sure I was going over every possible situation. I weighed every possibility. I knew what I was getting myself into, made my sure my decision to go was right.”

As far as where he is headed, Kansas City will be a big adjustment after Los Angeles, yet the new rookie is ready for it. “It will be definitely a change of pace,” Myers said. “But I’m excited. I’m going there to play soccer, so that’s where my head’s at.”