Washington D.C. (November 6, 2013) – D.C. United today announced that Black-and-Red midfielder Chris Pontius and defender Daniel Woolard will both have off-season surgery.
Pontius, United’s longest tenured player, underwent surgery today to repair his left hamstring and sciatic nerve. Dr. Michael Gerhardt of Santa Monica Orthopedics in Santa Monica, Calif., performed the surgery to remove scar tissue and adhesions on both the sciatic nerve and proximal hamstring attachment. The California native is expected to be out 6-8 weeks.
In the 2013 MLS season Pontius appeared in 22 games (19 starts) and recorded two goals and three assists as he helped lead the Black-and-Red to the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title. Named MLS All-Star Game MVP and a member of the Best XI in 2012, Pontius was drafted out of the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2009 by D.C. United. After five years in the League, Pontius has played in 123 games (106 starts) and has scored 27 goals to go along with 16 assists for United.
A mainstay in United’s defense, Woolard underwent surgery on Friday, Nov. 1 to repair his left big toe. Dr. Lew Schon of Union Memorial Orthopedics in Baltimore, Md., performed a cheilectomy of the big toe joint. Woolard is approximately out 4-6 weeks.
Since joining the Black-and-Red on Jan. 6, 2011, Woolard has been one of the most consistent players in the back line, never playing less than 20 games in each his first three seasons. This year he played and started 27 games and dished out one assist while logging the fourth most minutes on the team (2,235). The Texas native was drafted out of Midwestern State University by the Chicago Fire in the fourth round of the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft.
