Stanford senior defender Bobby Warshaw was selected in the first round of Thursday’s Major League Soccer SuperDraft. FC Dallas took him with the 17th pick.

Warshaw, a native of Mechanicsburg, Pa., had a stellar senior season anchoring the Cardinal in the backfield. He started all 18 of Stanford’s games and was second on the team in scoring with four goals. Warshaw was named All-Pac-10 three times in his Stanford career, and was a first-team All-American in 2009.

Despite Warshaw’s strong play, the Cardinal sputtered early last season and never lived up to its high expectations. The team failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Warshaw will join an FC Dallas team that enjoyed a strong 2010 campaign. The club advanced to the finals of the MLS playoffs, only to lose, 2-1, to the Colorado Rapids. Dallas finished last season with a 12-4-14 record.