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NWSL San Diego Wave FC

2023 NWSL Draft Preview: San Diego Wave FC Gears up for 2023

January 6, 2023 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
San Diego Wave FC News Release


SAN DIEGO, Calif. - San Diego Wave Fútbol Club will participate in its first in-person NWSL Draft and second as a club this Thursday, Jan. 12, ahead of the 2023 season kick-off in March.

After seeing great success and gain from the 2022 draft, Wave FC looks to pick up more impact players again this time. Read below for everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming NWSL Draft.

In its inaugural 2022 season, San Diego Wave FC made history as the first expansion team to make the playoffs and advanced all the way to the NWSL Semi-Final. With a lingering taste of the playoffs last season, Wave FC now has its eyes set on the NWSL Championship in October.

When & Where:

The draft will be hosted at the 2023 U.S. Coaches Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Thursday, Jan. 12 at 3 p.m. PT.

The Draft is free and open to the public. There will be general admission seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

How to Stream?

Coverage of the NWSL Draft will begin on CBS Sports Network from 6 to 7 p.m. ET. The draft will then stream live on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ, the free 24/7 streaming sports news network, from 7 to 11 p.m. ET.

Wave FC's Inaugural Draft Success:

San Diego acquired Stanford University standout defender Naomi Girma as the first overall selection in the 2022 NWSL Draft. Girma went on to make history, becoming the first player to win both NWSL Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year while leading Wave FC to a playoff semifinal. Girma also featured heavily as a young face on the international stage for the U.S. Women's National Team.

Hailing from Grand Canyon University, Marleen Schimmer became the first German player to be drafted into the NWSL as Wave FC's second inaugural pick (1st Round, No. 9).

Wave FC also drafted midfielder Sydney Pulver (2nd Round, No. 25), midfielder Belle Briede (3rd Round, No. 27) and defender Kayla Bruster (4th Round, No. 40).

Who is registered for the Draft?

The 2023 NWSL Draft live registration list can be seen hereand will be updated on a rolling basis. This year, there will be 48 total selections in the NWSL Draft from Angel City FC's No. 1 pick to selection No. 48, which is currently held by Portland.

Players eligible to be selected are those who have registered for the Draft and have been vetted as meeting the eligibility requirements by the League, which include:

Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or a foreign national who is currently or was enrolled at a university in the United States during the 2022-23 academic year;

Be an individual who has exhausted, lost, or renounced their remaining collegiate eligibility during the 2022 calendar year, including high school graduates choosing to forego;

Be at least 18 years old on or before January 1, 2023;

Not be under a current professional contract, nor have previously signed a contract to play soccer professionally;

Players must register for the 2023 NWSL Draft by 11:59 pm ET on Monday, January 9, 2023.

How Does the Draft Work?:

The Draft will see 12 selections in all four rounds until completed. In Round 1, each team will have five minutes to announce its pick, while Rounds 2-4 will see each side allotted three minutes to make its selection. Teams are also eligible to request up to three time-outs during the Draft for further discussion, rule clarification, or trade discussion, and all time-outs taken regardless of round will be three minutes in length.

For this year's upcoming NWSL Draft, San Diego Wave FC is currently slated with two picks: No. 33 and No. 45 in the 3rd and 4th Rounds. The league's most current draft order can be seen here.

Players who register for the draft but are not selected will become discovery eligible on the day following the 2023 NWSL Draft.

Who is on Wave FC's 2023 roster right now?

San Diego has an impressive current roster of 19 players ahead of its second NWSL season with more additions to come:

Goalkeepers: Kailen Sheridan, Carly Telford

Forwards: Amirah Ali, Makenzy Doniak, Rachel Hill, Sofia Jakobsson, Alex Morgan, Jaedyn Shaw

Midfielders: Belle Briede, Danielle Colaprico, Taylor Kornieck, Kristen McNabb, Kelsey Turnbow, Emily Van Egmond

Defenders: Abby Dahlkemper, Mia Gyau, Naomi Girma, Kaleigh Riehl, Christen Westphal

Check out the San Diego Wave FC Statistics



National Women's Soccer League Stories from January 6, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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