Boxx Goes First, Marta Third In LA Sol Dispersal Draft
February 4, 2010 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) News Release
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (February 4, 2010) - Women's Professional Soccer held its dispersal draft today for players' rights previously held by the Los Angeles Sol, whose operations were discontinued last Thursday, January 28.
Saint Louis Athletica, which traded several players to the Atlanta Beat to gain the first pick in the dispersal draft used its selection to draft WPS All-Star Shannon Boxx, the Sol's captain and one of the world's best holding midfielders. With the second selection, the Philadelphia Independence then selected goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, who led the league in shutouts in 2009 with 12 clean sheets.
The San Francisco Bay Area team, FC Gold Pride, then selected Marta, WPS's Michelle Akers Player of the Year last year, with the third pick. Marta was a 2009 WPS All-Star, led the league with 10 goals and was voted FIFA World Player of the Year in December for a record fourth time.
Other first round selections in the dispersal draft included two first round selections from the 2010 WPS Draft (college draft) with North Carolina's Casey Nogueira and Nikki Washington going to the Chicago Red Stars and Sky Blue FC, respectively. The Boston Breakers picked up veteran defender Stephanie Cox with the fifth pick, while the Washington Freedom grabbed one of last year's top rookies, Brittany Bock with the seventh selection. Closing out the first round, Saint Louis Athletica picked up another WPS All-Star and midfielder Aya Miyama.
Several trades took place in the second round with the Bay Area's FC Gold Pride trading up to the 13th slot to select forward Kiki Bosio, giving Chicago Red Stars their 14th selection in the dispersal draft and the FC Gold Pride's 2nd round selection in the 2011 WPS Draft. The Red Stars then traded away that 14th selection to Saint Louis for the Athletica's 2nd round selection in the 2011 WPS Draft. The Athletica used the 14th selection to pick up midfielder Tina DiMartino. Several teams passed on their selections in the third round.
WPS Dispersal Draft (player rights held by the Los Angeles Sol)
Round 1
1. Shannon Boxx, M - Saint Louis Athletica *
2. Karina LeBlanc, GK - Philadelphia Independence
3. Marta, F - FC Gold Pride (Bay Area)
4. Casey Nogueira, F - Chicago Red Stars
5. Stephanie Cox, D - Boston Breakers
6. Nikki Washington, M - Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
7. Brittany Bock, D - Washington Freedom
8. Aya Miyama, M - Saint Louis Athletica
Round 2
9. Manya Makoski, M - Atlanta Beat
10. Faith Ikidi, D/F - Washington Freedom
11. Kiersten Dallstream, F - Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
12. Michelle Enyeart, F - Boston Breakers
13. Kiki Bosio, F - FC Gold Pride (Bay Area) ^
14. Tina DiMartino, M - Saint Louis Athletica #
15. Estelle Johnson, D - Philadelphia Independence
16. Pavlina Scasna, F - Atlanta Beat
Round 3
17. Pass - Atlanta Beat
18. Pass - Philadelphia Independence
19. Lindsay Browne, F - FC Gold Pride (Bay Area)
20. Pass - Chicago Red Stars
21. Pass - Boston Breakers
22. Pass - Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
23. Pass - Washington Freedom
24. Catherine Sorenson, M - Saint Louis Athletica
* via trade with Atlanta Beat (trade prior to draft)^ via trade with Chicago Red Stars (Chicago receives FC Gold Pride's 2nd Round pick in 2011 WPS Draft)
# via trade with Chicago Red Stars (Chicago receives Saint Louis Athletica's 2nd Round pick in 2011 WPS Draft)
NOTE: Mary Casey, GK, is now a free agent; Midfielder Julie Rydahl Bukh's WPS rights have been released.
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Women's Professional Soccer Stories from February 4, 2010
- Breakers Add Gold Medalist To Roster In WPS Disperal Draft - Boston Breakers
- Philadelphia Independence Selects WPS All-Star Goalkeeper - Philadelphia Independence
- 2009 WPS Champions Add Duo in LA Sol Player Dispersal Draft - Sky Blue FC
- Red Stars Select Nogueira In Dispersal Draft - Chicago Stars FC
- Boxx Goes First, Marta Third In LA Sol Dispersal Draft - WPS
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