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Eight Teams Make Selections at 2013 NWSL College Draft

January 18, 2013 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) News Release

INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 18, 2013) - The inaugural 2013 National Women's Soccer League College Draft was held as eight teams made four selections at the NSCAA Convention.

The Chicago Red Stars selected UCLA forward and 2012 Pac-12 Player of the Year Zakiya Bywaters with the No. 1 pick.

Florida State forward Tiffany McCarty, who scored 17 goals in 2012 to help the Seminoles reach their second straight appearance in the College Cup, was selected second overall by the Washington Spirit.

FC Kansas City chose Boston College midfielder Kristie Mewis with the No. 3 overall pick. Mewis, a Hermann Trophy semifinalist, was a member of the 2008 U.S. Under-17 Women's National Team that took second at the U-17 FIFA Women's World Cup, as well as the U-20 WNT National Team that advanced to the 2010 U-10 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Rounding out the first round, Sky Blue FC selected BYU defender Lindsi Lisonbee-Cutshall, followed by Florida State midfielder/defender Casey Short to the Boston Breakers at No. 5, Oklahoma State goalkeeper Adrianna Franch (No. 6; Western New York Flash), Penn State midfielder Christine Nairn (No. 7; Seattle Reign FC) and Florida defender Kathryn Williamson (Portland Thorns FC).

The University of Florida led all schools with four selections in the draft: Williamson in the first round, midfielder/forward Erika Tymrak by FC Kansas City (No. 11 overall; second round), midfielder Holly King by the Washington Spirit (No. 18 overall; third round) and midfielder Jo Dragotta by the Boston Breakers (No. 21 overall; third round).

One member of North Carolina's 2012 NCAA Championship team was selected in midfielder Amber Brooks, who was a third-round pick (24th overall) by Portland Thorns FC.

The draft consisted of four rounds with each team receiving three minutes to make a selection in the first two rounds and five minutes to make a selection in the final two rounds. The order remained the same for all four rounds with Chicago selecting first to start each round.

The draft was another opportunity for the eight clubs to shape their roster for the league's inaugural season. On Jan. 11, the league announced the allocation of 55 players from the U.S., Canada and Mexico National Teams.

2013 NWSL Draft Selections

Listed per round with name, position, college and team

First Round

1. Zakiya Bywaters, F (UCLA) - Chicago Red Stars

2. Tiffany McCarty, F (Florida State) - Washington Spirit

3. Kristie Mewis, M (Boston College) - FC Kansas City

4. Lindsi Lisonsbee-Cutshall, D (BYU) - Sky Blue FC

5. Casey Short, M/D (Florida State) - Boston Breakers

6. Adrianna Franch, GK (Oklahoma State) - Western New York Flash

7. Christine Nairn, M (Penn State) - Seattle Reign FC

8. Kathryn Williamson, D (Florida) - Portland Thorns FC

Second Round

9. Rachel Quon, D (Stanford) - Chicago Red Stars

10. Caroline Miller, F (Virginia) - Washington Spirit

11. Erika Tymrak, M/F (Florida) - FC Kansas City

12. Kendall Johnson, D/M (Portland) - Sky Blue FC

13. Mariah Nogueira, M (Stanford) - Boston Breakers

14. Amy Barczuk, M (Colorado) - Western New York Flash

15. Mallory Schaffer, M (William & Mary) - Seattle Reign FC

16. Nicolette Radovic, F (Central Florida) - Portland Thorns FC

Third Round

17. Taylor Vancil, GK (Florida State) - Chicago Red Stars

18. Holly King, M (Florida) - Washington Spirit

19. Whitney Berry, M/F (Kansas) - FC Kansas City

20. Ashley Baker, GK (Georgia) - Sky Blue FC

21. Jo Dragotta, M (Florida) - Boston Breakers

22. Vicki DiMartino, F (Boston College) - Western New York Flash

23. Kristen Meier, M (Wake Forest) - Seattle Reign FC

24. Amber Brooks, M (North Carolina) - Portland Thorns FC

Fourth Round

25. Jen Hoy, F (Princeton) - Chicago Red Stars

26. Colleen Williams, M (Dayton) - Washington Spirit

27. Nia Williams, D (Missouri State) - FC Kansas City

28. Becky Kaplan, F (Maryland) - Sky Blue FC

29. Maddy Evans, M (Penn State) - Boston Breakers

30. Jackie Logue, D (Wake Forest) - Western New York Flash

31. Haley Kopmeyer, GK (Michigan) - Seattle Reign FC

32. Roxanne Barker, GK (Pepperdine) - Portland Thorns FC

2013 NWSL Draft Team Selections

Listed per team with overall draft selection, name, position, college and round

Chicago Red Stars

1. Zakiya Bywaters, F (UCLA) - first round

9. Rachel Quon, D (Stanford) - second round

17. Taylor Vancil, GK (Florida State) - third round

25. Jen Hoy, F (Princeton) - fourth round

Washington Spirit

2. Tiffany McCarty, F (Florida State) - first round

10. Caroline Miller, F (Virginia) - second round

18. Holly King, MF (Florida) - third round

26. Colleen Williams, M (Dayton) - fourth round

FC Kansas City

3. Kristie Mewis, M (Boston College) - first round

11. Erika Tymrak, M/F (Florida) - second round

19. Whitney Berry, M/F (Kansas) - third round

27. Nia Williams, D (Missouri State) - fourth round

Sky Blue FC

4. Lindsi Lisonsbee-Cutshall, D (BYU) - first round

12. Kendall Johnson, D/M (Portland) - second round

20. Ashley Baker, GK (Georgia) - third round

28. Becky Kaplan, F (Maryland) - fourth round

Boston Breakers

5. Casey Short, M/D (Florida State) - first round

13. Mariah Nogueira, M (Stanford) - second round

21. Jo Dragotta, M (Florida) - third round

29. Maddy Evans, M (Penn State) - fourth round

Western New York Flash

6. Adrianna Franch, GK (Oklahoma State) - first round

14. Amy Barczuk, M (Colorado) - second round

22. Vicki DiMartino, F (Boston College) - third round

30. Jackie Logue, D (Wake Forest) - fourth round

Seattle Reign FC

7. Christine Nairn, M (Penn State) - first round

15. Mallory Schaffer, M (William & Mary) - second round

23. Kristen Meier, M (Wake Forest) - third round

31. Haley Kopmeyer, GK (Michigan) - fourth round

Portland Thorns FC

8. Kathryn Williamson, D (Florida) - first round

16. Nicolette Radovic, F (Central Florida) - second round

24. Amber Brooks, M (North Carolina) - third round

32. Roxanne Barker, GK (Pepperdine) - fourth round

U.S. Soccer is subsidizing the salaries of 23 players, while the Canadian Soccer Association and the Federation of Mexican Football will each do the same for 16 players. With 23 U.S. players available for the allocation, all but one of the eight teams received three U.S. Women's National Team players. Each club was also assigned two Canada National Team and two Mexico National Team players.

The NWSL is an eight-team league organized and administered by the U.S. Soccer Federation that will begin play in the spring of 2013. The eight founding clubs are the Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Kansas City, Portland Thorns FC, Sky Blue FC (New York/New Jersey), Seattle Reign FC, the Washington Spirit and the Western New York Flash.

Check out the National Women's Soccer League Statistics

National Women's Soccer League Stories from January 18, 2013

Four Players Taken in NWSL College Draft - Sky Blue FC
Washington Spirit Select NCAA Stars McCarty, Miller, King, Williams - Washington Spirit
FC Kansas City Welcomes First Draft Class - FC Kansas City
Eight Teams Make Selections at 2013 NWSL College Draft - NWSL
Thorns FC Add Four Players in Inaugural NWSL College Draft - Portland Thorns FC
Flash Take Goalkeeper Adrianna Franch as Top Pick in NWSL Draft - Western New York Flash
UCLA Striker Zakiya Bywaters Selected No. 1 Overall by Chicago Red Stars in NWSL College Draft - NWSL

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