[NWSL] The Chicago Red Stars were awarded the first pick in the National Women’s Soccer League college draft, a closed-door event be held Friday at 9 a.m. ET atthe NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis. The top prospects are Boston College’s Kristen Mewis, who got the taste of the pro life with a brief appearance forAustralian W-League team Canberra United FC, and Christine Nairn, who led Penn State its first NCAA Division I final in 2012.
According to U.S.Soccer, which launched the league, the draft order was determined with assistance from a panel of experts and agreed upon by all eight clubs. The panel ranked the strength of each club based on theirallocated players and conducted a weighted draw.
The draft order is as follows:
1. Chicago Red Stars
2. Washington Spirit
3. FC Kansas City
4. Sky BlueFC
5. Boston Breakers
6. Western New York Flash
7. Seattle Reign FC
8. Portland Thorns FC
The draft will consist of four rounds with each team receiving threeminutes to make a selection in the first two rounds, and five minutes to make a selection in the final two rounds. After the first round is completed, the order will remain the same for the followingthree rounds, with Chicago selecting first to start each round.
That is a departure from the league’s previous announcement that the draft would be conducted in a “snake”format.
The was considerable discussion about the imbalance in the allocation of national team players. Portland, which received Alex Morgan,
Fourteen college seniors, including Nairn andMewis, were named to the 2012 Soccer America MVP teams. Stanford’s Alina Garciamendez, who plays internationally for Mexico, will play for Washington, the clubto which she was assigned as part of the allocation of U.S., Canada and Mexico national team players.
Soccer America MVPs First Team Seniors
G Haley Kopmeyer (Michigan), Sr.
F Zakiya Bywaters (UCLA), Sr.
D AlinaGarciamendez (Stanford), Sr.
D Ines Jaurena (Florida State), Sr.
D Lindsi Lisonbee Cutshall (BYU), Sr.
M Christine Nairn (PennState), Sr.
M Erika Tymrak (Florida), Sr.
Soccer America MVPsSecond Team Seniors
G Adrianna Franch (Oklahoma State), Sr.
M MeganJurado (San Diego State), Sr.
F Tiffany McCarty (Florida State), Sr.
D Rachel Quon (Stanford), Sr.