Jan. 15, 2010
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.--Penn State All-Americans Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) and Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.) were selected in the 2010 Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) Draft today. Naeher was picked 11th overall in the Round One by Boston and Schoepfer went to Sky Blue FC of New Jersey as the 26th overall choice.
Naeher heads back to New England and will join teammate and fellow Nutmeg State product Tiffany Wiemer who signed with the Breakers this fall. Naeher was the first goalkeeper chosen in this year's draft and was the final pick of Round One. Boston went 7-9-4 in 2009, missing out on the playoffs, while giving up one goal per game on average. Overall the Breakers pitched seven shutouts last season.
Schoepfer ships off to New Jersey to play for Sky Blue FC this spring. Selected as the 26th overall pick in Round Three by the Piscataway-based club, Schoepfer will join the defending WPS Champion. Last season, SBFC went 7-8-5 in the regular season, qualifying for the playoffs by a point. From there, the club made an outstanding run through the playoffs, winning at Washington (2-1), Saint Louis (1-0) and Los Angeles (1-0) to capture the league's first championship.
Naeher departs for Carson, Calif. immediately following the draft to take part in a 26-player U.S. Women's National Team training camp that will run until Feb. 4, which will settle on an 18-player roster for the 2010 Algarve Cup in Portgual (Feb. 24-Mar. 3).
The Washington Freedom and Naeher's Boston Breakers kick off the 2010 WPS season on April 10 at Maryland SoccerPlex. The following day, Schoepfer's Sky Blue FC begin defense of their crown at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University against Chicago on Fox Soccer Channel.
FRIDAY'S QUOTEABLE REMARKS
Alyssa Naeher
On coming to Boston
"I've enjoyed working with him in the past and excited to work with him again."
On being the first goalkeeper drafted in 2010
"I was excited to take the next stop. I didn't know where I would go but now it's Boston I'm very excited."
Boston Head Coach Tony DiCicco
On Alyssa Naeher's selection to the Breakers
"Alyssa is a talented and athletic goalkeeper who has the ability to make fantastic saves. She is in the U.S. Women's National Team pool and will challenge Ali Lipsher and Ashley Phillips in net."
More to come...
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--NITTANY LIONS--