April 22, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; April 22, 2015 - Penn State women's soccer is highly visible in the opening weeks of the 2015 National Women's Soccer League season, with 10 former Nittany Lions competing in the United States' top professional league for women's soccer.
Penn State's 10 representatives in the NWSL ranks third in the league behind North Carolina (15) and UCLA (12).
Maddy Evans (2009-12), Katie Schoepfer (2006-09) and Alyssa Naeher (2006-09) play for the Boston Breakers, Maya Hayes (2010-13) competes for Sky Blue FC, Whitney Church (2011-14), Ali Krieger (2003-06), Joanna Lohman (2000-03) , Tiffany Weimer (2002-05) and Christine Nairn (2009-12) are on the Washington Spirit, and Erin McLeod (2004-05) is a goalkeeper for the Houston Dash.
Church played full time in the Spirit's season opener against the Houston Dash, putting one shot on goal. A National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America first team selection, the 2014 Big Ten Defender of the Year and a Missouri Athletic Club (M.A.C.) Hermann Trophy Award semifinalist, Church started 89 of Penn State's 100 matches from 2011-14 and concluded her career in Happy Valley as the program's all-time leader in minutes played (8,243).
Evans played full-time in the Breakers' 4-1 season-opening loss to Portland Thorns FC. She has spent her entire professional career with the Breakers, setting career-highs in appearances, starts and minutes played last season. A team captain of the 2012 Nittany Lions, Evans helped lead the Blue and White to its first National Championship appearance, earning second team All-Big Ten accolades that season. She started 63 of 88 games during her four-year Penn State career.
Hayes has played 179 of 180 minutes for Sky Blue FC to open her second professional season. The sixth-overall NWSL draft pick by Sky Blue FC in 2014, Hayes was one of three to play in 23 of the team's 24 games last year. At Penn State, she was a M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist in 2012 and 2013, and the trophy runner-up in 2011 after setting a Big Ten record for single-season points with 70. Hayes captured three NSCAA All-American and first team All-Big Ten selections during her Penn State career, scoring the third-most goals (71) and points (163) in program history.
In Washington's season opener, Krieger spent 25 minutes on the field before sustaining an injury. A fixture on the U.S. Women's National Team roster since 2008, she will be making her second appearance at the FIFA Women's World Cup in July after being named to the team's roster last week. Professionally, Krieger competed for FFC Frankfurt in Germany for five seasons, played in the WPS for one season and made seven appearances for Tyreso in Sweden before starting her career with the Washington Spirit in 2013. A two-time NSCAA All-American during a four-year Penn State career, Krieger was also the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist following her senior campaign.
Lohman has recorded 112 minutes in two games played this season, recording two shots. Appearing in her 11th professional season, she has competed professionally in Cyprus, Sweden, Spain, the W-League, WPS and the NWSL. For the Nittany Lions, Lohman started all 101 matches from 2000 to 2003, sitting in the top-10 for Penn State career assists (37) and goals (41). She was a three-time NSCAA All-American and a four-time first team All-Big Ten pick, garnering a M.A.C. Hermann Trophy runner-up spot her senior year.
McLeod turned away three shots and allowed one goal in a 1-1 tie with Sky Blue FC to open 2015, her eighth professional season after stints with the WPS, Dalsjofors GoIF (Sweden) and the NWSL. An accomplished Canadian Women's National Team member, she has competed in three World Cups, two Olympic games and earned a bronze medal at the 2012 London Summer Olympics. McLeod captured NSCAA All-America and first team All-Big Ten honors each of her two seasons in the Blue and White, posting a program-best 0.64 goals against average during her career.
Naeher made four saves and allowed four goals in net for Boston's season opener against Portland. She earned NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year accolades in 2014 after setting a league record with 106 saves in her sixth professional season. A three-time NSCAA All-American at Penn State, Naeher ranks second in career saves (359), shutouts (30), minutes played (7,952) and wins (60). She was named to the 23-person U.S. Women's National Team roster for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup last week in what will be her Women's World Cup debut.
Nairn is one of five players to score two goals in the opening two games of the season. She scored the match-winner in the Spirit's home opener, a 3-1 victory over FC Kansas City on April 18. She has taken five shots in 158 minutes on the pitch in her third professional season. While wearing the Blue and White her senior season, Nairn led the 2012 team to its first-ever National Championship game with a team-best 17 goals and 12 assists.
Schoepfer assisted on Stephanie McCaffrey's goal and put a shot on frame in the Breakers' season opener versus Portland. Schoepfer is playing in her sixth professional season, appearing for Sky Blue FC when the team was a member of the WPS, and has been a member of the Boston Breakers in the WPS and NWSL since 2011. In Penn State's program record books, Schoepfer ranks in the top-10 for career goals and assists, earning a M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist nod in 2009, picking up two NSCAA All-American laurels and three first team All-Big Ten selections.
Weimer returns to the Spirit after suffering a season-ending knee injury last April, her first season with the club after helping the Thorns win the inaugural NWSL title in 2013 with 10 matches played. She has played professionally with Danish Elitedivisionen, the W-League, WPSL Elite and the WPS. A three-time NSCAA All-American, Weimer holds the program records for career goals (91) and has the second-most career points with 214.
The 2015 Nittany Lions will look to continue the legacy left by those who came before them, and recently wrapped up their spring campaign with wins over Colgate, Bucknell and Saint Francis, and losses against Sky Blue FC and Western New York Flash.