The Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) 2012 Draft, will take place at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, January 13th, in conjunction with the NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, Mo.
The fourth installment of the League’s annual draft will consist of four rounds for a total of 23 selections made by the five WPS teams: Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC and Western New York Flash. Draft order has been determined by reverse order of the 2011 regular season standings.
Previous standout draft picks include Megan Rapinoe from University of Portland and Amy Rodriguez from University of Southern California in 2009, Tobin Heath from University of North Carolina in 2010, and Alex Morgan from the University of California, Berkeley in 2011.
WPS fans can follow the draft selections in real time on twitter and via webcast from the draft room.
2012 WPS Draft Order
Round 1
1. Atlanta Beat
2. Sky Blue FC
3. Boston Breakers
4. Atlanta Beat *via trade
5. Philadelphia Independence
6.Western New York Flash
7. Western New York Flash *via trade
Round 2
8. Western New York Flash *via trade
9. Sky Blue FC
10. Sky Blue FC *via trade
11. Boston Breakers *via trade
12. Philadelphia Independence
13. Philadelphia Independence *via trade
Round 3
14. Philadelphia Independence *via trade
15. Sky Blue FC
16. Boston Breakers
17. Philadelphia Independence
18. Western New York Flash
Round 4
19. Sky Blue FC
20. Boston Breakers
21. Philadelphia Independence
22. Western New York Flash
23. Atlanta Beat *via trade
Top players to watch
Sarah Hagen: A two-time All-WPSL selection with F.C. Milwaukee of the Midwest Conference, Hagen wrapped up her University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee career last fall as a four-time NSCAA All-American who led the nation in goals per game (1.238), points per game (2.90) and game-winning goals. Her 93 career goals is good for ninth in NCAA Division I history (212 points, 17th all-time).
Teresa Noyola: The Mexican National Team member was the lynchpin in Stanford's run to the 2011 College Cup title, scoring the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Duke University. In her senior season, Noyola was named the NSCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned the Honda Award, College Cup Offensive MVP, Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well as her third NSCAA First Team All-America honor and was awarded the MAC Hermann Trophy as the top collegiate women's soccer player.
CoCo Goodson: who starred for the San Diego SeaLions of the Pacific Conference last season and reached the Pac-Con Final. The two-time Big West Conference Defender of the Year (2010 & 2011) helped the Anteaters to a second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship Tournament in 2011. Goodson contributed twelve goals and five assists in her two years at UCI after transferring from the University of Texas, and was one of two Anteaters to be honored as an 2010 NSCAA All-American.
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