The NWSL Draft produced plenty of local interest with three local talents drafted to the top tier of women’s soccer. The three players – all members of FC Dallas’ former WPSL team – were headlined by former Dallas Texan Madison Haley being selected by the Chicago Red Stars with the seventh overall pick.
The daughter of five-time Superbowl champion Charles Haley joins a Red Stars attack including the likes of Kealia Watt and newly-acquired Mallory Pugh. Haley is considered a strong complimentary forward, and will find vital minutes during the Olympic soccer tournament as Pugh and several other Red Stars will likely travel to Japan for July’s games.
Haley scored 18 goals and recorded 23 assists in 57 games with Stanford. Haley started both of the Cardinal’s NCAA Championship games in her three years.
Haley’s pick came via a trade that involved one of DFW’s college programs as Chicago swapped the sixth and seventh picks with Portland Thorns, with the Thorns adding the 32nd overall pick and an international spot.
With that pick Portland looked to TCU midfielder Yazmeen Ryan. The Oklahoma native grabbed 19 goals and 17 assists in 68 appearances for the Horned Frogs.
For the third consecutive NWSL Draft the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex saw a second player called out from the podium in the second round. FC Dallas product Addie McCain was selected seventeenth overall by the forthcoming Kansas City franchise.
The Kansas City ownership has yet to name the franchise, which is moving back to KC from Utah, had a run of three consecutive picks in the second round, using the final to select McCain.
The 2020 SEC Midfielder of the Year recorded 16 goals and 16 assists in 77 appearances for Texas A&M. McCain will join Plano-native Abby Smith in KC.
Not to be content with two players in three consecutive years, a third Metroplex talent came off the board early in the third round in Frisco’s Taryn Torres.
Striker-turn-midfielder Torres came through FC Dallas with younger sister Hollyn (Soph. at Harvard) featured 67 times for the University of Virginia, notching 11 goals and 10 assists.
Torres has featured for the USWNT throughout the age groups, making the roster for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Preseason camps will report on February 1 for a two month preseason ahead of the second NWSL Challenge Cup.