Washington Spirit Picks First Round of 2018 NWSL College Draft
Washington Spirit selects Andi Sullivan with first overall pick in 2018 NWSL College Draft, With the Addition of Seven More Players to their 2018 Pick.
College Soccer News: The Washington Spirit has selected U.S. Women’s National Team and Stanford University midfielder Andi Sullivan with the first overall pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft.
In addition to midfielder Andi Sullivan (No. 1 overall) from Stanford, Washington Spirit has selected forward Rebecca Quinn (No. 3 overall) from Duke.
After making two of the draft’s first three selections, the Spirit picked defender/forward Schuyler DeBree (No. 11 overall) from Duke and forward Mallory Eubanks (No. 16 overall) from Mississippi State in the second round; defender Brittany Basinger (No. 21 overall) from Penn State and midfielder Maddie Huster (No. 26 overall) from Wake Forest in the third round; and midfielder Rachel Moore (No. 31 overall) from William & Mary in the fourth round.
Sullivan, a Lorton, Va. native, led Stanford to the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship title during her senior season, and scored the final goal of her collegiate career during a 3-2 win over UCLA in the final.
Andi Sullivan is heading back to the DMV. Here's a quick message from our top pick!#WeWill #SpiritFam pic.twitter.com/DHjt4PFZGQ
— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) January 18, 2018
She finished her decorated college career with 20 goals, 19 assists and eight game-winning goals. Earlier this month, she was awarded the 2017 Hermann Trophy, college soccer’s most prestigious individual honor.
“It’s such an honor and a privilege to go No. 1.”
“There are so many amazing players in the league so it truly means a lot to me. It’s an exciting time for the league, and I’m very excited to come back to the D.M.V. and play in the stadium where I grew up watching games,” Sullivan said.
In addition to her contributions at Stanford, Sullivan has continued to climb through the ranks of the U.S. national team player pool, rising from the U-20 level to the U-23 level, and is now a regular member of the senior national team. The 22-year-old midfielder has seven international caps so far in her young career.
“This is a huge opportunity for the Spirit and Andi to create something special.”
“With her addition to our current roster, we have major optimism for the 2018 season and beyond,” said Spirit Head Coach and General Manager Jim Gabarra.
Prior to arriving at Stanford, Sullivan played in the Washington, D.C. area for Bethesda Soccer Club, McLean Youth Soccer and Lee Mount Vernon Sports Club. She represented the Spirit organization at the W-League level in 2013, shortly after she helped lead the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team to the 2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship title in Guatemala, scoring two goals and recording one assist.
She also played at the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan, starting all three group matches.
The Spirit has announced two exhibition games which will be included in the club’s 2018 NWSL preseason schedule. Washington will return to Evergreen Sportsplex in Leesburg, Va. for the second straight year on Saturday’s March 10 for a friendly against 22-time women’s college champion University of North Carolina, purchase tickets here.
On March 17, the Spirit will host the first ever NWSL match played in Richmond, Va. when they face the North Carolina Courage at the historic City Stadium. Tickets for the game in Richmond are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.
Washington Spirit 2018 Season Tickets are on sale now at Tickets.WashingtonSpirit.com.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON SPIRIT
The Washington Spirit is the professional women’s soccer team based at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md. Launched in 2012, the Spirit play in the National Women’s Soccer League, the premier women’s soccer competition in North America. For more information about the Spirit, visit www.WashingtonSpirit.com, follow the club on Twitter @WashSpirit and on Facebook at facebook.com/washingtonspirit.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is a ten-team Division-I women’s professional soccer league featuring players from around the world. The ten clubs are the Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, North Carolina Courage, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Seattle Reign FC, Sky Blue FC, Utah Royals FC and Washington Spirit. Based in Chicago, the NWSL is supported by the United States Soccer Federation and the Canadian Soccer Association. For more information about the NWSL, log on to the league’s official website at www.NWSLsoccer.com.
Photo Credit: Washington Spirit