The College Women’s Soccer Programs That Have Produced the Most Pro Players
There are many different ways to become a professional soccer player, but playing in college is the most common way to get drafted. While you can pick a school for various reasons, some colleges should be considered based on their track record of developing professional players. As women’s professional soccer and the NWSL continue to grow, these schools seem to have it down to a science on how to get players drafted. Let’s look at some of the top colleges that have produced the most pro players.
UCLA
The Bruins have a winning record that speaks for itself. They are consistently among the highest-ranked programs and have produced pro players like Ashley Sanchez, Lauren Barnes, Caprice Dydasco, and Sam Mewis. After the last NWSL Draft, UCLA now holds the record for the most NWSL draft picks with 22 overall.
UNC
As one of the nation’s best collegiate female soccer programs, is it really a surprise to anyone that UNC is on this list? UNC has produced some incredible professional players like Emily Fox and Crystal Dunn, who were both selected number one in their respective drafts. To date, the University of North Carolina follows closely behind UCLA with 21 overall draft picks.
Stanford
The Cardinals have the highest number of first-overall draft picks, with a total of four since the start of the NWSL Draft. Stanford is also one of only two colleges to have had a player drafted in every single NWSL Draft. They have had 20 draft picks overall, which is quite the feat but not surprising considering some of the names that have come out of there, like Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson, and Sophia Smith.
University of Virginia
Like Stanford, Virginia has had at least one draft pick since the inception of the NWSL Draft. Virginia topped the Cardinals this past year after two players–Alexa Spaanstra and Haley Hopkins–were selected in the first round. Virginia is now tied with UNC with 21 overall draft picks after the last Draft. Some alums include Emily Sonnett, Becky Sauerbrunn, Sinead Farrelly, and Diana Ordóñez.
Duke
Rounding out the schools with 20 or more players to be drafted is Duke University. Tied with Stanford, the Blue Devils also have 20 overall draft picks. This year, they had the number two draft pick when the KC Current selected Michelle Cooper. Imani Dorsey, Quinn, and Lily Nabet are other notable NWSL players who came out of Duke.
Penn State
Penn State has seen great success in the Big 10 Conference. Many popular professional players have come out of their program. Alyssa Naeher, current USWNT goalkeeper and recently retired Ali Krieger, played for the Nittany Lions. Penn boasts 17 overall draft picks, two of which were selected in the first two rounds of the 2023 NWSL Draft.
Florida State
To have a player selected in the first round is impressive, and the Seminoles are really good at that. In fact, they are one of two teams that hold the record for the most first-round picks in a single draft, with ten overall. In the 2023 NWSL Draft, they had three top ten first-round picks, two of which were chosen in the top five. Florida State currently has a total of 15 overall draft picks.
USC
You can’t leave the Trojans off the list! Although they didn’t have a draft pick in the 2023 Draft, LA’s other top team has a record of 14 total draft picks. USC saw two of their players get selected in the 2022 NWSL Draft. Racing Louisville selected Savannah DeMelo fourth overall, and she earned a call-up to the USWNT for this year’s World Cup.
Featured image via Getty Images
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