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2018 NWSL College Draft Preview

01/16/2018, 7:00pm EST
By Admin

10 United Women's Soccer stars look to make their pro dreams come true

METUCHEN, NJ - The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) will conduct their 2018 College Draft this Thursday, January 18th (10 AM EST) at the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Convention in Philadelphia, PA. It will be held in the CC Grand Ballroom at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. One of the cornerstones of United Women's Soccer (UWS) is to develop talent for the professional ranks and 10 former UWS standouts have registered and are eligible for this year's draft.

The 2018 NWSL College Draft will be live streamed and is open to the public & media. For more information, visit their Draft Hub. Fans and friends can find United Women's Soccer at Booth 1405 in the Exhibit Hall at the PA Convention Center. Follow UWS on social media for live updates and more. For full information on the USC Convention, visit their official website at UnitedSoccerCoachesConvention.org.

"I want to wish all the players involved in Thursday's NWSL College Draft the best of luck in making their professional dreams come true," said UWS Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. "And I'd like to also send kudos to our UWS alumni participating as well. Our member teams strive for development and we all hope these players get a good look at the next level."

Pos. - Name - College (CLUB)
F - Michaela Abam - West Virginia University (COLORADO PRIDE)
GK - Caitlyn Clem - University of Wisconsin (DETROIT SUN F.C.)
D - Bailey Corbin - Nova Southeastern University (LANCASTER INFERNO)
F/MF - Isabella Habuda - Liberty University (DETROIT SUN F.C.)
F - Paige Hayward - Texas Southern University (HOUSTON ACES)
D/MF - Gabrielle Matulich - UCLA (SANTA CLARITA BLUE HEAT)
MF - Jessica Reinhardt - Fairleigh Dickinson University (NEW JERSEY COPA F.C.)
D - Allyson Swaby - Boston College (NEW ENGLAND MUTINY)
MF - Madison Vasquez - Siena College (LONG ISLAND ROUGH RIDERS)
D - Elizabeth Wenger - Georgetown University (LANCASTER INFERNO)

Forward Michaela Abam starred for the Colorado Pride during the 2016 UWS season. Abam was a 2017 United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team selection for West Virginia University this past fall and finished her Mountaineer career ranked No. 3 all-time with 42 career goals and No. 4 with 100 points (42 G, 16 A). The 2017 UWS Defensive Player Of The Year & University of Wisconsin goalkeeper Caitlyn Clem will also take part in the draft. Detroit Sun FC finished in 2nd place in the Midwest last summer and Clem started in seven regular season games (5-1-1 record, 3 shutouts, 7 goals allowed) as well as all three postseason tilts for the 2017 UWS National Semifinalists.

Caitlyn started all 22 matches for Wisconsin (10 shutouts) and was named to the 2017 All-Big Ten Preseason Team. She also garnered Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on two occasions for Head Coach Paula Wilkins. Bailey Corbin was also a defensive standout this fall during her collegiate campaign for Nova Southeastern University, as she was named Third Team All-American by United Soccer Coaches. Corbin helped propel the Sharks to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, a Sunshine State Conference regular season title, and was named the SSC Defensive Player of the Year. Bailey has appeared in 19 of the 20 UWS games that the Lancaster Inferno have played the past two seasons.

In just two seasons at Liberty University, forward/midfielder Isabella Habuda proved to be one of the program's prolific scorers, ranking 11th in school history with 41 career points (16 G, 9 A). It was the second straight season that Habuda was named to the All-Big South Conference First Team. Isabella tied for second in scoring for Detroit and was named to the UWS Team of the Week (Week 1) for her 2 goals in a win over FC Indiana. Forward Paige Hayward was named to the All-SWAC Second Team for the second consecutive season after leading Texas Southern University in scoring (8 G, 18 PTS). The Australia-native and Houston Aces veteran tied TSU's all-time goals record and became the school's all-time leader in points on Senior Day this fall.

Defender/midfielder Gabrielle Matulich starred for the Santa Clarita Blue Heat during their 2016 UWS championship season. Matulich earned Pac-12 All-Academic honors for the third-straight year at UCLA and was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week (Oct. 3) after recording a goal and assist against Oregon State. In her first season for New Jersey Copa F.C., midfielder Jessica Reinhardt appeared in seven games for the 2017 East Conference regular season champions. Reinhardt would go on to be named Second Team All-Region by United Soccer Coaches for Fairleigh Dickinson University this fall and was selected to the All-Northeast Conference First Team for the third straight season. She became FDU's all-time leader in assists (23).

Defender Allyson Swaby was team co-captain for Boston College and started in all 20 games for the Eagles (started in 70 of 73 career games over her four-year career at BC). Swaby has been a member of the Jamaican Women's National Team and was named to the 2016 All-UWS & All-East Conference Teams for the New England Mutiny. Midfielder Madison Vasquez earned All-MAAC honors for the third year in a row for Siena College, making the Second Team as she started all 18 matches and tallied 10 points with three game-winning goals. Vasquez was a two-time Preseason All-MAAC selection as well. Madison appeared in eight games (2 G, 2 A) this past summer for the 2017 UWS National Semifinalist Long Island Rough Riders.

Defender Elizabeth Wenger rounds out the draft-eligible list after earning a 2017 United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team selection for Georgetown University. Wenger was a First Team All-Midwest Region honoree after being named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. She was a three-time All-BIG EAST honoree, earning a spot on the first team as a senior (78 starts over her four-year career). Wenger appeared in eight games for Lancaster during the 2017 UWS season, notching an assist.

About United Women’s Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women’s soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media can contact UWS Director of Communications Jorma Kansanen by e-mail at UWSPress@gmail.com. You can visit the league’s official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.

Nine UWS Stars Named All-American

12/14/2017, 6:30pm EST
By Admin

Corboz, Castellanos & Wenger top the United Soccer Coaches honor roll

METUCHEN, NJ - Nine current and former United Women's Soccer (UWS) standouts were honored as All-Americans by United Soccer Coaches for their efforts during their collegiate campaigns this past fall. This year's All-Americans, along with their families and coaches, will be formally acknowledged for their accomplishments at the United Soccer Coaches All-America Luncheon on January 20, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in conjunction with the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Convention in downtown Philadelphia.

DIVISION I: Georgetown University midfielder Rachel Corboz (New York Surf) was named to the First Team and Hoyas compatriot & defender Elizabeth Wenger (Lancaster Inferno) was named to the Second Team alongside Florida State University forward Deyna Castellanos (Santa Clarita Blue Heat) - the reigning UWS Player of the Year. Corboz is a three-time All-American and was also named the Big East Midfielder of the Year. Wenger was a First Team All-Midwest Region honoree after being named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Castellanos was also honored this fall as one of three finalists for the FIFA Best Women's Player of the Year, as well as one of the three finalists for the FIFA Puskas Award. West Virginia University forward Michaela Abam starred for the Colorado Pride in 2016.

DIVISION II: Nova Southeastern University defender Bailey Corbin (Lancaster Inferno) and Adelphi University forward Jeanine Nunez (New Jersey Copa FC) were named Third Team All-American by United Soccer Coaches. Corbin's honor follows a big year in which she helped propel the Sharks to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, a Sunshine State Conference regular season title, and was named the SSC Defensive Player of the Year. Nunez earned her first All-American honor and ensured Adelphi representation on the All-America Team for the fourth year in a row, after the Panthers did not have a selection since 2004. The Copa star also landed on the All-East Region First Team.

NAIA: Spring Arbor University midfielder Bethany Balcer (Grand Rapids FC) was selected as the NAIA National Player of the Year for the second time in her career and was joined on the First Team by University of Northwestern Ohio forward Evdokia Popadinova (Detroit Sun). The defending UWS champion GRFC Women had a second player honored as Martin Methodist College midfielder Riko Sagara (Grand Rapids FC) made the Second Team. Balcer was selected to the First Team for the third consecutive season and scored two goals in the NAIA Championship to help SAU secure its second title in three seasons. Popadinova was the WHAC Offensive Player of the Year and a Third Team All-American in 2016. This was Sagara's second straight All-American honor as well and she tallied over 30 assists this past fall.

2017 NCAA Division I Women's All-America Team

First Team
MF - Rachel Corboz - Georgetown University (NEW YORK SURF)

Second Team
D - Elizabeth Wenger - Georgetown University (LANCASTER INFERNO)
F - Michaela Abam - West Virginia University (COLORADO PRIDE)
F - Deyna Castellanos - Florida State University (SANTA CLARITA BLUE HEAT)

2017 NCAA Division II Women's All-America Team

Third Team
D - Bailey Corbin - Nova Southeastern University (LANCASTER INFERNO)
F - Jeanine Nunez - Adelphi University (NEW JERSEY COPA FC)

2017 NAIA Women's All-America Team

First Team
MF - Bethany Balcer - Spring Arbor University (GRAND RAPIDS FC)
F - Evdokia Popadinova - University of Northwestern Ohio (DETROIT SUN)

Second Team
MF - Riko Sagara - Martin Methodist College (GRAND RAPIDS FC)

About United Women’s Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women’s soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media can contact UWS Director of Communications Jorma Kansanen by e-mail at UWSPress@gmail.com. You can visit the league’s official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.

United Women's Soccer Offseason Update

08/22/2017, 1:45pm EDT
By Admin

Castellanos up for top FIFA Women’s Player honors; player transactions

METUCHEN, NJ - A panel of women’s football experts from around the world - highlighted by legendary names like Mia Hamm, Nadine Kessler, Sissi and Sun Wen - have shortlisted ten players for The Best FIFA Women’s Player 2017 award. Alongside international talent on the level of United States Women’s National Team midfielder Carli Lloyd, Germany star Dzsenifer Marozsan and France standout Wendie Renard, 2017 United Women’s Soccer (UWS) Player of the Year and Florida State University sophomore Deyna Castellanos was named to this prestigious list. The Venezuelan phenom took the pitch for the Santa Clarita Blue Heat this summer, starting in nine matches overall while tallying six goals and two assists for the UWS National Finalists.

The winner of this award will be chosen by a process involving four criteria: national team coaches, captains, selected media and the fans. FIFA is conducting a fan vote and that has commenced through their official website via this link. Voting closes on Thursday, September 7th and the three final nominees for the men’s & women’s player and coach categories - as well as for the FIFA Puskas Award, the FIFA Fan Award and the brand new The Best FIFA Goalkeeper Award - will be announced in mid-September. The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, October 23rd. You can join the discussion on Twitter about who should win this year’s prizes by using the hashtag #TheBest.

TOP GOAL OF THE YEAR… speaking of top honors, Castellanos was part of another recent online contest where the fans could have their say as the league announced the 2017 UWS Goal of the Year competition. Out of four worthy nominees in the online poll, her game-winning goal against So Cal Crush shared UWS GOY honors with Michaela Kovacs’ game-tying goal in the 2017 National Semifinal for Grand Rapids FC against Long Island. You can view Castellanos’ 35-yard chip to win the SCCFC game at this link while you can view Kovac’s dramatic header to force penalty kicks via this link. The Venezuelan international has continued her scoring streak, as she tallied all three goals in FSU’s season-opening shutout win over UNC-Greensboro this past weekend.

NEW WAVE FOR SURF STAR… another player involved in the UWS Goal of the Year competition has also seen an exciting turn of events in her career over the past week as former New York Surf & Sky Blue FC midfielder Kelly Conheeney was signed as a discovery player by the Houston Dash this past week. Conheeney’s assist on Erica Murphy’s game-winning goal for New York over Long Island was certainly GOY-worthy and you can view it via this link. The 26-year-old Virginia Tech product began the 2017 season with Sky Blue FC, where she scored one goal in 13 games for the team in 2016. The Surf serve as the official amateur affiliate for the SBFC organization and the first-year organization finished in fourth place in the tough UWS East Conference this past season with a 6-2-2 record.

SCORING A WORLDY… the fourth nominee for UWS GOY consideration - forward Joelle Gosselin’s game-tying blast in a 4-1 win over Houston - has been bringing her heroics to the international level. Gosselin and four other Calgary Foothills Women’s FC stars are taking part in the 2017 World University Games in Taipei for Team Canada. The 2017 All-UWS Second Team selection scored seven goals and an assist for Calgary, leading the team in scoring. She has been joined by goalkeeper Sarah Dilling, All-West Conference defender Melissa Roy, midfielder Arielle Roy-Petitclerc and forward Jordan Smith on Team Canada. They have advanced to a quarterfinal match this Thursday against Brazil with thanks to Gosselin, as she scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Ireland this past Sunday.

FROM SERBIA WITH LOVE… another Calgary star has continued to develop her career as CFWFC midfielder Alix Bruch recently signed a professional contract with ZFK Spartak Subotica, the top women’s professional side in Serbia and a participant in the UEFA Women's Champion's League. Spartak ranks 23rd out of 61 teams participating this year in Europe’s most prestigious club competition. The two-time AUS Second Team selection for St. Francis Xavier University played in four matches for Calgary, who finished in second-place in their inaugural season in the UWS West. Bruch had this to say about her 2017 season with CFWFC: “It was an excellent group of players and a high-intensity training environment that kept me fit and challenged me to raise my game.”

SHORELINE TO SWITZERLAND… 2017 UWS East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and New Jersey Copa FC defender Rebecca Raber has joined Copa goalkeeper Kristyn Shea at FF Lugano 1776, who compete in the top tier of women’s soccer in Switzerland. FF Lugano finished sixth last season in the Women's Nationalliga A with a record of 7-6-5, giving them a total of 27 points. Raber started every game for NJCFC this past season and was named to the All-UWS First Team for her stalwart presence on the backline. Shea was the 2016 UWS East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and in addition to playing for Copa in 2017 (3-0-1 record, 13 saves) she also played for the NWSL Sky Blue Reserves over the summer. The full Copa release is available via this link.

About United Women’s Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women’s soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media can contact UWS Director of Communications Jorma Kansanen by e-mail at UWSPress@gmail.com. You can visit the league’s official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.

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