PHILADELPHIA (theACC.com) – Headlined by seven first-round draft picks, 12 Atlantic Coast Conference student-athletes were selected in the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Draft. The ACC’s seven first-round picks and 12 picks overall were the most of any conference.
For the third consecutive year and fourth time in the last six years, the ACC had a student-athlete selected among the top five picks. Duke’s Michelle Cooper, the 2022 MAC Hermann Trophy winner, was chosen by Kansas City Current with the second overall pick, followed by the Florida State duo of Emily Madril and Jenna Nighswonger. Madril was picked by the Orlando Pride at No. 3 overall, while Nighswonger is heading to NJ/NY Gotham FC with the fourth overall pick.
More than half of the first round was made up of ACC student-athletes, as Notre Dame’s Olivia Wingate was selected sixth overall to the North Carolina Courage, while the Courage took Florida State’s Clara Robbins three picks later at ninth overall. Virginia’s duo of Alexa Spaanstra and Haley Hopkins were taken at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively, as Spaanstra heads to the KC Current, while Hopkins goes to the North Carolina Courage.
In the second round, Notre Dame’s Brianna Martinez was selected by Racing Louisville FC at 17th overall. North Carolina’s Tori Hansen was taken by the Orlando Pride in the third round with the 25th overall pick. A pair of Blue Devils went off the board in the fourth round, as Delaney Graham was picked 40th overall by the Washington Spirit and Sophie Jones was taken by the Chicago Red Stars, 43rd overall. Wake Forest’s Giovanna DeMarco rounded out the ACC’s selections at 45th overall to the San Diego Wave.
At least eight ACC student-athletes have been selected in each of the past seven NWSL Drafts.
2023 NWSL Draft Picks
1/2 – Michelle Cooper, Duke – Kansas City Current
1/3 – Emily Madril, Florida State – Orlando Pride
1/4 – Jenna Nighswonger, Florida State – NJ/NY Gotham FC
1/6 – Olivia Wingate, Notre Dame – North Carolina Courage
1/9 – Clara Robbins, Florida State – North Carolina Courage
1/10 – Alexa Spaanstra, Virginia – Kansas City Current
1/11 – Haley Hopkins, Virginia – North Carolina Courage
2/17 – Brianna Martinez, Notre Dame – Racing Louisville FC
3/25 – Tori Hansen, North Carolina…
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