January 22, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Washington Spirit News Release
The Washington Spirit selected six players at the 2024 NWSL Draft last Friday, January 12 in Anaheim, Ca. The six draftees – Croix Bethune, Hal Hershfelt, Kate Wiesner, Makenna Morris, Anna Podojil, and Courtney Brown – met with the media this week to chat about their draft day experience and emotions heading into the preseason. Here are some highlights:
Croix Bethune
On being a cheeky player: “In soccer terms, I would say creative, a little skill set, just bringing some flair and fun to the game. Cheeky.”
On players she emulates: “There are a couple of players with the cheekiness [I look up to]. I love to watch the Brazilians play but there’s a bunch of people on our team that I’ve either played with or haven’t had the chance to play with that I can’t wait [to play with] such as Trinity Rodman or playing with Tara McKeown or Sully, Andi Sullivan.”
Hal Hershfelt
On the growth of women’s soccer and the NWSL: “I feel like a super exciting part of all of this is the crazy incline that women’s soccer is at in our country, it’s just amazing that we get to be a part of that at the most competitive level that you can get at in the States which is really cool and super excited for that.”
On playing for head coach Jonatan Giráldez: “We’re [Hal and Makenna] both excited for a possession-oriented type of game, that’s kind of the expectation that was coming into this team with the new coach. Clemson has prepared us for that, that was our game style, we are very possession oriented… I mean he’s a very successful coach with a crazy background so that’ll be really exciting.
Kate Wiesner
On meeting Michele Kang: “To have so many staff there in Anaheim to get to meet that day on the spot and obviously getting to talk to Michele and get to know her a little bit was pretty cool. She’s pretty incredible, even cooler in person, I would say. It was a cool experience, I’m looking forward to getting to DC and getting to meet the rest of the staff.”
On players she looks up to: “A player that I’ve really looked up to in recent years and growing up a little bit is Lucy Bronze, who’s over at Barcelona, which is pretty exciting to have been watching her play the past couple of years there and have the opportunity to be coached by the same coach. It’s really exciting for me. That’s someone who I’ve tried to model my game after a little bit and I’m hoping that I can take a similar path at…