With stellar collegiate careers behind them, several Huskers chose to continue their playing days at the professional level. Eleven former Nebraska soccer players were drafted into the Women's United Soccer Assocation (WUSA), an eight-team league that ran from 2000 to 2003, while two former Huskers play in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), a seven-team league that started in the spring of 2009. NU is one of six schools to have at least two former players in the WPS, and only seven programs have more players in the league.
Women's United Soccer Association
Breanna Boyd, a three-time first team All-Big 12 honoree, was the highest Husker to ever be drafted into the WUSA, as she was picked No. 8 overall in the 2002 draft by the Carolina Courage. Christine Latham, a three-time All-American at Nebraska, bypassed the draft and was signed by the San Diego Spirit before the draft as a discovery player the same year.
Seven former Huskers were selected in the inaugural WUSA Draft (Dec. 10-11, 2000), including four in the third round. Sharolta Nonen, the 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year, became the first former Husker selected when the Atlanta Beat made Nonen their third-round selection. She was the 17th athlete selected in the draft. It didn't take long for another Nebraska player to be selected as Jenny Benson was selected with the next pick. Benson, a 2000 NSCAA First-Team All-American, was picked by the Philadelphia Charge.
Karina LeBlanc was chosen by the Boston Breakers in the third round as the 21st pick overall, after being named a 2000 All-American by College Soccer Online while at Nebraska. LeBlanc, who helped the Huskers post a school-record 16 shutouts as a senior in 2000, was the second goalkeeper selected in the draft. Also selected in the third round was former Husker midfielder Amy Walsh, who was taken by the Bay Area CyberRays as the 24th overall pick.
Lindsay Eddleman, Rebecca Hornbacher and Kim Engesser rounded out the former Nebraska players selected in the 2000 WUSA Draft. In the 13th round, the Breakers selected forward Eddleman as the 102nd overall pick, and the New York Power chose goalkeeper Hornbacher as the 110th overall pick. Engesser, also a forward, was selected in the 14th round by the Atlanta Beat and Becky Hogan was picked up as a free agent by the Breakers following the inaugural draft.
Meghan Anderson joined Nebraska's list of professional players in 2001 when she was selected by the Carolina Courage in the third round with the 20th overall pick. Becky Hogan was selected by the Boston Breakers in the third round.
LeBlanc, Nonen and Boyd all excelled in the league, as all were selected to the WUSA World All-Star Team for the 2003 season.
Women's Professional Soccer
With the resurgence of women’s professional soccer, two former Huskers will play in the inaugural season of the Women’s Professional Soccer league (WPS) in the spring of 2009. Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc was the fifth overall pick by Los Angeles in the WPS General Draft and forward Christine Latham had her playing rights obtained by the Boston Breakers as a post-draft discovery player.
Huskers Drafted
| WUSA | |||||
|
Athlete |
Team |
Pos. |
Year |
Rd |
Pick No. |
|
Carolina Courage |
D |
2002 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
San Diego Spirit |
F |
2002 |
Discovery Player |
||
| Becky Hogan | Boston Breakers | D | 2001 | 3 | 19 |
|
Carolina Courage |
MF |
2001 |
3 |
20 |
|
|
Atlanta Beat |
D |
2000 |
3 |
17 |
|
|
Philadelphia Charge |
MF/D |
2000 |
3 |
18 |
|
|
Boston Breakers |
GK |
2000 |
3 |
21 |
|
|
Bay Area CyberRays |
MF |
2000 |
3 |
24 |
|
|
Boston Breakers |
F |
2000 |
13 |
102 |
|
|
New York Power |
GK |
2000 |
13 |
110 |
|
|
Atlanta Beat |
F |
2000 |
14 |
113 |
|
| WPS | |||||
| Athlete | Team | Pos. | Year | Rd | Pick No. |
|
Los Angeles Sol |
GK |
2009 |
1 |
5 |
|
|
Boston Breakers |
F |
2009 |
Discovery Player |
||