PHILADELPHIA, PA (01/15/10) - In today's Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) Draft held at the Philadelphia Convention Center, over 20 current & former standouts from the member teams of the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) were selected. But more than that, dreams of one day playing in the professional ranks alongside the best in the world are now within their fingertips - or soccer boots, in this case.

Aside from the virtual domination of the graduating seniors from the defending NCAA Champion North Carolina Tar Heels in the first few rounds (seven players drafted overall), there were still first-round opportunities to be taken. Which was certainly the case for the Arizona Rush with four selections overall, as 2009 All-WPSL selection & high-scoring forward Kiersten Dallstream was selected with the 9th pick of the First Round by the Los Angeles Sol. Former SoccerPlus CT Reds goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (pictured above with WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci) was drafted by the Boston Breakers two picks later to finish off the First Round.

NOTE: For comprehensive WPS Draft coverage of this tremendous event, visit their official website at http://www.womensprosoccer.com. For our own multimedia coverage including pics & interviews, please visit our Twitter & Facebook pages. The full list of WPSL players drafted today is at the bottom of this release.

Naeher is already very familiar with Boston Head Coach Tony DiCicco, as he has already worked with her mentor at both SoccerPlus CT and with the U.S. U-20 Women's National Team. Her Reds and Nittany Lions teammate Katie Schoepfer - an All-WPSL selection in 2008 - had to wait a little longer for her call, as she was drafted by the defending WPS Champion Sky Blue F.C. with the 26th pick in the 3rd Round. Another former SPCT team-mate in Becky Edwards would be tabbed as the first pick of the 2nd Round by the F.C. Gold Pride, and has already been slotted by Head Coach Albertin Montoya to help fill the midfield role left by the departure of U.S. Women's National Team member Leslie Osborne.

Three more WPSL standouts would get drafted in the 2nd Round, and Arizona continued to have strong representation at the top of the draft. 2008 Big Sky Conference MVP & UNC star Jess McDonald would be picked 15th overall by the Chicago Red Stars while Dallstream's Washington State & AZ Rush team-mate Carly Dobratz would go to the Washington Freedom with the 18th pick. West Coast F.C.'s Kristina Larsen would be drafted 17th overall by Saint Louis Athletica, ending her distinguished career at UCLA.

Picked 22nd overall in the 3rd Round by Los Angeles, 2008 WPSL Final Four Co-MVP Kiki Bosio will bring her offensive repertoire to the 2009 WPS regular season champions - where her dangerous flip-throwin will be another scoring asset for FIFA World Player of the Year Marta. Arizona would have their fourth player drafted in the 6th Round, as Arizona State University defender Liz Harkin (who has also played for the California Storm) was selected by the F.C. Gold Pride with the 50th pick.

Former Long Island mentor & current Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley literally leapt at the chance to take his stalwart Fury captain and former Final Four MVP Kelly Henderson in the second selection in the 4th Round. 2008 All-WPSL East selection Jill Hutchinson would be taken right before her by the Atlanta Beat with the 30th pick in the draft.

Ohio Premier Women's S.C. and the California Storm would each have two of their now-former players get drafted by WPS sides: two-time Midwest Goalkeeper of the Year Lauren Robertson (5th Round, 45th pick, Washington) and her club & college mate Ashley Bowyer (5th Round, 41st pick, F.C. Gold Pride); while the Storm's 2009 Player Of The Week selection Meagan Snell (5th Round, 44th pick, Sky Blue F.C.) and Fiona O'Sullivan (6th Round, 51st pick, Chicago) would also hear their names called.

2010 WPS DRAFT
No. of pick / Round - Player Name - WPSL club (WPS club)
#9 / 1st - Kiersten Dallstream - Arizona Rush (LOS ANGELES)
#11 / 1st - Alyssa Naeher - SoccerPlus CT (BOSTON)
#12 / 2nd - Becky Edwards - SoccerPlus CT (F.C. GOLD PRIDE)
#15 / 2nd - Jess McDonald - Arizona Rush (CHICAGO)
#17 / 2nd - Kristina Larsen - West Coast F.C. (ST. LOUIS)
#18 / 2nd - Carly Dobratz - Arizona Rush (WASHINGTON)
#22 / 3rd - Kiki Bosio - Ajax America (LOS ANGELES)
#26 / 3rd - Katie Schoepfer - SoccerPlus CT (SKY BLUE F.C.)
#30 / 4th - Jill Hutchinson - Philadelphia Liberty (ATLANTA)
#31 / 4th - Kelly Henderson - Long Island Fury (PHILADELPHIA)
#39 / 5th - Mallory Lofton-Malachi - Tampa Bay Elite (PHILADELPHIA)
#41 / 5th - Ashley Bowyer - Ohio Premier Women's S.C. (F.C. GOLD PRIDE)
#42 / 5th - Sophie Reiser - New York A.C. (CHICAGO)
#44 / 5th - Meagan Snell - California Storm (SKY BLUE F.C.)
#45 / 5th - Lauren Robertson - Ohio Premier Women's S.C. (WASHINGTON)
#47 / 5th - Lindsay Browne - SD United (LOS ANGELES)
#50 / 6th - Liz Harkin - Arizona Rush/California Storm (F.C. GOLD PRIDE)
#51 / 6th - Fiona O'Sullivan - California Storm (CHICAGO)
#53 / 6th - Kelly Isleib - Utah Spiders (SKY BLUE F.C.)
#53 / 6th - Gina DiMartino - Long Island Fury (BOSTON)
#59 / 7th - Lauren Wilmoth - West Coast F.C. (F.C. GOLD PRIDE)
#62 / 7th - Dani Collins - A.C. Diablos (PHILADELPHIA)
#65 / 7th - Taryn Hemmings - Denver Diamonds (BOSTON)

About the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL): The WPSL is a 50-plus team national league with five conferences starting in 2010 and is the largest women's soccer league in the world. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). The WPSL's mission is to provide the highest level of soccer in our effort to: bring affordable & quality family entertainment to the community; display positive role models for our youth; while, being a stepping stone for aspiring players to Women's Professional Soccer (WPS).

For more information, visit our official website at http://www.wpsl.info, phone us at 1-800-854-0913 or contact us via email at media@wpslsoccer.com. You can also keep up with our league on our social networking sites on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter!