Cincinnati native Rose Lavelle is the National Women's Soccer League's number one draft pick for 2017.The Boston Breakers chose the midfielder from the University of Wisconsin in the first round of the 2017 NWSL draft Thursday.
"I'm super excited for this opportunity to play for such a great league and be able to develop and grow more as a player under these coaches and with this team," said Lavelle after being selected.
She thanked her coaches and teammates at Wisconsin, then turned her attention to her hometown.
"My family, my friends, everybody back in Cincinnati, my club, my high school, they've all supported me endlessly throughout my soccer career. It's really nice to be able to go out and follow your dreams and know that you can come back home and have a support system that's going to be proud of you regardless of what happens."
As WVXU reported earlier this week, Rose Lavelle was a standout player at Mount Notre Dame and set a program record at the University of Wisconsin, becoming a three-time All-American.
"Her creativity with the ball and her ability to make runs off the ball to get into good areas and the opportunities she creates for herself and others are what makes her a special player that stands out," says Bobby Puppione, Girls Director of Coaching at Cincinnati United where Lavelle played club ball.
"She is able to breakdown defenses on the dribble. She's able to find passing seams to play balls and make other players better, and she also has the ability to score goals and put the ball in the back of her net herself."
A mainstay in the Youth National Team system, Lavelle has also been called up to the full U.S. Women's National Team and could see her first career appearance this year.
