GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) - Headlined by four first-round draft picks, 10 ACC student-athletes were selected in the 2022 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Draft. The ACC’s four first-round selections tied for the most of any conference and the 10 total selections were the second most, just one shy of tying for the conference lead.
For the second consecutive year and third time in the last five years, the ACC had a student-athlete selected among the top-five picks. Florida State’s Jaelin Howell was chosen by Racing Louisville FC with the second overall pick and Virginia Tech’s Emily Gray was the No. 3 pick by the North Carolina Courage.
Virginia’s Diana Ordoñez was also selected by the NC Courage at No. 6 and Duke’s Caitlin Cosme was the 10th pick in the draft by the Orlando Pride.
Notre Dame’s Sammi Fisher was taken in the second round with the 19th pick by the Chicago Red Stars, followed by North Carolina’s Claudia Dickey at No. 20 and Wake Forest’s Ryanne Brown at No. 21, both selected by the OL Reign.
In the third round, Jenna Menta of Wake Forest was the first ACC student-athlete selected with the 30th pick by Racing Louisville FC. Clemson’s Hensley Hancuff was taken 34th overall by the NJ/NY Gotham FC and Angel City FC drafted Duke’s Lily Nabet with the 36th pick.
The ACC’s 10 student-athletes selected among the top-three rounds were the most of any conference, as the league did not have a fourth-round selection.
At least eight ACC student-athletes have been selected in each of the past six NWSL Drafts.
2022 NWSL Draft Picks
1/2 - Jaelin Howell, Florida State - Racing Louisville FC
1/3 - Emily Gray, Virginia Tech - North Carolina Courage
1/6 - Diana Ordoñez, Virginia - North Carolina Courage
1/10 - Caitlin Cosme, Duke - Orlando Pride
2/19 - Sammi Fisher, Notre Dame - Chicago Red Stars
2/20 - Claudia Dickey, North Carolina - OL Reign
2/21 - Ryanne Brown, Wake Forest - OL Reign
3/30 - Jenna Menta, Wake Forest - Racing Louisville FC
3/34 - Hensley Hancuff, Clemson - NJ/NY Gotham FC
3/36 - Lily Nabet, Duke - Angel City FC