Author Ryan Wood is the Communications Manager for the Boston Breakers and Assistant Editor at Our Game Magazine. Follow Ryan on Twitter at @writerwood.

The 2012 Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) Draft is the fourth draft in league history, and the talent pool runs deep yet again. A number of this year’s college seniors have played or trained with the U.S. Women’s National Team and the U.S. U-23s and each will look to make an imprint in what is considered the top women’s league in the world.

This year’s draft, held on Friday, Jan. 13 (1 p.m. CT) at the NSCAA Convention in the Kansas City Convention Center, will feature four rounds and approximately two dozen picks. Last year’s draft consisted of four rounds and 24 picks, and the expansion Western New York Flash selected Alex Morgan out of California. The Philadelphia Independence had two first-round picks and took Sinead Farrelly (Virginia) at No. 2 and Lauren Fowlkes (Notre Dame) at No. 5. After Farrelly, the Washington Freedom (later renamed, magicJack) had the next two picks and selected Meghan Klingenberg (UNC) and Christen Press (Stanford). Portland’s Keelin Winters went to the Boston Breakers at No. 6, the Atlanta Beat took Kylie Wright (UCLA) at No. 7, and the Flash closed out Round 1 by taking Portland’s Elli Reed.

The Draft is open to representatives for each of the five WPS teams as well as select media and VIPs. Fans can watch a live webcast of the WPS Draft live at the NSCAA Booth (#202) in the Exhibit Hall or watch streaming on http://www.womensprosoccer.com. Dean Linke, play-by-play announcer for WPS and the NSCAA College Game of the Week on Fox Soccer, will be joined by sports broadcaster and reporter Kyndra de St. Aubin.

Each team will have a designated amount of time to make their selection in the Draft. The player selected will have their name announced by a WPS representative before the next team is on the clock. Teams are allowed to make trades during the draft, but they must first be approved by WPS.

The 2011 college season provided plenty of highlights, culminating with Stanford’s picture perfect season. The Cardinal beat Duke, 1-0, in the 2011 College Cup to win their first-ever NCAA National Championship in women’s soccer. They finished the season with a 25-0-1 record. Stanford had one of the deepest senior classes in the nation, and two of those seniors are in the running for the 2011 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy - midfielder Teresa Noyola and forward Lindsay Taylor. Along with fellow All-America defender Camille Levin, Noyola and Taylor are three highly sought-after players in this year’s draft.

Some other players to watch for in this year’s draft include UCLA forward Sydney Leroux, a 2008 World Cup Champion with the U.S. U-20 team, led by Head Coach Tony DiCicco. Leroux has recently trained with Pia Sundhage and the senior women’s national team. Staying with the forwards, one player who could make an immediate impact for any of the five WPS teams is Notre Dame’s Melissa Henderson, who scored 70 goals and added 26 assists in four seasons in South Bend. Portland’s Danielle Foxhoven is also a huge threat in front of goal, having scored 41 goals in her first two seasons and a total of 57 goals and 25 assists.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee forward Sarah Hagen recently signed to play for Bayern Munchen of Germany's Frauen Bundesliga, but is draft eligible and could play in WPS once the Bundesliga season ends in late spring 2012. Hagen, a four-time All-America selection, scored a school record 26 goals for the Panthers this season. For her college career, Hagen scored 93 goals, which ranks ninth in NCAA Division I history.

In the defensive third, teams have a pair of legitimate options in goal - Santa Clara’s Bianca Henninger and Boston College’s Jill Mastroianni. Henninger, who won the Golden Glove at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup as a member of the U.S., finished her career with nearly two dozen shutouts for the Broncos. Mastroianni set a school record at Boston College for shutouts in a career with 43. Along with Stanford’s Camille Levin, one of the top backs in this year’s draft class is Florida State’s Toni Pressley, a teammate of Henninger’s at the U-20 World Cup.

With plenty of talent right there in front of them, all five WPS teams have plenty of options. It’s a matter of which players fit the team’s needs.

The reigning WPS champions, the Western New York Flash, have had a busy offseason, re-signing several players from last year’s team that finished the season with a 13-2-3 record. The Flash brought back nine players, including Canadian international Christine Sinclair, the team’s leading scorer in 2011 with 10 goals, U.S. Women’s National Team super sub Alex Morgan, and 2010 WPS Rookie of the Year and New Zealand National Team defender Ali Riley. They also picked up free agent midfielder Allie Long and former Los Angeles Sol defender Manya Makoski. The Flash could use a solid backup to US Coast Guard Keeper of the Year Ashlyn Harris, and with the departure of Sweden Women’s National Team captain Caroline Seger, they could use some help in the midfield.

The Philadelphia Independence, who have made it to two straight WPS Championships, certainly weren’t lacking in the scoring department. It’s one reason the team finished second in the WPS table with an 11-4-3 record. Tasha Kai’s nine goals ranked her second in the league, and Spanish striker Vero Boquete, who scored five goals in 11 games, was named WPS Player of the Year. With a strong back line and the combination of U.S. Women’s National Team keeper Nicole Barnhart and veteran Val Henderson, the Independence rarely conceded goals. They could use assistance up top to compliment Boquete.

The Boston Breakers (5-9-4 record in 2011) reached the WPS playoffs for a second straight season, powered by a slew of international talent, including eight players who represented their respective countries at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. Kelley O’Hara, Lauren Cheney, and Keelin Winters, accounted for more than 50 percent of Boston’s scoring production, yet the Breakers finished with 19 goals scored in 18 games. They’ll look to add to the attack and shore up the defense, which allowed 29 goals. The Breakers made a huge splash this offseason, agreeing to terms with U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Heather O’Reilly and re-signing several key players from 2011, including English international midfielder Kelly Smith, England defender Alex Scott, and midfielders Keelin Winters and Meghan Klingenberg.

Sky Blue FC’s playoff hopes ended on their final day of the regular season when Philadelphia’s Lianne Sanderson’s 90th minute goal gave the Independence a 2-1 win. The New Jersey club has been productive in the offseason, but also has lost a few key players. Starting keeper Jenni Branam retired, while backup keeper Karen Bardsley signed with Linkoping FC of Sweden’s Damallsvenskan. Heather O’Reilly went to the Breakers, and Allie Long is now with the Flash. Sky Blue FC landed a world class striker in Dutch international Manon Melis, who led Swedish champions LdB Malmo and tied for first in the league with 28 goals. Also on the free agent market, Sky Blue FC signed Canadians  Karina LeBlanc (former magicJack, Philadelphia, and Sol keeper) and Candace Chapman (a defender who won WPS championships with Western New York and FC Gold Pride), U.S. Women’s National Team defender Becky Sauerbrunn, former Flash forward Gemma Davison, midfielder/defender Nikki Marshall, and midfielder Amanda DaCosta. Sky Blue FC has a pretty big hole to fill in the midfield, and could use another scoring threat, so they may lean in those directions in the draft.

The one team looking to add firepower to its offensive production is Atlanta. The Beat scored a league-low seven goals last season and ended the year with a 1-13-4 record. So far this offseason, the Beat added a dangerous scoring threat in Christen Press, the 2011 WPS Rookie of the Year. Press scored eight goals (fourth best in WPS) last season for magicJack. The Beat also signed Nikki Washington, who came on strong in the second half of the WPS season, notching seven assists for magicJack after a midseason trade from the Boston Breakers. At the other end of the field, the Beat had a shaky defense that surrendered a league-high 32 goals. They signed former Flash, magicJack, and Washington Freedom defender Rebecca Moros and will look to add even more depth to the back line, while bringing in another goal scorer to work alongside Press.

You still have time to sign up and join us at the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City. Head over to the registration page and register today!

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