The 2000 WUSA draft, the Women's United Soccer Association's inaugural player draft held before their initial 2001 season, distributed players to the league's eight inaugural teams. The draft occurred on December 10 and 11, 2000. This took place after each team was allocated three national team players and two foreign players.
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun Wen (F) | Atlanta Beat | China WNT | |
| 2 | Liu Ailing (M) | Philadelphia Charge | China WNT | |
| 3 | Fan Yunjie (D) | San Diego Spirit | China WNT | |
| 4 | Gao Hong (GK) | New York Power | China WNT | |
| 5 | Dagny Mellgren (M) | Boston Breakers | Bjørnar | |
| 6 | Wen Lirong (D) | Carolina Courage | China WNT | |
| 7 | Anne Mäkinen (M) | Washington Freedom | Notre Dame | |
| 8 | Thori Staples Bryan (D) | Bay Area CyberRays | Raleigh Wings | North Carolina State |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Julie Murray (F) | Bay Area CyberRays | NSW Sapphires | |
| 10 | Lindsay Stoecker (D) | Washington Freedom | North Carolina | |
| 11 | Meredith Florance (F) | Carolina Courage | North Carolina | |
| 12 | Keri Sanchez Raygor (D) | Boston Breakers | Silicon Valley Red Devils | North Carolina |
| 13 | Jennifer Lalor (M) | New York Power | San Diego WFC | Santa Clara |
| 14 | Sherrill Kester (F) | San Diego Spirit | Raleigh Wings | Duke |
| 15 | Heather Mitts (D) | Philadelphia Charge | Tampa Bay Extreme | Florida |
| 16 | Kylie Bivens (D) | Atlanta Beat | North Texas Heat | Santa Clara |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Sharolta Nonen (D) | Atlanta Beat | Nebraska–Lincoln | |
| 18 | Jenny Benson (M) | Philadelphia Charge | Nebraska–Lincoln | |
| 19 | Shannon Boxx (M) | San Diego Spirit | Ajax America Women | Notre Dame |
| 20 | Kristy Whelchel (D) | New York Power | Raleigh Wings | Duke |
| 21 | Karina LeBlanc (GK) | Boston Breakers | Nebraska–Lincoln | |
| 22 | Nicole Roberts (M) | Carolina Courage | Raleigh Wings | North Carolina |
| 23 | Krista Davey (M) | Washington Freedom | Chicago Cobras | North Texas |
| 24 | Amy Walsh (D) | Bay Area CyberRays | Nebraska–Lincoln |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Ann Cook (M) | Bay Area CyberRays | Chicago Cobras | William & Mary |
| 26 | Skylar Little (D) | Washington Freedom | UCLA | |
| 27 | Erin Baxter (M) | Carolina Courage | Tampa Bay Extreme | Florida |
| 28 | Heather Aldama (D) | Boston Breakers | Santa Clara | |
| 29 | Beth Zotter (F) | New York Power | Harvard | |
| 30 | Jen Mascaro (M) | San Diego Spirit | Notre Dame | |
| 31 | Ruth Van't Land (F) | Philadelphia Charge | Cal Poly Pomona | |
| 32 | Marci Miller (M) | Atlanta Beat | Chicago Cobras | SMU |
| 32 | Kimberly Pickup (D) | San Diego Spirit | Boston Renegades | Santa Clara |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Nancy Augustyniak (D) | Atlanta Beat | Atlanta Classics | Clemson |
| 34 | Sarah Yohe (F) | Philadelphia Charge | Florida | |
| 35 | Gina Oceguera (D/F) | San Diego Spirit | California Storm | Cal Poly |
| 36 | Nel Fettig (D) | New York Power | Raleigh Wings | North Carolina |
| 37 | Robin Confer (F) | Boston Breakers | New Jersey Lady Stallions | North Carolina |
| 38 | Naomi Stone (M) | Carolina Courage | New Hampshire Lady Phantoms | UConn |
| 39 | Emmy Barr (F) | Washington Freedom | California Storm | Santa Clara |
| 40 | Carey Dorn (D) | Bay Area CyberRays | Long Island Lady Riders | UConn |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Jacqui Little (M) | Bay Area CyberRays | Santa Clara | |
| 42 | Amanda Cromwell (M) | Washington Freedom | Charlotte Lady Eagles | Virginia |
| 43 | Kim Yankowski (M) | Carolina Courage | Raleigh Wings | North Carolina State |
| 44 | Elie Foster (M) | Boston Breakers | Foothill FC | Stanford |
| 45 | Jennifer O'Sullivan (D) | New York Power | Stanford | |
| 46 | Kerry Gragg (M) | Atlanta Beat | Atlanta Classics | UNC Greensboro |
| 47 | Raven McDonald (M) | Philadelphia Charge | North Carolina | |
| 48 | Jaime Pagliarulo (GK) | San Diego Spirit | Maryland Pride | George Mason |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | Rebekah McDowell (M) | Philadelphia Charge | Charlotte Lady Eagles | North Carolina |
| 50 | Traci Arkenberg-Gatell (F) | San Diego Spirit | Ajax America Women | UCLA |
| 51 | Carlene Stenson (F) | New York Power | Tampa Bay Extreme | South Florida |
| 52 | Sarah Powell (D) | Boston Breakers | Boston Renegades | Boston College |
| 53 | Maren Hendershot (F) | Carolina Courage | Utah Spiders | Brigham Young |
| 54 | Monica Gerardo (M) | Washington Freedom | Ajax America Women | Notre Dame |
| 55 | Jennifer Mead (GK) | Bay Area CyberRays | Boston Renegades | George Mason |
| 56 | Lisa Krzykowski (M) | Atlanta Beat | Chicago Cobras | Wisconsin–Milwaukee |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | Kim Clark (M) | Bay Area CyberRays | Ajax America Women | Southern California |
| 58 | Erin Fahey (GK) | Washington Freedom | Portland Rain | Portland |
| 59 | Staci Burt (M) | Carolina Courage | Chicago Cobras | Utah |
| 60 | Allie Kemp (F) | Boston Breakers | San Diego WFC | UC Berkeley |
| 61 | Kerry Connors (F) | New York Power | Boston Renegades | UConn |
| 62 | Missy Wycinsky (M) | San Diego Spirit | Maryland Pride | William & Mary |
| 63 | Michelle Demko (M) | Philadelphia Charge | Tampa Bay Extreme | Maryland |
| 64 | Julie Augustyniak (D) | Atlanta Beat | Atlanta Classics | Clemson |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | Melanie Wilson (GK) | Atlanta Beat | Texas A&M | |
| 66 | Kalli Kamholz (M) | Philadelphia Charge | Tampa Bay Extreme | North Carolina |
| 67 | Margaret Tietjen (M) | San Diego Spirit | Long Island Lady Riders | UConn |
| 68 | Erica Iverson (D) | New York Power | Boston Renegades | Massachusetts |
| 69 | Kim Stiles (D) | Boston Breakers | Portland | |
| 70 | Mikka Hansen (F) | Carolina Courage | Fortuna Hjørring | Santa Clara |
| 71 | Tracey Milburn (F) | Washington Freedom | UCLA | |
| 72 | Theresa Wagner (M) | Bay Area CyberRays | Washington |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | Lisa Náñez (D) | Bay Area CyberRays | California Storm | Santa Clara |
| 74 | Justi Baumgardt (M) | Washington Freedom | California Storm | Portland |
| 75 | Kristin Luckenbill (GK) | Carolina Courage | Dartmouth | |
| 76 | Ally Wagner (F) | Boston Breakers | Wisconsin | |
| 77 | Tammy Pearman (F) | New York Power | Maryland Pride | George Mason |
| 78 | Kara Brown (D) | San Diego Spirit | Boston Renegades | Notre Dame |
| 79 | Carly Smolak (GK) | Philadelphia Charge | Stanford | |
| 80 | Kelly Cagle (M) | Atlanta Beat | Raleigh Wings | Duke |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | Mary Pitera (D) | Atlanta Beat | Maryland Pride | North Carolina State |
| 82 | Jennifer Tietjen (M) | Philadelphia Charge | Long Island Lady Riders | UConn |
| 83 | Tara Koleski (F) | San Diego Spirit | California Storm | Portland |
| 84 | Ronnie Fair (M) | New York Power | Boston Renegades | Stanford |
| 85 | Sherice Bartling (F) | Boston Breakers | San Diego WFC | San Diego |
| 86 | Sarah Dacey (M) | Carolina Courage | Boston Renegades | North Carolina |
| 87 | Stephanie Loehr (D) | Washington Freedom | Maryland Pride | William & Mary |
| 88 | Venus James (M) | Bay Area CyberRays | UCLA |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 | Megan Horvath (M) | Bay Area CyberRays | Silicon Valley Red Devils | Santa Clara |
| 90 | Amy Gray (M) | Washington Freedom | Atlanta Classics | Clemson |
| 91 | Ásthildur Helgadóttir (M) | Carolina Courage | Breiðablik | Vanderbilt |
| 92 | Angela Hucles (F) | Boston Breakers | Hampton Roads Piranhas | Virginia |
| 93 | Jessica Reifer (F) | New York Power | FC Malters | Hartford |
| 94 | Erin Martinez-Montoya (M) | San Diego Spirit | California Storm | Santa Clara |
| 95 | Erin Martin (F) | Philadelphia Charge | Three Kings United | Stanford |
| 96 | Emily Burt (F) | Atlanta Beat | Foothill FC | Stanford |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | Bryn Blalack (F) | Atlanta Beat | North Texas Heat | Texas A&M |
| 98 | Beth Keller (F) | Philadelphia Charge | Chicago Cobras | Clemson |
| 99 | Jennifer Babel (D) | San Diego Spirit | Ajax America Women | Azusa Pacific |
| 100 | Emily Janss (D) | New York Power | Maryland Pride | Maryland |
| 101 | Lindsay Eddleman (F) | Boston Breakers | Denver Diamonds | Nebraska–Lincoln |
| 102 | Staci Wilson (D) | Carolina Courage | Raleigh Wings | North Carolina |
| 103 | Keri Sarver (F) | Washington Freedom | Maryland Pride | Maryland |
| 104 | Christina Bell (D) | Bay Area CyberRays | California Storm | Fresno State |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 105 | Linda Kurtyka (M) | Bay Area CyberRays | Foothill FC | North Carolina State |
| 106 | Carrie Moore (D) | Washington Freedom | Hampton Roads Piranhas | William & Mary |
| 107 | Jessica Post (F) | Carolina Courage | Dartmouth | |
| 108 | Lindsay Massengale (D) | Boston Breakers | California Storm | Clemson |
| 109 | Rebecca Hornbacher (GK) | New York Power | Nebraska–Lincoln | |
| 110 | Trudi Sharpsteen (M) | San Diego Spirit | Ajax America Women | UC Berkeley |
| 111 | Laurie Schwoy (M) | Philadelphia Charge | North Carolina | |
| 112 | Kimberly Engesser (F) | Atlanta Beat | Nebraska–Lincoln |
| Pick | Player | WUSA team | Previous team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | Dayna Smith (D) | Atlanta Beat | Denver Diamonds | Santa Clara |
| 114 | Laurie Hill (M) | Philadelphia Charge | California Storm | UC Santa Barbara |
| 115 | Melissa Ribaudo-Cavitt (D) | San Diego Spirit | California Storm | Portland |
| 116 | Melissa McBean (F) | New York Power | Boston Renegades | Portland |
| 117 | Jennifer Tissue (M) | Boston Breakers | San Francisco Nighthawks | Whitworth |
| 118 | Silvana Burtini (F) | Carolina Courage | Raleigh Wings | Capilano |
| 119 | Louise Lieberman (M) | Washington Freedom | Ajax America Women | UCLA |
| 120 | Carmel Murphy (M) | Bay Area CyberRays | Foothill FC | Stanford |
The draft was preceded by an invitation-only combine held over five days at Florida Atlantic University. [2] Although over 500 players applied, only 198 were invited to take part in supervised training and scrimmages. [3] Around 40 of the players had previously been competing in the pro–am Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), [4] while most of the others were competing at W-League level. [5]
The draft assigned the rights of 15 players to each team. Teams could contract up to five of the players immediately, to start promotional work in their home cities. [6] WUSA's vice president of legal affairs, Rob Kaler, had decided the draft order by randomly selecting envelopes containing each team's logo in a lottery. [7]
In November 2000, WUSA's vice president of player relations, Lauren Gregg, secured five Chinese players after flying to China for delicate negotiations with a somewhat reluctant Chinese Football Association (CFA) and the players' clubs. [8] [9] All five players went into the draft and were selected with five of the first six picks. [10] Top pick Sun Wen was in Rome on the second day of the draft, collecting her award as joint-FIFA Female Player of the Century. [11]
Gregg had traversed the globe since May 2000, trying to sign elite players identified by WUSA commissioner Tony DiCicco. [12] She was not always successful: Norway's Marianne Pettersen accepted a competing offer from Europe's only professional club Fulham, [13] while FFC Frankfurt blocked an approach for their German–American defender Steffi Jones. [14]
American players who had found success overseas, including Colette Cunningham, Denise Reddy and Jill Rutten, reportedly attended the combine but were not selected in the draft. Brazilian goalkeeper Andréia Suntaque and Dutch midfielder Nathalie Geeris were also in attendance but not picked. [15] Each team was restricted to four foreign players, including the two already allocated by the league. [16]
As well as foreign players and combine attendees, college players in their senior year were eligible for the main draft, although a further supplemental draft – specifically for college players – was arranged for February 2001. [17]
Many players, who were typically graduates from leading Universities, faced a substantial drop in salary, even if they made it on to a team's final 20-player roster. A collective bargaining agreement between the players and league allowed a minimum annual wage of $25,000, beneath an average salary of $40,000. [3] After some deliberation, last pick Carmel Murphy decided not to take up her place at Bay Area CyberRays, in favor of going to medical school. [18]
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