Destinies Fulfilled, Childhood Dreams Realized At The 2023 NWSL Draft

PHILADELPHIA — As Alexa Spaanstra, the tenth overall pick, met the media for the first time as a professional soccer player, she let out a shriek of delight as she heard the name of the eleventh pick, Haley Hopkins.

“That’s my teammate!”, she exclaimed.

Not anymore, of course. Spaanstra, the deadly attacker, is headed to the Kansas City Current, while Hopkins will travel to North Carolina to play for the courage.

It’s all part of a draft held by the league ahead of a 2023 season that promises a new start in so many ways, but provided continuity for those whose professional dreams came true on Thursday night — merely by existing far longer than any previous pro women’s soccer league in U.S. history.

“I looked back at a couple time capsules I made back in Girl Scouts in like second grade and was like, what do you want to be when you grew up? A professional soccer player,” Hopkins told assembled media when it was her time to speak backstage, shortly after donning a scarf of her own for photos. “And so I see — here I am 24 years old, sitting with my parents at the NWSL Draft and seeing that the progress and the strides it’s made since I was young… . It’s just so incredibly inspiring.”

The draft kicked off in expected fashion, with Angel City FC selecting Alyssa Thompson, the Harvard-Westlake high school phenom, first overall. But Gotham FC, slotted to pick second, dealt that pick to Kansas City as well for veteran Lynn Williams, who will slot up top next to Midge Purce to feature as a deadly scoring combo (when they aren’t busy playing for Vlatko Andonovski, that is).

Cooper said she was shocked in the moment the trade was announced, tears streaming down her face, but excited to head to Kansas City as well.

“I’m definitely going to dinner and get my mom another hug,” Cooper said, all smiles backstage.

Another key pickup came when the Chicago Red Stars selected Penelope Hocking, the USC-turned-Penn State star, seventh overall. She’s versatile, but the Red Stars, Hocking said, had already spoken to her about serving as a attacking force.

That means a chance to play next to Mallory Swanson, who Hocking remembers playing way back when she was Mallory Pugh. The scoring dynamo recalled vividly Swanson’s NWSL debut, and even a national team turn early in Swanson’s career.

“I was playing ECNL and I was they were playing right before us,” Hocking said. “I remember just thinking — she was like 16 at the time, and she was just so incredible. And I was like oh my god, like she’s an amazing player.”

For Hocking, NWSL was less a destiny and more a choice.

“I’ve always looked at NWSL being a huge step in my career,” Hocking said. “And when I first entered the college game, I wasn’t sure if I was going to play pro, but having the opportunity to do this is something I’m really really proud of, and I’m happy to say I can do it. I’ve watched all my teammates before me go into the league and kill it. So I’m just I’m excited for that to be me now.”

The full draft list can be found here.