Players allocated in WPS Dispersal Draft, Washington Freedom takes Bock and Ikidi

By Hannah Krieger
 

With the recent news of Women\'s Professional Soccer\'s (WPS) LA Sol folding, the WPS Dispersal Draft was instituted to distribute the Sol players and draftees before the 2010 season gets underway. With the first pick of the draft, St. Louis Athletica has taken U.S. Women\'s National Team midfielder Shannon Boxx. The Washington Freedom drafted defender Brittany Bock with the seventh pick, along with Nigerian striker Faith Ikidi in the second round as the tenth selection.

The most speculation has been surrounding four-time FIFA World Player of the Year Marta, who will stay in California but move to the Bay Area. FC Gold Pride has taken on the Brazilian\'s huge contract with the overall third pick, and now has the player most consider the best in the world on their roster.

In order to obtain the first selection in the Dispersal Draft, Athletica traded Kia McNeill, Angie Kerr (nee Woznuk), and the rights to Amanda Poach to the Atlanta Beat on February 1. Athletica will also get the Beat\'s second round pick in the 2011 WPS Draft.

While the loss of one of the inaugural clubs is no doubt disappointing to the WPS, the silver lining is that the remaining eight WPS clubs will all become stronger with the redistribution of the Sol players. With Marta, Boxx, and the other players who made it to the 2009 championship game (where they lost to Sky Blue FC) heading to new clubs, the WPS Dispersal Draft will also make training camp competition even tougher.


2010 WPS Dispersal Draft results:

First Round
1. St. Louis Athletica: Shannon Boxx - M
2. Philadelphia Independence: Karina LeBlanc - GK
3. FC Gold Pride: Marta - F
4. Chicago Red Stars: Casey Nogueira - F
5. Boston Breakers: Stephanie Cox - D
6. Sky Blue FC: Nikki Washington - M
7. Washington Freedom: Brittany Bock - D
8. St. Louis Athletica: Aya Miyama - M

Second Round
9. Atlanta Beat (via trade with St. Louis): Manya Makoski - M
10. Washington Freedom: Faith Ikidi - D/F
11. Sky Blue FC: Kiersten Dallstream - F
12. Boston Breakers: Michelle Enyeart - F
13. FC Gold Pride (via trade with Chicago Red Stars): Kiki Bosio - F
14. St. Louis Athletica (via trade with Chicago Red Stars): Tina DiMartino - M
15. Philadelphia Independence: Estelle Johnson - D
16. Atlanta Beat: Pavlina Scasna - F

Third Round
17. Atlanta Beat - PASS
18. Philadelphia Independence - PASS
19. FC Gold Pride: Lindsay Browne - F
20. Chicago Red Stars - PASS
21. Boston Breakers - PASS
22. Sky Blue FC - PASS
23. Washington Freedom - PASS
24. St. Louis Athletica - Catherine Sorenson - M

NOTE: Mary Casey, GK, is now a free agent; Midfielder Julie Rydahl Bukh’s WPS rights have been released.