Meagan McClelland, former Rutgers star, has eyes set on pro women's soccer draft

Meagan McClelland knew early on the kind of soccer career she wanted at Rutgers University.

As soon as she committed to being a Scarlet Knight in the summer of 2015, that year’s team made a historic run to the Final Four for the first time in program history. She remembers watching her would-be mentor, goalkeeper Casey Murphy, now a national team standout, make crucial saves that would lead Rutgers to upsetting the top-seeded Virginia in a penalty kick shootout.

“I remember being like, ‘I want to do that,’” McClelland told NorthJersey.com this week. “Like, I want to look at the camera and put four fingers up. I want to win the PK shootout — and that's exactly what we got to experience last year. I don't think anything could really top that.”

That moment for the former Scarlet Knight goalkeeper actually came twice, with back-to-back, game-winning penalty shootouts in a historic postseason for Rutgers last fall. First, in the Sweet Sixteen round at home against Texas Christian University, and again days later against Arkansas during the Elite Eight match. That second win gave McClelland her beloved Final Four ticket. Both wins, though, might soon be remembered as mere footnotes in McClelland’s career, which may only just be getting started.

The 22-year-old from Kearny — a town nicknamed Soccertown USA — is on the verge of a career in professional soccer. McClelland hopes to be one of the 48 players to hear their named called at the National Women’s Soccer League Draft on Thursday night. If selected, McClelland will join a growing group of former Rutgers stars to play in the NWSL and other professional leagues.

The annual event, being held in person for the first time since 2020, will begin at 6 p.m. and air live on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ. There are more than 250 players registered for this year’s draft, which will be hosted at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

There are nine former college players, including McClelland, who hail from the Garden State registered in this year’s draft. Others include Abby Boyan (University of Georgia, Spring Lake); Jyllissa Harris (University of South Carolina, Hazlet); Lauren Karabin (Monmouth University, Wall Township); Adriana Kuryla (Rutgers University, Morganville); Morgan Messner (Penn State University, Ortley Beach); Margot Ridgeway (University of Michigan, Fair Haven); Shaye Seyffart (University of Washington, Ringoes); and Rachel Sorkenn (George Washington University, River Edge).

Like many college athletes, McClelland opted for a fifth year at Rutgers. In doing so, she was able to get more playing time before shifting her focus to the NWSL, and also further her education by earning a master’s degree in digital marketing. It couldn’t have worked out better for her, she said.

“It was just another year for me to mature, for me to get more game minutes, to train and get better,” she said. “And then I was able to get a master's degree. For me and my family, as much as soccer is my only pride and joy, it was really important for us that I took care of my education first.”

When her Rutgers season ended in November, McClelland took about a week off before “hitting the ground running.” She has been training six days a week since. A lot of that offseason training has been with other notable Rutgers alumni, and local players who were drafted into the league in previous years. That includes USWNT goalkeeper Casey Murphy, who McClelland has known since her club days playing for the Players Development Academy, one of the more prominent soccer clubs in New Jersey.

“Being able to train with her on the offseason and see how intense it is, how serious it is and how slim her error rate is, is just awesome,” McClelland said. “I mean, she helped me so much. She's coaching me. She’s pushing me and I don't think I could have another training buddy. It's just great to see all the hard work she's put in and how she's being rewarded and getting those chances with the full [national] team.

"It's great to be able to train with her and follow in her footsteps," she said.

The two goalkeepers were also called up to the same United States U-20 national team camp in 2019. At the time, McClelland was just 18. It was one of her many experiences with the national team, which is the highest level of soccer any female athlete in the United States could aspire to.

Earlier this year, McClelland was called up to the U-23 national team for the 2022 Thorns Preseason Tournament in March. While there, she played on a roster that faced three NWSL teams. The experience was something she carried into her final season at Rutgers.

“It was definitely a nice awakening for us,” McClelland said. “We're like, ‘Okay, we're here. And this is what it's going to take to be at the next level’ — and then I was able to have that experience with me for the next seven months. So every time I trained or played in the game, I was like, ‘Okay, I might not be playing against Sophia Smith right now. But when I did play against her, this is what I had to do.’”

For McClelland, soccer has always been a part of life. She has been playing “since the moment I could stand, probably.” After her parents placed her in rec leagues at around 3 years old, she eventually joined PDA when she was 6. Her neighbor in Kearny was already a member of the club, and McClelland tagged along for a training.

“My PDA team, to be honest, is probably what created me,” McClelland said.

It was through club soccer that McClelland realized she wanted to take soccer seriously — the nonstop travel for games, practicing around the clock and choosing practice or games over everything else, even prom. Her teammates became her best friends.

“Going through that has not only prepared me to play in college, and then play pro and for the national team, but it showed me like, ‘Okay, this is what I want to do,’” she said. “I think it really helped develop the player I am today.”

That kind of player is one who is always ready for the “big moments,” said Rutgers women's soccer coach Mike O’Neill. He recalled how last year McClelland not only made three big saves during the team’s penalty shootout against TCU to send Rutgers to the Elite Eight, but McClelland also scored one.

“She’s a gamer. I’ve been fortunate to be around some really great keepers at my time at Rutgers — from Casey to Meag — and they’re also really good field players,” O’Neill said. “It’s so important. As the game changes, you have to change with it, and I think that’s what they both have done. That’s what Meag has done.”

He continued, “When the game is on the line, whether she’s in the goal making the save or has the opportunity to take a penalty and bring that success to her team, she’s well prepared for both of them.”

On Thursday, McClelland plans on watching the draft at home with her family.

To her, having an intimate setting for such an important moment in her life would make it more memorable. With so many players, and so little spots on NWSL teams, McClelland is anything from picky about where she ends up — she just hopes to be one of the players chosen.

“You never really know what's going to happen especially as a goalkeeper, but I'm confident in myself and I'm just excited,” McClelland said. “Not every player's pathway is the same, so whether I hear my name or not, I know that at some point in the future I'll be back on the soccer field again.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers' Meagan McClelland has eyes set on pro soccer draft