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'Jersey girls have grit:' Four from NJ selected in National Women's Soccer League Draft

jane havsy, morristown daily record
·4 min read
Virginia Tech midfielder Emily Gray, a Sewell native, had 12 goals and eight assists.
Virginia Tech midfielder Emily Gray, a Sewell native, had 12 goals and eight assists.

Emily Gray has had quite a weekend.

The Virginia Tech midfielder from Sewell was chosen third by North Carolina in the 2022 National Women's Soccer League Draft on Saturday afternoon. She had graduated from college the day before.

Gray had 12 goals and eight assists — half of Virginia Tech's offensive output — en route to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this fall. Despite tearing her ACL during the 2019 season, Gray ranks second all-time with 78 total points for the Hokies.

"A lot of it was the work I put in the past two off-seasons, the last winter and summer," Gray said. "Scoring goals wasn't something I was always comfortable with, but I grew to really enjoy it this year."

Gray, who had 34 goals and 43 assists in three seasons at Washington Township, is Virginia Tech's third NWSL Draftee.

"Jersey girls have grit and have a different kind of spirit and attack things in a different way," she said. "I think that carried over to Virginia Tech. We have the same kind of blue-collar mentality here. I hope I can carry it over to North Carolina as well."

Gabby Provenzano, a Hunterdon Central alumna, helped Rutgers reach the NCAA Final Four.
Gabby Provenzano, a Hunterdon Central alumna, helped Rutgers reach the NCAA Final Four.

► Rutgers defender Gabby Provenzano went to Portland at No. 22, midway through the second round. Provenzano, a 5-foot-5 fifth-year senior, was a first-team All-American as Rutgers reached a NCAA College Cup semifinal. A Hunterdon Central alumna, Provenzano was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

Sydney Cummings, a defender from Millstone Township, played 99.6 percent of available minutes in three seasons at Brown University.
Sydney Cummings, a defender from Millstone Township, played 99.6 percent of available minutes in three seasons at Brown University.

►Sydney Cummings, a 5-foot-10 Georgetown grad student from Millstone Township, went to Racing Louisville in the fourth round. Cummings, a St. John Vianney alumna, had five goals in 22 matches for the Big East champion Hoyas. Cummings had been a three-time All-Ivy honoree at Brown University, where she played 99.6% of available minutes.

Gotham FC on the clock

Gotham traded its first-round pick, eighth overall, to OL Reign in exchange for $40,000 in allocation money and the Reign's 2023 first-round pick. The Reign chose St. John's striker Zsanett Kajan, the two-time Big East Player of the Year.

Gotham selected Georgetown defender Kelly Ann Livingstone of Glen Ridge in the second round, No. 24. A 5-foot-10 grad student, Livingstone played with the Gotham Reserves last summer, and in four Hoyas matches this fall. She was part of the Ridgers' 2013 Group 1 title.

After dealing starting goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan to San Diego and backup Didi Haracic to Angel City, Gotham added U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris — and on Saturday, Clemson goalkeeper Hensley Hancuff in the third round. Hancuff, who at 6-foot-3 would be the tallest player in the NWSL, had a 1.00 goals-against average as the Tigers went 11-5-1, reaching the ACC Tournament semifinals and the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

NWSL Expansion Draft: San Diego acquires Montville defender, Rutgers attacker

"We had positional needs at center back and goalkeeper," Gotham coach Scott Parkinson said. "We had to make an educated guess based on the talent in this draft, where we think they'd go, and where we'd think they'd land. We're making the staff look like geniuses, because the two players we wanted, we got."

Parkinson called Gotham's fourth-round pick, Michigan midfielder Raleigh Loughman, "a complete wild card." Loughman led Michigan with nine goals — including six game winners — and nine assists, and was voted the top offensive player of the Big Ten Tournament.

View from the top

Stanford defender Naomi Girma was the No. 1 pick by San Diego. Girma helped anchor a back line which limited opponents to less than a goal a game and posted nine shutouts.

The Wave acquired defenders Kristen Knabb of Montville and Christen Westphal, and the rights to Rutgers fifth-year attacker Amirah Ali from Voorhees on Thursday.

"I'm excited to come in as a younger player and learn from those who are already there, give my all to the team and learn from the coaches and staff and everyone," Girma said. "There are so many players in the draft this year and in the league already who I can learn from."

Players report to training camp for the 10th NWSL season on February 1. The third annual Challenge Cup begins group play on March 19. There will be a 28-game balanced schedule, with teams meeting once at home and once on the road.

Six of the 12 teams will qualify for the NWSL playoffs in October.

Jane Havsy is a storyteller for the Daily Record and DailyRecord.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis, subscribe today.

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This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: 2022 NWSL Draft: Four NJ players selected