Independence Selects Top College Talent in 2010 WPS Draft

Photo Credits: Robyn McNeil

Five Women’s College Soccer Standouts Join Philadelphia’s Strong Roster

PHILADELPHIA, PA (January 19, 2010) The Philadelphia Independence had great success at the 2010 WPS College Draft this past Friday, selecting five top-notch college players for the Independence preseason roster. Malorie Rutledge of LSU, Kelly Henderson of Boston College, Malori Lofton-Malachi of South Florida, Caitlin Farrell of Wake Forest, and Dani Collins from the College of William & Mary all hope to represent their schools next year in the WPS wearing Independence jerseys. “We went into the 2010 College Draft with some specific goals” said Independence Head Coach, Paul Riley. “We needed speed up front, a goalkeeper, defensive cover, and a utility player. I firmly believe we filled each of those needs with our four picks.”

Although the Independence traded away their two first-round draft selections to bring in US Women’s National Team star, Amy Rodriguez, this year’s extremely deep pool of talent meant the Independence still had top players to choose from in later rounds. With their first draft pick (13th overall), the Independence chose Malorie Rutledge, the most decorated player in Louisiana State University Women’s Soccer history. “Malorie is a tremendous flank player who is brilliant in one-on-one situations…she is fast, explosive, tricky, and has a lethal shot with both feet,” said Riley of his first selection. As one of the most dynamic players in college soccer this year, Malorie wrapped up her career as LSU’s all-time leader in assists and points scored, tallying 28 goals and 46 assists over her four years. Malorie was a three-time All-American and three-time First-Team All-SEC selection from 2007-09 and named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List in 2008 and 2009. Malorie is currently competing for a spot on the U-23 National Team at a training camp in California. The Independence coaches believe Malorie’s success at the college level will translate into a fantastic career in the WPS. “She is a great pick for our team and we firmly believe she can step up to the next level immediately.”

The next pick for the Independence came in the fourth round where the Independence selected Kelly Henderson from Boston College. Paul Riley is very familiar with Kelly’s abilities, having coached her for over a decade, helping her to develop into one of the top players in the ACC. Paul describes Kelly as “a superb utility player with athleticism, and intelligence…a great decision maker who is confident and collected on the ball.” Kelly, who was transitioned from a central midfield role to a center back this season, helped lead Boston College to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament as a senior. Her top performance in the backfield this year made her a semi-finalist for the 2009 Hermann Trophy Award, as well as a 2nd Team All-American selection. Riley admitted that the team took a risk by not selecting Kelly with their first pick, and felt that getting her at #31 was a steal. “I expect Kelly to compete immediately for a starting spot and around some of the best players in the world she will improve even more.”

In the fifth round, the Independence added an extremely important component to the roster in a trade with Atlanta, bringing a much-needed goalkeeper to Philadelphia. The Independence acquired Mallori Lofton-Malachi, a Philadelphia native who has been called “the most athletic goalkeeper in the country”, in a fifth-round trade with the Beat. Mallori spent four years at the University of South Florida where she set the school record for both the most saves in a season (117) and most shutouts in a season (7). A 5’10” frame coupled with a vertical jump of 23 inches make it difficult for attackers to get past Mallori, and she will be great addition to the Independence roster. “Mallori is athletic, a fantastic shot blocker, has safe soft hands and a ferocious appetite for training” says Paul of her ability in net. “Together with Val Henderson we are very confident in our goalkeeping situation.”

The Independence rounded out the draft with two picks in the seventh round that accomplish the goal of “defensive cover” Riley had set out to attain. With the 60th pick, the Independence selected Caitlyn Farrell, a central defender from Wake Forest University. During her senior season, Caitlyn led a defense that posted a school record 15 shutouts, and she finished her time at WFU having played in 90 career games. Caitlyn’s presence at center back earned her an invite to the U-23 National Training Camp in January, and a selection to the NSCAA All-Southeast Region Team. Riley is excited about the opportunity for Caitlyn to grow at the next level. “Caitlyn is a superb defender with speed, toughness and intelligence. She is very good positionally and certainly a player we were very lucky to add so late in the draft. She has enjoyed a very successful college career and it is now up to her to make the last step to the professional ranks.”

The final player acquired by the Independence in the 2010 draft was another central defender and a familiar face, Dani Collins from the College of William & Mary. Dani finished her senior season with the Tribe as a two-time NSCAA All-American and one of the top midfielders in the school’s history. She was named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List in both 2007 and 2008, as well as competing with the U-21 National Teams her sophomore season. In 2009, Dani was selected as one of the CAA’s Top 25 women’s soccer players in the past 25 years. Having worked for the Independence as the Director of Communications since her graduation, it was a surprise to many Independence fans to see her on the draft board. “Dani is a very good player” said Riley of his front office selection. “Indeed our front offices are full of top college players and to draft Dani was not a big risk for the club. She is an All-American with tremendous defensive strengths which include her aerial ability, excellent tackling and her superb positional awareness. Dani has deserved and earned this moment and I have high expectations for her for our inaugural season.”

The five college draft picks will join the Independence when preseason begins in March where they will compete to earn a spot on the Philadelphia roster. With the addition of strong central defenders, a goalkeeper, and additional goal scoring ability, the Independence accomplished their goals in the 2010 draft as they continue to build an outstanding roster. Stay tuned for more player news, a preseason schedule of events, and official 2010 game schedule! Visit www.wpsphillyindependence.com for season tickets and more information!

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)
Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is the premier women’s soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women’s professional sports are measured. The Inaugural Season kicked off in March 2009 with seven WPS teams based in the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. The league’s eighth and nine franchises, Philadelphia and Atlanta, will begin play in the 2010 WPS Season, which kicks-off March 2010. For more information and tickets, visit www.womensprosoccer.com.

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