Also in today’s roundup, Stephanie Verdoia signs with Vifdamene of Norway after being waived by Boston
Canadian forward Adriana Leon signs with Boston Breakers ahead of 2017 NWSL season. (Photo Courtesy Canada Soccer)
Today, the Boston Breakers announced the signing of Canadian forward Adriana Leon for the upcoming season. Leon returns to Boston for the first time since the 2013 NWSL season where she was originally allocated out of college.
Leon most recently played for FC Zurich in Nationalliga A, the top flight in Switzerland, after leaving the Western New York Flash midway through the season last year. During her time at the Flash, she appeared in 10 games making three starts. Before the Flash, the 23-year old spent two seasons with the Chicago Red Stars in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, she appeared in 5 games locking in one goal after a 2014 season where she appeared in 20 games, making 15 starts and tallying one goal and three assists. Leon made her NWSL debut in Boston in 2013, where she appeared in six games making one start in her 163 minutes played that year.
On the international stage, Leon has 38 caps and five goals to date with the Canadian women’s national team. She was named to Canada’s squad for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and appeared in all four of Canada’s matches, totaling 139 minutes of play for the tournament. She, however, has failed to see much action at the senior level since. Leon was left off the roster for the 2016 Rio Olympics where Canada went on to bring home the bronze medal. Most recently, she missed the call up to training camp ahead of the friendly against Mexico this Saturday.
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In Boston’s official announcement, head coach Matt Beard alludes to Leon’s eagerness to make her way back to the national team player pool. “Adriana is keen to come back to Boston and prove herself back in the NWSL and also to get back into the Canadian women’s national team,” he noted.
Stephanie Verdoia signs with Vifdamene of Norway
Midfielder Stephanie Verdoia signed with Vifademene of Norway’s Toppserien as was announced on Saturday. This signing came on the heels of the Boston Breakers announcement that they waived Verdoia this past Friday.
Upper V Athlete and former @BostonBreakers MF @stephverdoia has signed with @vifdamene of Norway’s Toppserien. Congrats Steph! @su_wso pic.twitter.com/7AW7zDPt6S
— Upper V Athlete Mgmt (@uppervathletes) January 28, 2017
During her 2016 season in Boston, she made five starts in 10 total games played for 453 minutes. In 2015, she saw less action, making only one start in eight games.
In February 2015, Verdoia made her debut at the international level when she appeared for the U.S. U-23 team in La Manga, Spain during a three-game trip.
She was drafted by Boston in the fourth round ahead of the 2015 season after capping off a college career at Seattle University where she became the university’s career leader in goals (51) and points (132).
