ALSO IN TODAY’S ROUNDUP, FOUDY INKS NEW ESPN DEAL AND BREAKERS ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
The inaugural NWSL Team of the Month was announced today. Compiled by the total vote tallies submitted by the NWSL Media Association for Players of the Week and Player of the Month for April, eight of the ten NWSL teams are represented. Boston Breakers midfielder Rose Lavelle was previously announced as Player of the Month, while Seattle Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock was named Player of the Week in week 2. Washington Spirit defender Estelle Johnson is the only non-international player on the XI, while the rest represent the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and Wales. One notable inclusion is Chicago Red Stars defender Julie Ertz, listed as a midfielder, where she has spent the last two games.
Here is the inaugural #NWSL Team of the Month. Check out which players earned their spot in the starting XI for April. pic.twitter.com/KO0Q0nsnKl
— NWSL (@NWSL) May 4, 2017
FOUDY SIGNS NEW DEAL WITH ESPN
Former USWNT captain Julie Foudy has signed a multi-year extension with ESPN to continue serving as an analyst for soccer games, the Olympics, and NCAA championships. Foudy has been with ESPN since 2005, the year after she retired from playing soccer, and in her time has covered both men’s and women’s World Cups, the Olympics, UEFA European championships, and MLS games. She has also served as a producer on numerous soccer-focused documentaries and won the Edward R Murrow Award for investigative journalism for her 2016 story on the dangers of artificial turf fields. Foudy’s first book, “Choose to Matter”, was published this week.
The four-time Stanford All-American and two-time Hermann trophy finalist won two World Cups and two Olympic golds in 17 years of international play. She is fourth on the all-time caps list for the USWNT and was inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 2007.
BREAKERS EXPAND PARTNERSHIP WITH NEFC
The Boston Breakers announced today that they are expanding their existing partnership with the New England Futbol Club beyond the 2017-2018 season. Over 80 girls’ club teams operating under the NEFC-Breakers umbrella will be known as Boston Breakers Academy teams beginning this fall. Breakers professional players and staff will assist in academy team practices and attend games, while academy players will be invited to the pro team practices and receive complimentary passes to Breakers home games. Together, the Breakers and NEFC are creating one of the deepest and most complete development paths in the NWSL.
This is how our player development pathway will look starting this fall!!! A lot of building over 4 years to create this pyramid! ? pic.twitter.com/QVnGjMGavp
— Lee Billiard (@LeeBilliard) May 4, 2017
“We are delighted to have all current NEFC-Boston Breakers teams be re-branded as Boston Breakers Academy starting this upcoming fall season,” said Breakers president Lee Billiard. “With more than 80 teams being re-branded, it creates amazing brand awareness locally, regionally, and nationally. We have been very happy with the relationship with our partner club NEFC to date. Teams are competing very well, players are continuing to develop with the coaches, and players are being recognized by both college coaches for recruitment purposes, and by U.S. Soccer youth national team staff. Over the next few months and leading into 2018, we will continue to add the resources from the professional team and staff into the academy program, a program we are aiming to be one of, if not the best in the country.”
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