CHICAGO – Two recent BIG EAST women’s soccer standouts were selected in the 2019 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft on Thursday in Chicago. Butler’s Paige Monaghan and Georgetown’s Kyra Carusa were both drafted by Sky Blue FC, with Monaghan selected 10
th overall and Carusa tabbed 19
th. It marks the third time in four seasons the BIG EAST has had multiple NWSL College Draft selections.
Monaghan’s selection marks the first time a Butler women's soccer player has been drafted. Located in Monaghan's home state, Sky Blue plays its home games in Piscataway, N.J. Monaghan played an integral in the Bulldog attack in 2018, earning First Team All-East Region Honors and First Team BIG EAST Honors after notching two goals and a team-high six assists for Butler. Her two goals came against then-ranked No. 20 Notre Dame. The senior also recorded two assists in the Bulldogs' 2-0 win over IUPUI. Monaghan led the team in shots with 51 and created numerous chances for the Bulldog offense in the midfield. She ends her standout career with her name in the Butler record books: No. 6 in career shots with 256, No. 7 in points with 62, Tied for 8th in assists with 18, and No. 9 in goals with 22. The midfielder was also named an All-American in 2017, just the third Bulldog to receive the honor. She graduated this past December from Butler with a degree in Marketing.
Carusa was drafted by Sky Blue FC with the first pick in the third round. She finished the season with 32 points, the team's second best. The graduate student recorded 10 goals and 12 assists, including 10 points from three goals and four helpers during the NCAA Tournament. In her single year playing for the Blue & Gray, Carusa sits eighth in all-time single-season records at Georgetown in goals, third in assists and fifth in points. The forward earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team and the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team. Earlier this season, Carusa was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-East Regional First Team and was the only Hoya to be named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team.
Since conference realignment prior to the 2013-14 season, the BIG EAST has had 11 NWSL selections: Paige Monaghan, Butler (2019 - #10, Sky Blue FC), Kyra Carusa, Georgetown (2019 - #19, Sky Blue FC), Elizabeth Wenger, Georgetown (2018 - #17, Boston Breakers), Alexa Ben, DePaul (2018 - #37, Chicago Red Stars), Morgan Proffitt, Marquette (2017 - #12, Chicago Red Stars), Rachel Daly, St. John’s (2016 - #6, Houston Dash), Sarah Gorden, DePaul (2016 - #22, Chicago Red Stars), Daphne Corboz, Georgetown (2015 - #22, Sky Blue FC), Emily Menges, Georgetown (2014 - #25, Portland Thorns FC), Jami Kranich, Villanova (2014 - #32, Boston Breakers) and Maegan Kelly, Marquette (2014 - #35, FC Kansas City).