Senior forward Sydney Leroux solidified her spot in UCLA athletic history Friday, becoming the first women’s soccer player to be picked No. 1 overall in the Women’s Professional Soccer draft.
Leroux is one of nine Bruins to be selected as the top pick, joining the ranks of Lew Alcindor, Troy Aikman and more recently, Gerrit Cole as No. 1 overall picks.
Leroux, who is currently training with the full U.S. national team, was selected by the Atlanta Beat.
She is the 11th UCLA women’s soccer player to be professionally drafted into the WPS since the league was established in 2008.
“I would like to thank my Atlanta Beat coach Jim Galanis and our wonderful owner Fitz Johnson,” Leroux said in a statement. “Thank you for having the confidence in me to pick me No. 1. I hope that I can help win some games and maybe even a championship this year.”
Leroux was a four-year starter for the Bruins, leading the team in goals with 16 during her senior year. This was her third straight year that she led UCLA in scoring.
“On behalf of the entire UCLA soccer family, I would like to congratulate Sydney on the enormous honor of being selected by the Atlanta Beat as the No. 1 overall selection in the WPS draft,” coach B.J. Snow said in a statement.
“It has been a lifelong dream for Syd to play professional soccer and we are so happy that she will have that opportunity. Syd has contributed to the growth of our program immensely over her four years in Westwood and we are excited to watch the path of her career for the years to come.
“We are certainly proud of all her soccer endeavors, but we are even more proud of the fact that she will graduate early with a degree from UCLA.”
Compiled by Mansi Sheth, Bruin Sports senior staff.