Boston Breakers draft Rose Lavelle #1

With their first pick of the 2017 NWSL college draft, the Boston Breakers took midfielder Rose Lavelle, predicted by many to go #1 in the draft.

Lavelle comes to Boston from the University of Wisconsin. She has also been in and out of US women’s national team camps and will be at the upcoming January WNT camp. Lavelle could help Boston fill in a midfield that lost both Kristie Mewis and Louise Schillgard in the offseason. With Mewis and Schillgard both gone, someone is needed to form a good connection with the forwards, especially Natasha Dowie, and Lavelle can do that as well as act as a recessed forward to join the attack.

Lavelle joins a revamped Boston midfield that includes Angela Salem, Rosie White, and Amanda DaCosta.

“I had talked to [the Breakers] towards the end of my college season and had an idea but it doesn’t really seem real until it actually happens. I was honestly a little paranoid I was going to show up and have a curveball thrown at me,” Lavelle said of her discussions with the team at the draft.

Lavelle may be asked to take on a leadership role right away on a team that has seen drastic roster turnover. “I haven’t really thought about that but coming off my college season that’s kind of the role I had with them so if that is the role that is needed...if they ask that of me, I think I’d be ready to,” she said.

As for that drastic roster turnover, part of a revamping intended to get the team out of the bottom of the table, Lavelle seemed optimistic. “After talking to [Matt] I’m really confident in going into this season with what he plans on doing. I think he made some trades, picked up a lot of other good players. I think his style of play is something I’m really going to enjoy.”

The Breakers picked Morgan Andrews #3 as Lavelle was speaking to media, her future teammate giving a speech on the TV screen right behind her head. When asked about her new teammate, Lavelle said, “She’s a good player. She’s really technical. I think we can pair up really well in the midfield.”

“We’ll get the game plan working out when she gets back here,” Lavelle joked.