On Jan. 16, Stephanie Verdoia became the first female athlete from Seattle University to be drafted into a professional sports league since 1980. Verdoia traveled to Philadelphia to take part in the National Women’s Soccer League draft where she was picked by the Boston Breakers.

“The whole weekend was kind of a whirlwind of emotion because I didn’t know what was going to happen,” said Verdoia. “Then that happened and I was getting so many calls and texts from wonderful people reaching out to me. It was pretty overwhelming.”

Along with being drafted, Verdoia achieved another accomplishment: winning the award for Women’s Sports Star of the Year at the Seattle Sports Star of the Year event at Benaroya Hall. She was in great company with other athletes such as the Seahawks’ Earl Thomas won Male Sports Star of the Year, and Seattle U alum Elgin Baylor took home the lifetime
achievement award.

At the event, there was a meeting among the athletic symbols of Seattle U’s past and present.

“[Baylor] obviously is an incredible Seattle U alum so it was great meeting him and understanding the impact you can have on the school and the legacy you can hold for things through athletics,” Verdoia said. “Even though I’m nowhere near the type of athlete he is, knowing you can have a positive impact through athletics is really nice to see.”

Verdoia will graduate at the end of this quarter and will be reporting to pre-season camp for the Boston Breakers at the beginning of March. There she will train to try and earn a spot on the team.

“Within a month I will figure out if I’m going to be fully contracted, put on the amateur list or get traded to another team,” Verdoia said. “It’s all kind of up in the air.”
Verdoia has accomplished so much at Seattle University, and we from the Spectator wish her the absolute best, wherever she ends up.