Women's Professional Soccer Presents Los Angeles Sol Dispersal Draft

Last week, the Los Angeles Sol ceased operations for the 2010 season, after several weeks of negotiations with a potential new ownership group fell through at the last minute.

“While it’s regrettable to lose the Los Angeles market as part of our WPS footprint, we are pleased to have two new teams coming into the league in 2010,” said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci. “The league and our ownership committee worked incredibly hard over the past month to complete the transaction. In the end, we ran out of time and came up short of where we needed to be funding-wise for the Sol in 2010.”

Although, the organization's staff and players were still hopeful for a miracle that bittersweet Thursday had come and the dispersal draft has begun. Nineteen of the Sol players will be shuffled out to the remaining eight teams.

Women’s Professional Soccer held its dispersal draft today for players’ rights previously held by the Los Angeles Sol, whose operations were discontinued last Thursday, January 28.

Nineteen Los Angeles Sol players were distributed to the remaining eight teams in the league - Boston Breakers, Atlanta Beat, Chicago Red Stars, St. Louis Athletica, FC Gold Pride, Washington Freedom, Philadelphia Independence, and New York/New Jersey Sky Blue.

Although it was a very bittersweet process, players will get to continue to fulfill their dreams of being a professional soccer player. Each team made out well from the draft and have added loads of talent to their current rosters. From the draft, each team has gotten better and more competitive, and so has the league.

The dispersal draft was held Thursday, Feb. 4 with the eight franchises selecting players from the Sol roster over three rounds in the following order:

Round 1
1. Atlanta Beat
2. Philadelphia Independence
3. FC Gold Pride (Bay Area)
4. Chicago Red Stars
5. Boston Breakers
6. Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
7. Washington Freedom
8. Saint Louis Athletica

Round 2
9. Saint Louis Athletica
10. Washington Freedom
11. Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
12. Boston Breakers
13. Chicago Red Stars
14. FC Gold Pride (Bay Area)
15. Philadelphia Independence
16. Atlanta Beat

Round 3
17. Atlanta Beat
18. Philadelphia Independence
19. FC Gold Pride (Bay Area)
20. Chicago Red Stars
21. Boston Breakers
22. Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
23. Washington Freedom
24. Saint Louis Athletica

Shannon Box to St. Louis Athletica

Shannon Boxx goes first in the Dispersal Draft after much speculation between who would be drafted by St. Louis Athletica. St. Louis traded off top players to the Atlanta Beat to get the Dispersal Draft's number one pick. Boxx will add great depth, leadership, and experience to Athletica's roster.

Karina 'KK' LeBlanc to the Philadelphia Independence

Canadian National Team keeper, Karina LeBlanc, went second in the draft to Philadelphia Independence. There, she will join former LA Sol teammates, Val Henderson and Allison Falk.

Marta to FC Gold Pride

FC Gold Pride selects Marta as the third pick in the Dispersal Draft. Four-time FIFA Player of the year will stay in California and move just up the coast to the Bay Area. Bay Area fans should be excited to see the 2009 WPS league leading goal scorer add her Brazilian flair to the Pride offense.

Chicago Selects Casey Nogueira

UNC standout, Casey Nogueira, was picked fourth by the Chicago Red Stars. Joining Tar Heel teammate, Whitney Engen, Nogueira will add incredible skill and youth to the Red Stars.

Stephanie Cox to the Boston Breakers

US Women's National Team defender, Stephanie Cox, was drafted fifth by the Boston Breakers. There's no doubt Cox will fit in well with the back line alongside Boston Breaker, Alex Scott.

Sky Blue drafts Nikki Washington

Sky Blue FC add another Tar Heel great to their roster. Despite experiencing an ACL injury during her senior season, Nikki Washington has proved to be one of the best flank players in her class by being a top draft pick in both the College draft and Dispersal Draft.

Washington Freedom drafts Brittany Bock

The Freedom adds a versatile Brittany Bock to their roster with the seventh pick. Bock is a very dynamic and powerful player. The Notre Dame product has proven to perform well at any position on the field.

Aya Miyama goes to St. Louis

The WPS All Star will make her way out to the Midwest to play for St. Louis Athletica. St. Louis adds the quick and skillful Japanese International to their roster.

Atlanta Beat selects Manya Makoski

Manya Makoski was drafted ninth by the Atlanta Beat. The outside back will join former LA teammates, McCall Zerboni and Katie Larkin.

Washington Freedom drafts Faith Ikidi

The Washington Freedom selects Nigerian International, Faith Ikidi, as their second pick in the Dispersal Draft.

Kiersten Dallstream to Sky Blue FC

Sky Blue drafts Washington State standout and 2008 U-20 Women's World Cup Champion, Kiersten Dallstream, as their second pick in the Dispersal Draft. A converted defender for the youth national team, the talented Dallstream can also play up top.

Boston Breakers draft Michelle Enyeart

The Boston Breakers select Michelle Enyeart, a speedy forward out of the University of Portland. Although she suffered a knee injury at the end of the college season, Enyeart has proven to be a top collegiate forward in her senior class.

FC Gold Pride trade to get local college star, Kiki Bosio

Bay Area’s FC Gold Pride traded up to the 13th slot to select forward Kiki Bosio, giving Chicago Red Stars their 14th selection in the dispersal draft and the FC Gold Pride’s 2nd round selection in the 2011 WPS Draft. The Santa Clara Bronco forward gets to stay close to her college stomping ground.

St. Louis selects Tina DiMartino

The Red Stars traded away that 14th selection to Saint Louis for the Athletica’s 2nd round selection in the 2011 WPS Draft. The Athletica used the 14th selection to pick up midfielder Tina DiMartino. DiMartino brings a wealth of international experience, as well as flair.

Estelle Johnson to Philly

The Kansas Jayhawk defender was selected by the Philadelphia Independence as the 15th pick in the Dispersal Draft.

Pavlina Scasna drafted by the Atlanta Beat

The Atlanta Beat selects Czech International and former Philadelphia Charge player, Pavlina Scasna, as the sixteenth overall pick. The Independence adds the experienced forward to the front line and completes the roster.

Lindsay Browne to FC Gold Pride

The FC Gold Pride select forward, Lindsay Browne, out of Clemson University as the nineteenth overall pick in the Dispersal Draft.

Athletica acquire Catherine Sorenson

Last but certainly not least, St. Louis picks up Danish Midfielder, Catherine Sorenson from the Los Angeles Sol.