The draft is held annually prior to the beginning of the NWSL preseason as a method for NWSL teams to select eligible American university players for their squads. Normally there are at least a few Aussies on offer.

This year, only one.

But first, here's a little history for you. This year’s draft will have four rounds, with nine draft picks each round. 

The picks are distributed to teams in reverse order of where they finished in the regular season last year. If you're familiar with WNBA or AFLW draft systems, this will sound close to home.

Teams are allowed to trade their picks for other picks, current NWSL players or rights to players.

Current Melbourne Victory and Matildas reserve keeper Micah will be entering the draft not only as a Matildas keeper but also as a highly touted University of California, Los Angeles shot stopper. 

The UCLA Bruins are one of the top university women’s soccer teams in the United States.  Claiming the spot of starting keeper for nearly all four years of her Bruins career, Micah played 84 games total for the university, finishing her collegiate career with 36 shutouts and 248 saves. 

She was recruited by UCLA while playing in the W-League for the Western Sydney Wanderers. Micah then made her W-League debut for the club age 18. Prior to being at the Wanderers she had been with the Brisbane Roar. 

Micah also has significant Young Matildas experience at various age levels. She received her first Matildas call up in 2017 and has been a reserve keeper with the senior squad, most recently at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.

While she enters the draft with impressive credentials, Micah’s chances of being drafted may be remote. At present there are fifteen other goalkeepers registered for the NWSL draft, (players have until the night before the draft to register).  

Some of these keepers are rated higher than Micah on collegiate rankings. Moreover, goalkeepers have always been the least drafted position. Last year only one keeper was selected.  However, as many as five have been drafted in other years.

At present there is only one team, the Washington Spirit, that has a clear need for another goalkeeper, maybe even two. 

However, being that the team only have two draft picks, it is unlikely they will use both on goalkeeping positions. They may opt to look for a keeper through the discovery process after the draft.  

This is a whole other kettle of fish; the discovery process allows NWSL teams to claim free agent player rights and subsequently sign players to their rosters.

So where else could she go?

Three other teams, the Houston Dash, the Utah Royals, and Sky Blue FC may need a keeper to fill possible needs this summer. As the Dash and the Royals also each only have two draft picks, they may also settle for the discovery process.  

Sky Blue FC have seven draft picks, and a need for a better backup keeper. The expectation is that they will draft one at least one keeper this year. 

The Chicago Red Stars currently have six draft picks. They may also choose to select a keeper to deal with expected summer absences.  

The remaining four teams appear to be set with regards to goalkeeping needs, with the Reign FC even maybe needing to drop one from their roster. This means there is a chance goalkeepers will be in short demand in this draft.

So while the draft prospects for shot-stoppers in general do not appear to be great for the 2020 class, Micah unfortunately, also has several other factors that may work against her.  

The Matildas problem

The first is the fact that she has been a regular call up to the Matildas. While some may think this is a positive, due to the increased experience it brings, the decision-making factors influencing NWSL clubs in how they draft players this year are likely to centre around how their picks will impact their roster during the Olympics.  

Should the Matildas qualify for Tokyo 2020, as is expected, it is reasonable to assume that Micah may be selected for the squad and brought to Tokyo, most likely as an alternate player. This would make her unavailable for her NWSL club for a significant part of the summer.

The summer tournament periods (Women’s World Cup and Olympics) is generally the greatest chance that rookie goalkeepers have to break into NWSL starting lineups as many starting and backup keepers are away.  

Seasons with summer tournaments also result in NWSL rosters with greater amounts of keepers as teams need replacements for those absent during the tournaments.  As Micah is expected to be absent prior to and during the Olympics, teams may see her possible absence as a significant negative to her selection.

Micah being an international player also reduces her draft prospects.  NWSL teams only have a certain number of international roster spots. Without a green card or citizenship, an international selection results in one of those few international spots being taken.  

It may be unlikely that an NWSL team use this for a rookie goalkeeper who may not feature significantly her first season.

However, the situation isn’t without hope. Next year, 2021, is an expansion year for the NWSL. At present at least one more team, Proof Louisville FC, has confirmed joining the league.  

All teams will lose players during the expansion draft, a draft which allows the Proof and any other new team, to select current NWSL players to build the bulk of their squad. Teams who loose players during the expansion will need to replace them.  

Picking a goalkeeper now who shows promise, can gain experience and has the potential to become a starting keeper in the near future, but would likely not be picked up during an expansion draft may be a move certain teams opt to do this year.  

Micah could be that player. Teams are also in a better position to do this in an Olympic year as the NWSL allows them to have expanded rosters for replacement players.

Our verdict

Whatever happens, it's most likely that if Micah gets picked, it may be latter on in the draft.  Only one keeper has ever been picked in the first round, the USWNT’s Adrianna Franch.  

Most keepers have been selected in the fourth round.  If Micah does not get picked she will become a free agent.  As a free agent there is another way she could end up in an NWSL team.  

Teams can sign free agents by claiming their rights through the discovery process. A few keepers have been picked up in this manner post draft by NWSL teams prior to their pre-season camps.  

Micah’s Matildas teammate Mackenzie Arnold was brought in by the Chicago Red Stars through this process last season.  Not being drafted therefore does not necessarily mean missing out.

However, even if Micah is selected during the draft or picked up in discovery, she may not be offered an NWSL contract.  

Some draft picks and discovery players are sometimes brought to pre-season camp and signed as a supplementary player or as non-roster invitees, both of whom are not part of the regular training squad.  

Players spend the year training with that NWSL team hoping for a full contract that or the following year. Other draft picks have also been released by their club during the preseason camp, prior to the beginning of the season.

Should the worst happen, and Micah’s NWSL hopes do not happen this year, all hope is not lost for playing professionally in the US.  The best move for Micah would be to play abroad and gain experience.  

The team she chooses should preferably be somewhere where she can be a starting keeper. Micah could try to come back to the US in later years, should she desire to do so.  As mentioned expansion will be happening in the near future with Proof Louisville FC.  

Other entities have expressed the desire to start an NWSL teams as well.  This will increase the NWSL demand for players.

Thus, whatever happens in the draft, and whichever decision Micah makes afterword, one thing is for sure: Micah is a professional-calibre keeper.  

She would not have been called up by the Matildas or started for a W-League team aged 18 if she did not have those qualities.  She recently signed with W-League team the Melbourne Victory for the remainder of their season.  

Wherever the young Australian decides to go after that, she does have a future in professional women’s soccer.  If that future will bring her next to America’s shores will be determined soon.

The best of luck goes to Teagan in the upcoming draft.