WASHINGTON – Georgetown University women's soccer standout Meaghan Nally was selected by the Portland Thorns FC in the third round and the overall 25th pick in the 2020 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Draft on Thursday afternoon in Baltimore, Maryland.
"Everybody at Georgetown is so proud and happy for Meaghan," said Georgetown Head Coach Dave Nolan. "She has worked incredibly hard to become one of the top defenders in the country and it didn't surprise me that she ended up at Portland where she will join former Hoya Emily Menges. Mark Parsons is a great developer of talent and has a very sharp eye for potential. It's a great fit for Meg and I think she will end up being one of the steals of the draft."
Nally led the Hoyas to three BIG EAST Championship titles, two BIG EAST Regular Season titles, a pair of College Cups and four BIG EAST Championship appearances. She graduated from Georgetown's McDonough School of Business in December with a degree in marketing.
The defender appeared in 88 games for the Blue & Gray and started in 66 of them on the backline. She recorded 22 points from eight goals and six assists throughout her four years on the Hilltop. While at GU, Nally anchored one of the top defensive teams in the nation, tallying 59 shutouts and allowing just 52 goals from opponents over the course of four seasons.
A 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List candidate, Nally was named a 2019 United Soccer Coaches Second Team Scholar All-American and a two-time First Team All-Regional selection. During her junior season, she was named a Third Team All-American and a First Team Scholar All-American. She is the reigning two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-BIG EAST First Team honoree.
She helped the Hoyas set several program records, including fewest goals allowed in 2017 (7), most shutouts in 2017 (17), most consecutive wins in 2018 (14) and most wins in 2018 (21)
"I'm so grateful to Mark Parsons and the Portland Thorns for giving me this amazing opportunity," said Nally. "I'm excited to get to work and I know I only have this opportunity because of everyone here at Georgetown. From Dave, Kristen and Lyndse to all of my teammates and to every person involved within the athletic department. I'm just very grateful and very excited for this next step."
Nally is the sixth player in program history, all under Nolan, to be selected in a professional draft. Last year, Kyra Carusa (SCS'19) was selected 19th overall and prior to her, Elizabeth Wenger (C'18) was selected 17th overall while Daphne Corboz (C'15) and Emily Menges (C'14) were selected 25th overall in their respective years. Ingrid Wells (C'11) was selected ninth overall in the 2012 Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) draft.
