No one was more elated than University of Virginia midfielder Danielle Colaprico at the 2015 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Draft.
Colaprico had attended the draft in Philadelphia on the encouragement of her coach, Steve Swanson. The last thing the native of Freehold Township expected was to hear her named called in the first round of the draft.
With the ninth overall pick, the Chicago Red Stars chose the two-time All-American.
“I’m so excited,” she said at the time. “I can’t wait to get started.”
Colaprico turned that excitement into productivity on the pitch. She was voted the NWSL Rookie of the Year. She started all 20 of the Red Stars’ games.
“I definitely didn’t see it coming, and I feel really honored,” Colaprico said in a statement from the Red Stars. “I think it says a lot about the team and about how well we’ve done this year.”
The Red Stars enjoyed the finest season in franchise history. They finished second in the regular season with 33 points and qualified for the playoffs for the first time. Their playoff run was stopped in the semifinals by FC Kansas City, 3-0.
Colaprico is a versatile midfielder who can be both an offensive and defensive presence. She was the only Chicago player to start all 20 games. Her lone goal was the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Sky Blue FC. She was the team’s Iron Woman, playing all but 24 minutes of the season.
Chicago head coach Rory Dames knows he has a talented player with a bright future.
“Danny had an outstanding campaign,” he said in a prepared statement from the team. “The fact that she came in and led the team in minutes as a first-year player speaks volumes. Having her in the midfield role completely changed the style we were able to play.” Dames noted that Colaprico is a serious contender for a spot on Team USA’s 2016 Olympic Team that will play in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is a member of the U.S. U23 National Team.
Before the NWSL, Colaprico enjoyed a great career at Virginia. She set school career records for assists (44) and appearances (100). Her 19 helpers in 2014 led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). She was the ACC Midfielder of the Year in 2014.
The Cavaliers were the NCAA runnerup, falling to Florida State University, 1-0, in the finals last fall. She was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
Before starring at Virginia, Colaprico left her mark in high school playing for Red Bank Catholic High School. She was named the Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year in 2011.