STANFORD, Calif. – Naomi Girma was selected with the first overall pick by San Diego Wave FC during the 2022 NWSL Draft on Saturday before San Diego also nabbed Belle Briede 27th overall to start the third round.
Girma becomes the fourth No. 1 overall pick from Stanford in the last five years – joining Andi Sullivan (2018), Tierna Davidson (2019) and Sophia Smith (2020). Girma's selection runs Stanford's NWSL first-round pick total to 10 - the most of any program in the nation.
With two selections, Stanford has now seen 19 total players drafted into the league since its inception in 2013, and has had at least one player drafted in each of the NWSL drafts – including at least two in each of the last four.
Another ?? Headed to San Diego!@bellebriede will join @naomi_girma and @sandiegowavefc after being selected in the third round of the @NWSL draft!#GoStanford | #NSWLDraft | #StanfordNWSL pic.twitter.com/18Z5iS08qU
— Stanford Women's Soccer (@StanfordWSoccer) December 18, 2021
Adding one more this year, the Cardinal is the only program in the nation to have a player drafted in the top-five picks each of the last five seasons.