Dec. 20, 2010

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By Miquel Jacobs
Media Relations Assistant

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior goalkeeper Mollie Patton has been tabbed as one of the top seven goalkeeper prospects for the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) Draft, the league office announced.

A panel of women’s soccer experts from Sports Illustrated, ESPN, All White Kit, Equalizer Soccer and other collegiate soccer sources put together their listings of the top senior prospects by position for the upcoming WPS Draft that will be held January 14 in Baltimore, Md. Patton was one of two prospects named outside the consensus top five goalkeepers available.

Patton finished her career at South Carolina as one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the Southeastern Conference. She is the SEC’s all-time leader for consecutive shutouts (7) and single-season shutouts (15), and also sits No. 2 in the SEC record books for career goals against average (0.73) and No. 3 for career solo shutouts (31). She leaves the Gamecock program as the all-time leader for each of those categories as well as for single-season (19) and career wins (45).

A top academic student, Patton was named a First Team ESPN Academic All-America selection this year. She was a three-time ESPN Academic All-District selection and a 2009 NSCAA Scholar All-American while working towards a doctorate in pharmacy.

CLICK HERE to see the full list of goalkeepers on the WPS release.

ABOUT THE WPS DRAFT
The 2011 WPS Draft will be held at 1 p.m. (ET) on Friday, January 14th during the 2011 NSCAA Convention in Baltimore, Md. The draft will start with Western New York Flash having the first pick in 2011 and will continue for four rounds of selections by the six WPS teams. As an expansion team, the Western New York Flash will also receive a supplemental pick at the end of the first round.

The WPS will field six teams for the 2011 season: Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC (New Jersey), Washington Freedom and Western New York Flash (Buffalo). Last season, Blakely Mattern became the first Gamecock drafted into the WPS when the Atlanta Beat selected her with the 21st overall selection (first pick of the third round).