University of North Carolina Athletics
Sky Blue FC Selects "Home-Town" Girl Averbuch in First Round of WPS Draft
January 17, 2009 | Women's Soccer
Jan. 17, 2009
SOMERSET, N.J. - Yael Averbuch won't have to travel too far to practice when she starts her professional career in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). Sky Blue FC - the NJ/NY franchise in WPS - selected the Upper Montclair, NJ-native today with its first round pick, the fourth overall, in the 2009 WPS Draft.
Averbuch comes to New Jersey after a successful career at the University of North Carolina. The powerful midfielder is fresh off an NCAA College Cup championship run with the Tar Heels - her second with the other coming in 2006. Averbuch joins former UNC teammates Heather O'Reilly and Kacey White on the Sky Blue FC roster. Averbuch SBS scarf First round draft pick Yael Averbuch shows off her Sky Blue FC pride from her home in Upper Montclair, NJ.
"Yael brings such a tremendous winning mentality to our club," said Sky Blue FC General Manager and Head Coach Ian Sawyers. "She has been one of the most prolific collegiate players for the past 4 years as well as representing her country at many levels. Her talent and soccer credentials are numerous, but just as important she has been inspirational in many aspects off the field. I want to build my team around strong characters like Yael."
Averbuch is a product of the New Jersey youth soccer system, having played her club ball with Arsenal World Class and Montclair United, and having participated in NJ Olympic Development Program. The Montclair High School graduate also got her start in New Jersey on the senior level, playing with the New Jersey Lady Stallions of the W-League. In 2002, Averbuch became the youngest player to compete in the W-League at the age of 15.
"I'm extremely happy because I was hoping to be able to stay at home in New Jersey and represent Sky Blue FC," said Averbuch, who drew worldwide fame for scoring the fastest goal in NCAA history when she connected four seconds into a game against Yale in 2006.
"I've grown up here and played soccer here my whole life, besides the four years at UNC," Averbuch added. "The soccer culture and community here is like nowhere else I've ever been. I am so excited to still be a part of this community. I was trying to keep an open mind - all the teams have a lot of positives about them, but I was hoping to play in New Jersey, so I couldn't be happier."
At UNC, Averbuch left the storied program holding the career record for most consecutive games started with 105 along with many other accolades. She was a three-time NSCAA All-American and was the Soccer Buzz and Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Year in 2006. On the academic side, Averbuch received the Today's Top VIII Award as a senior, the most prestigious student-athlete honor awarded by the NCAA. She was also the ESPN Academic All-American of the Year and NSCAA Scholar Athlete of the Year this past fall. Her Tar Heel jersey will be retired alongside former greats Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly.
On the international level, Averbuch has played on multiple youth levels and is also currently a member of the United States Women's National Team pool with two caps under her belt. She was a member of the US team that finished third in the FIFA Under-19 World Championships in Thailand in 2004, and is currently the captain of the US Under-23 National Team. She was awarded MVP after the US U-23s captured the Nordic Cup title in 2008.
Tickets to Sky Blue FC's Opening Day battle against Marta and the Los Angeles Sol on April 5th at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ are available now. For information about Sky Blue FC tickets, call 888-SBFC-TIX or e-mail tickets@skybluesoccer.com. Visit Sky Blue FC on the internet at www.SkyBlueFC.com.
