Here's an article about UNC defender Leslie Gaston that was just posted at the wusa.com site: Surgeries Don't Touch Gaston's Spirit Does anyone in the Triangle Area who has watched Gaston play for UNC think that she has a good chance of being drafted during the first two rounds? If she is available after the first 15 selections, would she be a good choice for the Courage to make with their second round pick?
I've seen Gaston play twice this season. She's not bad, but personally, I won't take her. Those weak knees are a big minus. I don't think turf teams such as BOS & PHL will draft her. I don't think she'll be a good fit with ATL's bruising style either. What will tempt teams to take Gaston is that she's a natural left back. If CAR take Gaston at # 16, does that mean shifting Slaton inside?
Thanks for your insight cachundo. Does anyone have some thoughts about any other players with local ties to the Triangle Area that the Courage might want to consider drafting?
Thanks again for your input. How high would you recommend drafting these three? Do you think the Courage should take Bush if she is still available at the end of the second round? Now that backup keeper Emily Oleksiuk has retired perhaps the Courage might also want to consider taking Branam in the third or fourth round?
I see the run on the UNC kids happen between picks 15-18. Both DC & CAR can use either Gaston or Bush. SD at # 17 will be waiting for either one to fall to them. Branam with certainty at # 18 to SD. Susan Ellis will run the draft. Unless CAR trade down from # 8, she'll pick Wallis or Schott. She's almost a permanent fixture at Stanford last season. LOL.
If Gaston is available, I think the Freedom take her. I would be suprised if Carolina took Bush. The last UNC forward they took did not work out so well in Meredith Florence, so I think they pass on Bush. Especially with the amount of attacking players they already have. If Branam is there, I think the Courage jump on her with the departure of Oleksiuk.
If Branam is not there, another possibility is Kristin DePlatchett who is a reserve GK with the Beat but could, like an reserver player I would think, become available.
Soccer America's Mock Draft I just saw Scott French's mock draft for Soccer America posted over in the WUSA Forum and French is predicting that the Courage will take Gaston in the first round. He is also predicting that Atlanta will take Bush in the first round.
There wouldn't be much chance of the Courage shifting Slaton inside would there? I wouldn't think that the Courage would use their only first round draft choice on a player that didn't have much chance of starting?
Kristin DePlatchett This is an interesting point Heeligan2. Unless they are moved up to roster status, it is my understanding that all of the reserve goalkeepers would be available when the waiver draft finally takes place.
Slaton Insurance? I wonder if Gaston might be selected by Carolina if there are any concerns about whether or not Slaton will be fully recovered from her knee surgery by the start of the season? Has anyone heard anything recently about how Danielle is progressing with her rehab?
Jerry had Slaton play at left or inside @ Satan Clara depending on the situation(s). I remember one time when she was coming back from a leg injury. Hey, two goofy defenders are a true luxury. Especially when most teams don't even have one goofy.
Carolina & ACC Players In the Draft Pool I just received an e-mail with the list of the WUSA Draft Pool and was interested to see how many players there were on the list who went to college in North or South Carolina as well as the ACC schools: Arrington, Deliah F 5-5 5-Mar. 1981 Pawleys Island, S.C. Clemson University Beem, Heather F 5-6 3-Mar. 1981 Vancouver, Wash. Clemson University Borski, Darci F 5-3 24-Mar. 1980 Philadelphia, Pa. University of Virginia Branam, Jenni GK 5-7 8-Oct. 1980 Placentia, Calif. University of North Carolina Bush, Susan F 5-4 10-Nov. 1980 Houston, Texas University of North Carolina Carter, Melinda D 5-6 12-Dec. 1978 Plano, Texas University of South Carolina Casey, Mikel D/M 5-7 9-Apr. 1981 Greensboro, N.C. Charlotte Charlton, Joline F 5-4 12-Dec. 1981 Stone Mountain, Ga. Wake Forest University Duffy, Amanda M/F 5-7 3-Sept. 1980 Jacksonville, N.C. East Carolina University Gaston, Leslie D 5-5 9-Aug. 1980 Montgomery, Ala. University of North Carolina Johnson, Katie M 5-2 22-July 1981 Virginia Beach, Va. Wake Forest University McDowell, Liz D 5-8 16-July 1980 Lakewood, Colo. Wake Forest University Regan, Erin GK 5-10 1-June 1980 Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Wake Forest University Sarver, Keri F 5-5 30-Mar. 1976 Fairfax, Virginia University of Maryland Wagner, Liz M 5-7 18-Mar. 1981 Lakewood, Colo. Duke University Worden, Kelly M 5-6 7-Dec. 1980 Spring, Texas University of Virginia
Re: Slaton Insurance? I heard a brief interview with Danielle this morning during the draft webcast and it sounds like she is progressing well with her recovery. Slaton said that she fully expects to ready to play by March 1st.
Re: Carolina & ACC Players In the Draft Pool Here's a brief summary of how the Carolina & ACC players fared in Sunday's draft: Arrington, Deliah F 5-5 5-Mar. 1981 Pawleys Island, S.C. Clemson University (1st round selection by Charge) Beem, Heather F 5-6 3-Mar. 1981 Vancouver, Wash. Clemson University (4th round selection by Power) Borski, Darci F 5-3 24-Mar. 1980 Philadelphia, Pa. University of Virginia (3rd round selection by Freedom) Branam, Jenni GK 5-7 8-Oct. 1980 Placentia, Calif. University of North Carolina (3rd round selection by Spirit) Bush, Susan F 5-4 10-Nov. 1980 Houston, Texas University of North Carolina (2nd round selection by Spirit) Carter, Melinda D 5-6 12-Dec. 1978 Plano, Texas University of South Carolina (Not drafted) Casey, Mikel D/M 5-7 9-Apr. 1981 Greensboro, N.C. Charlotte (Not drafted) Charlton, Joline F 5-4 12-Dec. 1981 Stone Mountain, Ga. Wake Forest University (Not drafted) Duffy, Amanda M/F 5-7 3-Sept. 1980 Jacksonville, N.C. East Carolina University (Not drafted, but invited to Courage camp) Gaston, Leslie D 5-5 9-Aug. 1980 Montgomery, Ala. University of North Carolina (2nd round selection by Beat) Johnson, Katie M 5-2 22-July 1981 Virginia Beach, Va. Wake Forest University (Not drafted) McDowell, Liz D 5-8 16-July 1980 Lakewood, Colo. Wake Forest University (Not drafted) Regan, Erin GK 5-10 1-June 1980 Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Wake Forest University (Not drafted) Sarver, Keri F 5-5 30-Mar. 1976 Fairfax, Virginia University of Maryland (Why was she listed? Didn't she already play for the Freedom?) Wagner, Liz M 5-7 18-Mar. 1981 Lakewood, Colo. Duke University (Not drafted) Worden, Kelly M 5-6 7-Dec. 1980 Spring, Texas University of Virginia (3rd round selection by Breakers) As expected, all three of the UNC players were drafted by the 3rd round, but I thought it was interesting to note that both Virginia players and both Clemson players were drafted, but none of the four Wake Forest players were selected in the draft. The three non-ACC Carolina players also weren't drafted, but at least Amanda Duffy has been officially invited to the Courage camp.