PHILADELPHIA – The tandem remains intact! After anchoring the Golden Bears' defense for the last four years, Emily Boyd and Indigo Gibson are slated to start their professional careers as teammates, both drafted by the Chicago Red Stars in the second round of the 2018 NWSL Draft. In conjunction with the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia, the National Women's Soccer League held its annual collegiate draft on Thursday morning as the league prepares for its sixth season of play. Boyd, the second goalkeeper off the board, was drafted by the Red Stars with the 15^th overall pick while Gibson, an All-American center back, followed soon thereafter, selected by the Chicago side with the 18^th overall pick.

The full results from the 2018 NWSL Draft can be found here.

This marks the second year in a row in which Cal women's soccer has had multiple players selected in the NWSL Draft, joining Ifeoma Onumonu (8^th overall pick) and Arielle Ship (26^th overall pick), who were drafted in 2016. The Bears were one of two Pac-12 schools to have multiple players drafted this year and one of only three schools in the nation to have multiple players drafted in the first or second rounds.
 
The 2017 Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year, Boyd became the first Cal goalkeeper taken in the NWSL Draft when she was selected 15^th overall by Chicago. The moment was made even more memorable as Chicago's draft choice was announced by another goalkeeping great for the Golden Bears, Mary Harvey.

"Getting my draft pick from Mary Harvey was surreal, as a fellow Cal alum and just to be recognized by the best of the best," said Boyd. "But hearing your name called and the team you're going to is just a surreal moment. I'm incredibly excited for this opportunity and so grateful for everyone who has helped me get to this point."

 Boyd ended her career in Berkeley as the Bears all-time leader in shutouts and saves, and put together a stellar senior campaign in which she led the conference in save percentage and posted a career best 0.54 goals against average. The Seattle native ranked in the Top 20 in Division I this past season in goals against average (0.54), save percentage (0.879), and shutouts (10). Boyd closed her Cal career with 36 career shutouts, the most ever by a Golden Bear and the third most by any player in Pac-12 women's soccer history. A Second Team All-America selection, Boyd is the first player in program history to be named the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year and is a three-time All-Pac-12 selection, earning First Team honors in 2017 and Second Team accolades in both 2015 and 2016.

A stalwart on defense and a semifinalist for the 2017 MAC Hermann trophy, Gibson played every minute for the Golden Bears during the 2017 regular season while helping Cal to a 13-6-1 overall record. A senior from Las Flores, California, Gibson earned First Team All-America honors at the conclusion of the season, just the fifth player in program history to be named a First-Team All-American and the first since Alex Morgan in 2010. After beginning her college career as an outside back, Gibson moved to the central spot and anchored one of the top defenses in the nation. Cal was one of only three teams in all of Division I women's soccer to hold opponents to one goal or fewer in every match prior to the NCAA Tournament. A First Team All-Pac-12 selection, Gibson was called into the United States Women's National Team Under-23 training camp to open 2018, along with Boyd.

"I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity to begin my professional career," said Gibson. "It's something I have dreamed of my whole life and it's even more special getting to keep playing alongside Emily after we've spent the last four year together. It's really humbling and I'm excited to get to work."

Gibson and Boyd will now join a Chicago side that already features one Golden Bear alumna in midfielder Taylor Comeau. An All-Region and All-Pac-12 selection during her time in Berkeley. Comeau has played significant minutes for the Red Stars each of the last two seasons, helping the Red Stars in their streak of three straight playoff appearances.

Preseason training camps for the 2018 NWSL season being on February 19 with the reular season kicking off the weekend of March 24-25. Six former Six Golden Bear alumnae were on active rosters during the 2017 NWSL season. Onumonu and Ship completed their rookie seasons, playing for the Boston Breakers and Washington Spirit, respectively. Comeau made 10 starts for the Red Stars and helped Chicago to a fourth-place finish in the league table while forward Alex Morgan landed on the NWSL Second XI after tallying nine goals for the Orlando Pride. Sam Witteman helped the North Carolina Courage to the Supporters Shield and a spot in the NWSL final, where the Courage fell to Celeste Boureille and the Portland Thorns in the championship match.

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