BALTIMORE – After a standout four years in Berkeley, Cal striker Abi Kim will be taking her talents to the National Women's Soccer League. The senior from Vashon, Washington, Kim was selected by the Orlando Pride with the 26^th overall pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft, which was held Thursday morning in Baltimore. Kim becomes the fifth Golden Bear drafted in the last four years and the eighth Golden Bear to be drafted into the U.S. domestic league.

The full results from the 2020 NWSL Draft can be found here.

"Abi came to Cal with a dream to play on the national stage as a professional and national team player," said Cal head coach Neil McGuire. "Today she realized that dream. We are very happy for her."

Kim joins an Orlando roster that features another Golden Bear great in forward Alex Morgan. Morgan, the No. 1 pick in the 2011 WPS Draft and a two-time Women's World Cup Champion, has spent the last four seasons with the Pride, tallying 18 goals. Another Cal standout, Samantha Witteman, was drafted by Orlando with 10^th overall pick in the 2016 NWSL Draft. Witteman played for the Pride during the 2016 season before joining the North Carolina Courage for the 2017 campaign.

A team captain for the Bears this season, Kim collected Third Team All-Region honors for the second consecutive year at the end of the 2019 campaign. After leading the Golden Bears in scoring as both a sophomore and junior, Kim embraced the role of provider her senior season, tying for the team lead with six assists on the year. Kim's six assists were a career-best and came at pivotal moments, assisting the game-winning goals in Cal's upsets over both No. 4 USC and No. 7 UCLA. Bringing pace and tenacity on the wings, Kim scored the game-winning goal in Cal's victory over Montana and also found the back of the net in Cal's 3-0 victory over Arizona.

An integral part of the Bears' attack, Kim was one of four players to start all 21 games this season and finished her Cal career with 18 goals and 10 assists in 80 matches. Kim helped lead the Bears to three NCAA Tournament appearances during her time in Berkeley and graduated this past December in 3.5 years with a degree in legal studies. She collected all-conference honors three times during her Cal career, landing a spot on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team in 2016, and earning All-Conference honors in 2017 and 2018.

Along with her success in the Pac-12, Kim has a history of success on the international stage. Kim has spent time in both the Under-20 and Under-23 pools with the United States Women's National Team, and represented the U.S. and the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in France. Kim played a key role in qualification for the Under-20 Women's World Cup, scoring against Mexico in the group stages of the Under-20 CONCACAF Women's Championship. A 5'8" forward, Kim spent time with the Under-18 U.S. Women's National Team in 2016, scoring the game-winning goal in friendlies against England and Norway.

Founded in 2012, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is entering its eighth season, with preseason and competition to kick off later this spring. Five Golden Bears were on rosters at the close of the 2019 NWSL season: Morgan (Orlando), Emily Boyd (Chicago Red Stars), Celeste Boureille (Portland Thorns), Ifeoma Onumonu (Reign FC), and Arielle Ship (Washington Spirit). Boyd, Bourielle, and Onumonu all helped their squads qualify for the 2019 NWSL Playoffs.

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