Just minutes after the Boston Breakers selected Lauren Cheney Friday morning with the No. 2 overall pick in the WPS Draft, the former UCLA forward said she doesn’t feel any pressure at all to perform at next level.
“I’m really excited. It’s definitely a little overwhelming right now, but I’m so excited,” Cheney said via cell phone from the WPS Draft in Philadelphia. “I don’t feel any pressure. God has blessed me. There’s no point in feeling pressure. I know how to play the game of soccer – it’s just new names, new faces. I don’t think it’s nervewracking.”
After the Atlanta Beat selected North Carolina midfielder Tobin Heath with the No. 1 overall pick, it was really no surprise that Boston would take Cheney, who played on the gold medal U.S. Women’s National Team in the 2008 Olympics.
“I had heard Boston was interested in me, but obviously you don’t know until anything happens,” Cheney said. “Obviously playing with Kristine Lilly, Kelly Smith, Amy LePeilbet, those are great names in soccer. I can only learn from them. It’s a team I’m excited to be joining. (Tony DiCicco) is such a successful coach. I’ll just try to absorb as much knowledge as I can to make myself a better player.”
Cheney was joined at the WPS Draft by her parents, Rita and George Cheney, as well as two aunts and a cousin.
“I know they’re so proud and so happy for me,” she said. “I don’t know what I would do without them.”
Cheney said there was a huge energy inside the WPS Draft headquarters.
“It’s really cool to see this many soccer fans in one room,” she said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen something like this in the states before.”
Cheney will make her Breakers debut Saturday, April 10, against the Washington Freedom in Germantown, Md., before making her home debut Sunday, April 18, against the Philadelphia Independence, which will be televised live at 6 p.m. on FSC.
This past season, UCLA posted a 21-3-1 record. The Bruins lost, 2-1, to Stanford in the NCAA semifinals, 7-2 to UNC to start the season, tied San Diego, 1-1 (2OT), in second game of season before winning 12 in a row. Stanford snapped UCLA’s winning streak with 2-0 victory. UCLA then won nine straight before losing to Stanford in semis.
In 2009, Cheney played in 23 games, starting 22. She scored 18 goals to go with 10 assists (tied for first with Lauren Barnes) for 46 points (second on team). Had 98 shots (tied for first with Sydney Leroux).
