Throughout her soccer career, South Carolina senior goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo has been setting, meeting and exceeding goals.
Become an All-American? Check.
Appear internationally for her native Canada? Check.
Now, D’Angelo can cross another goal off of her list after she was selected with the 21st pick in the 2015 National Women’s Soccer League draft by the Western New York Flash, making her the first Gamecock to be drafted by a professional team since Blakely Mattern in 2010.
The moment she found out she had been selected was a joyous and exciting time for D’Angelo.
“My roommates and I were just jumping up and down,” D’Angelo said. “It’s just a really a huge honor and I’m excited for this opportunity."
The Flash organization, located in Rochester, New York, is less than two hours away from D’Angelo’s hometown of Welland, Ontario.
For South Carolina women’s soccer head coach Shelley Smith, it wasn’t a matter of if, but when her star goalkeeper would be picked.
“I was thrilled for her and I guess not that surprised. But I’m very proud of her accomplishments, and I’m glad that she’s been given this opportunity,” Smith said. “I know that New York will be happy with their draft pick.”
After arriving on campus as a freshman in 2011, D’Angelo quickly proved herself as one of the country’s best.
In four seasons with South Carolina, D’Angelo was named a National Soccer Coaches of America first-team All-American twice, earned 29 clean sheets and held opponents to just 0.79 goals per game over the course of her career while also appearing internationally for Canada.
Time and time again, Smith’s team depended on D’Angelo's heroics to keep the Gamecocks in games, including the goalkeeper’s last contest in a South Carolina uniform, which may have been her most memorable.
In a first round NCAA tournament match against Clemson this past season, D’Angelo shut out the Tigers through regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods before saving the day in penalty kicks with two critical stops.
“What a great way to finish her career at Stone Stadium,” Smith said after the game.
D’Angelo suffered an arm injury the following week in practice, and she was unable to get in goal for South Carolina’s three remaining playoff contests. But she has since made a full recovery.
D’Angelo, an exercise science major, just needs to complete an internship with director of sports performance Billy Anderson in order finish her course work and plans on joining the Flash for training camp in March.
When she reflects upon her time at South Carolina, D’Angelo thinks about how much Smith and her staff helped her grow as not just a goalkeeper, but as a person and teammate.
“They helped me become a leader on the field throughout my four years here,” D’Angelo said. “Shelley, Jamie [Smith] and Libby [Bassett] helped develop me into the goalkeeper I am today, and without them I wouldn’t have this new opportunity.”
The Flash’s coaching staff is also very excited about adding D’Angelo to their team. Western New York Flash head coach and general manager Aaran Lines thinks that D’Angelo brings a lot to the table and is especially impressed with her international experience.
“I think it’s huge because I think any young player that can gain any international experience for their respective countries is making themselves better,” Lines said in a phone interview.
One player that has years worth of international experience is U.S. star Abby Wambach, whom D’Angelo will have a chance to play along with on the Flash.
“She is one of the best forwards in the world and to have her shooting on me in practice is only going to help me become better,” D’Angelo said.
D’Angelo isn’t the only Gamecock that will have a chance to play professionally.
Senior defender Taylor Leach will open up spring camp with the Houston Dash of the NWSL after going undrafted.
A Maumee, Ohio native, Leach was named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s third-team Best XI team in 2014 and was selected to the first-team all-SEC squad her junior and senior years.