Noftsinger Drafted By New York Power
2/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Feb. 11, 2002
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL - Sarah Kate Noftsinger, a senior midfielder on the Wake Forest women's soccer team, was taken by the New York Power with the sixth pick of the third round, as the 22nd overall selection, in the 2002 Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) Draft, Monday morning in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Noftsinger, an All-ACC selection this past season for the Demon Deacons, becomes the first Wake Forest women's athlete to ever be drafted by a professional sports team. The 5-3 Richmond, VA, native impressed scouts with her workouts in Saturday's combine that was part of the Umbro Select Classic so much as to become one of the 32 players picked in the four-round draft despite not being one of the 37 college seniors invited to participate in the Umbro Select Classic All-Star game on Sunday.
Noftsinger finished her career at Wake Forest tied for fourth place with 81 career games played and fifth all-time with 70 career games started. Scoring 12 goals in her career, six of which were game-winning, Noftsinger also assisted 13 goals at Wake Forest. A Dean's List student, Noftsinger is majoring in Sociology with a minor in Anthropology. The 1997 Virginia High School Player of the Year and an Umbro/NSCAA Youth All-American, Noftsinger earned all-state, all-region and all-academic accolades in each of her final three years at Godwin High in Richmond, VA. She also led her youth club team, the William Pacers, to the 1996 national semifinals.
New York Power head coach Pat Farmer also picked up Finland's Minna Mustonen, who played at Franklin Pierce College and currently plays with the W-League Boston Renegades, Penn State defender Bonnie Young, Florida goalkeeper Meredith Flaherty, and Florida defender Erin Gilhart.
For complete results of the WUSA draft and more information on any of its teams, go to wusa.com.