Picture by Brett Hemmings/Getty Photos through Sydney FC

Pondering again to her Nationwide Ladies’s Soccer League School Draft expertise in 2021, striker Madison Haley pauses for a beat earlier than saying, “I imply, that was like a whirlwind.”

Not like each prior draft the league has ever held, in 2021, the NWSL determined to make each faculty senior eligible to be drafted — whether or not they declared for the draft or not. With all collegiate gamers in a position to take an additional yr of eligibility after dropping a season to Covid, this created the chance of gamers getting drafted despite their plans to proceed their schooling. 

That is precisely what occurred with Haley. The Stanford ahead was drafted seventh general by the Chicago Crimson Stars though she had deliberate on ending her grasp’s diploma and enjoying the 2021 NCAA season. 

After graduating in 2022, Haley didn’t head to Chicago. As an alternative, she traveled far the world over to play within the Australian A-League Ladies’s aspect Sydney FC the place she had a right away influence and helped lead her group to a double, profitable the Grand Last championship and Premiership — the consideration given to the membership that finishes first within the standings. 

Haley sat down with The Equalizer to debate the whirlwind expertise of the draft and her determination to  —  a minimum of quickly  — forgo Chicago for the prospect to play in Australia, but in addition the place on the planet we’d see her pop up subsequent.