The Orlando Pride selected UCLA women’s soccer forward Mia Fishel with the No. 5 overall pick of the 2021 NWSL Draft on Saturday. The move immediately reunites Fishel with her college coach, Amanda Cromwell, who left Westwood for the pros earlier in December.
Another former UCLA player, midfielder Viviana Villacorta, went to the Pride in last year’s draft. UCLA midfielder Marley Canales still remains in the draft pool.
But while Canales left college after a season as a graduate student, Fishel made the rare leap after her junior year. Fishel led UCLA with 12 goals in 2021 and finished her career in blue and goal with 32 goals and 14 assists in 59 appearances.
Fishel was named an All-American as both a sophomore and a junior, and her 16 career game-winning goals rank fifth in program history. For the past three years, Fishel has racked up numerous Pac-12, regional and national honors while also making a name for herself on the international stage as well.
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