PHILADELPHIA – Long Beach State standout and 2022 Big West Offensive Player of the Year Lena Silano was selected with the 34th pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, heading to the Washington Spirit to begin life as a professional.
Silano is the second straight player from the Beach be drafted and is the fourth overall Big West student-athlete to hear their name in the NWSL Draft.
A native of Agoura Hills, Silano led The Big West in goals (16) and total points (38), while ranking third in assists (six) in 2022. The 16-goal effort tied the single-season program record for the Beach and included a hat trick and four other two-goal games. Silano finished eighth nationally in both goals and points.
The forward finished the year with four game-winning scores, and eight multiple-goal performances for her Beach career. Over 62 total matches for Long Beach State, Silano totaled 64 points from 27 goals and 10 assists, and started 40 consecutive matches dating back to 2019.
A highly decorated collegian, Silano was a two-time All-West Region selection, two-time All-Big West First Team selection, and capped it off as the 2022 Big West Offensive Player of the Year.
Silano follows fellow Beach alumna Kaitlin Fregulia (2022), UC Irvine’s Kiana Palacios (2018), and Cal State Fullerton’s Christina Burkenroad (2016) as Big West stars picked to play in the NWSL.
|
Year
|
Player (Institution)
|
Team
|
Round
|
Pick
|
Overall
|
|
2023
|
Lena Silano (Long Beach State)
|
Washington Spirit
|
3
|
10
|
34
|
|
2022
|
Kaitlin Fregulia (Long Beach State)
|
NC Courage
|
1
|
12
|
12
|
|
2018
|
Kiana Palacios (UC Irvine)
|
Sky Blue FC
|
4
|
5
|
35
|
|
2016
|
Christina Burkenroad (Cal State Fullerton)
|
Orlando Pride
|
2
|
5
|
15
|