After being drafted second overall less than two weeks ago by the Boston Breakers, former Gamecock forward Savannah McCaskill has again been drafted second overall, but this time to Sky Blue FC in the National Women's Soccer League dispersal draft after the Boston Breakers folded.
Although McCaskill was initially drafted by the Breakers in the NWSL College Draft on Jan. 18, 10 days later the Breakers officially announced the club was folding due to the process of finding a new owner stalling out.
“Discussions with an active buyer who had signed a letter of intent were ongoing since November of 2017,” Michael Stoller, Boston Breakers managing partner, said in the official statement from the club. “Unfortunately, due to certain factors that process was halted on short notice. Since that point a number of potential buyers were spoken with, but nothing could be completed within the short timeline.”
After the announcement, the NWSL set up a dispersal draft for Tuesday where Breakers players, including McCaskill, could be drafted by the remaining nine teams in the NWSL.
McCaskill didn’t have to wait long to find out which new club she would play for, as Sky Blue FC selected the only three-time All-American in South Carolina history with the second overall pick in the NWSL Dispersal Draft.
McCaskill will now get to play alongside two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Carli Lloyd, who was acquired in a trade with Chicago Red Stars to send the World Cup champion back home to New Jersey to play for Sky Blue FC.
McCaskill finished her illustrious career at South Carolina with the third most points (114), goals (40) and was second in assists with 34. She was also named two-time SEC Offensive Player of the Year. This past season, McCaskill led the Gamecocks to the College Cup for the first time in program history and was named a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. On top of that, she recently notched her first career appearance with the United States women’s national team, debuting in an exhibition against Denmark.
Sky Blue FC finished last season in sixth place in the NWSL with a 10-11-3 record, but with the club’s offseason additions, which now include McCaskill, the team is looking to compete for a title in the 2018 NWSL season.