PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC selected midfielder Yazmeen Ryan from TCU with the sixth overall pick and midfielder Sam Coffey from Penn State with the 12th pick in the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Draft on Wednesday night. With their next two picks, Thorns FC added forward Amirah Ali from Rutgers in the third round (No. 22 overall) and defender Hannah Betfort from Wake Forest in the fourth round (No. 37 overall).
Portland acquired the No. 6 pick from the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for the seventh and 32nd picks and a 2021 international slot.
Ryan has appeared in 68 career matches (64 starts) for Texas Christian University, tallying 19 goals and 17 assists. During her junior campaign in 2019, Ryan started and played in 22 matches, recording career bests in goals (7) and assists (9). Notably, Ryan is a two-time First Team All-Midwest Region selection (2018, 2019) and was named First Team All-Big 12 in 2018 and 2019. As a freshman in 2017, Ryan garnered Third Team All-Midwest Region accolades, Second Team All-Big 12 recognition and earned honors on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
Coffey transferred to Penn State in 2019 after playing two seasons at Boston College (2017-18). In 2019, Coffey earned First Team All-North Region and First Team All-Big Ten honors as a junior. Coffey concluded her junior season ranked second in the Big Ten in goals (11) and assists (10), starting in 24 of Penn State’s 25 matches. In two seasons at Boston College, Coffey appeared in 40 matches (40 starts), recording 17 goals and 24 assists. As a sophomore in 2018, she earned First Team All-American honors, was the ACC Midfielder of the Year and garnered First Team All-ACC accolades, recording 12 goals and 14 assists in 20 matches.
With Rutgers, Ali has made 62 career appearances (62 starts), recording 25 goals and 12 assists in three seasons (2017-19). A two-time All-American, Ali earned First Team honors in 2019 as junior, recording nine goals and four assists. In 2018, Ali scored a career-best 10 goals, while adding three assists, earning Second Team All-American honors. Ali is a three-time All-Region pick, earning First Team recognition in 2018 and 2019 and a two-time (2018, 2019) First Team All-Big Ten selection.
Betfort has played in 65 career matches (59 starts) for Wake Forest, recording six goals and eight assists. During the 2020 fall season, Betfort started and played in all nine games for the Demon Deacons, earning Third Team All-ACC honors. In 2019, Betfort recorded a team-best five assists, making 16 starts in 17 matches, while earning All-ACC Academic honors.
Yazmeen Ryan
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-6
Hometown: Norman, Okla.
College: Texas Christian University
Sam Coffey
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-6
Hometown: Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
College: Penn State University
Amirah Ali
Position: Forward
Height: 5-8
Hometown: Voorhees, N.J.
College: Rutgers University
Hannah Betfort
Position: Defender
Height: 5-11
Hometown: Charleston, S.C.
College: Wake Forest University
