The Latest | Jan 10, 2023
On Thursday, January 12, the National Women’s Soccer League will usher in a new class of draftees at the 2023 NWSL Draft, presented by Ally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Celebrations kick off Thursday with a reception welcoming all draftees to the event before players and other VIP guests head to the draft room to walk the red carpet.
The draft, set for a 5 p.m. CT start at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, will air live across CBS platforms. Coverage will begin on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ, the free 24/7 streaming sports news network, 5 to 6 p.m. ET. The draft livestream will continue on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ from 6 through the conclusion of the event.
Fans tuning in outside the U.S. can watch the entirety of the draft on NWSLSoccer.com and the NWSL’s YouTube channel.
In her second year as host of the NWSL Draft presented by Ally, CBS Sports’ Poppy Miller will lead coverage from Philadelphia alongside analysts Jordan Angeli, Jen Cooper, Lori Lindsey and Saskia Webber, and reporter Marisa Pilla. Coverage of the draft will provide commentary and analysis on each selection as well as interviews with draft picks, league and team executives and special guests.
Additionally, CBS Sports’ Attacking Third podcast, hosted by Sandra Herrera and Lisa Roman, will host a live show featuring in-depth analysis of the draft and interviews with draftees and other guests.
More information regarding this year’s broadcast team can be found below.
The draft is free and open to the public. Doors open to the public at 5:30 p.m. ET and general admission seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Jordan Angeli
Angeli currently serves as a television analyst and broadcaster for the Columbus Crew after becoming the first woman in the Crew’s history to hold a full time TV-analyst position. Prior to her time at Columbus Crew, she worked as both a radio analyst and an in-stadium host with the Colorado Rapids. A former player in the NWSL, Angeli’s career includes time spent with the Boston Breakers, Western New York Flash, and the Washington Spirit.
Jen Cooper
Jen Cooper is the host of The Mixxed Zone, a weekly women’s soccer podcast hosted by The Beautiful Game Network and has served as color commentator for NWSL stream broadcasts. She was also the editorial director for the NWSL Game of the Week for the last six seasons and has served as an analyst for the NWSL Draft since 2016. She was a member of the Fox Sports research team for both the 2019 Women’s World Cup and the 2018 World Cup and served in the same capacity for the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
Lori Lindsey
A former U.S. women’s national team player whose professional playing career spanned 13 years, Lindsey represented her country in both the 2011 Women’s World Cup and served as an alternate in the 2012 Olympics. A seasoned analyst with commentating experience in the NWSL, MLS, USL and various college conferences, Lindsey also covered major international tournaments including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros. A star player at University of Virginia, Lindsey was the school’s first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and is one of only four players to have played in all three of the U.S. professional women’s soccer leagues.
Poppy Miller
Miller serves as host of CBS Sports' Serie A coverage, is a studio host for CBS Sports HQ, covering major sporting events throughout the year, and is an analyst for CBS Sports’ Concacaf coverage. Miller has also worked covering athletics across the SEC Network, Major League Soccer and for the Charleston Battery. A native of Nottingham, England, Miller is a graduate of University of South Carolina-Beaufort where she played on the women's soccer team.
Marisa Pilla
Pilla is a sports broadcaster working in her hometown of Philadelphia. She has been the NWSL’s sideline reporter for the last three seasons and is set to cover her sixth NWSL Draft. Pilla also worked as a sideline reporter covering MLS on FS1, and for the last six seasons, has served as the pregame/postgame show host for the Philadelphia Union.
Saskia Webber
A member of the famed 1999 USA World Cup team, Webber made her USWNT debut in 1992. Among her many accomplishments, Webber earned a bronze medal in the 1995 World Cup and a gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. She played professional soccer for three years in Japan for Oki FC where she was named the top goalkeeper of the league. In 2001, as a founding member of the WUSA, Webber played the inaugural season for the Philadelphia Charge before finishing her playing career with her home team, The New York Power. Webber currently serves as the goalkeeping coach at the University of Southern California after serving in the same capacity at UCLA. Webber is a host of the podcast "Inside The 18". She is also the founder and co-owner of TheUnionSports.com.
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