Women’s Soccer: CdM product Luke drafted

Lindsey Luke, a former standout at Corona del Mar High, was drafted in the fourth round of the National Women’s Soccer League draft on Friday.

Luke, an All-Pac-12 and all-region selection as a senior goalkeeper at the University of Utah last fall, was taken in the fourth round by the Seattle Reign FC, which posted the nine-team league’s top regular-season record in 2015.

“This is an absolute dream come true,” Luke said in a statement on the University of Utah athletic website. “Waking up this morning, my heart was beating out of my chest. I didn’t see [the draft] live, because I had turned it off. I followed the first couple rounds on Twitter and then my mom texted me ‘OMG.’”

Luke, who had 25 career shutouts at Utah, was named Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week seven times as a Ute. Her nine shutouts as a sophomore set a school single-season record and her 367 career saves in 74 games are six shy of the school record.

Seattle, 13-3-4 last season to post 43 points (three for a win and one for a tie), 10 points better than the next-best team, reached the NWSL title game last season. The Reign, with a roster that includes U.S. national team goalkeeper Hope Solo, lost to Kansas City, 1-0, in the final on Oct. 1.

Seattle is also keyed by national team forward Megan Rapinoe.

“I didn’t think I would ever be in their presence,” Luke said of Solo and Rapinoe, who helped Team USA win the Women’s World Cup in 2015. “It’s an honor to get the chance to learn from them.”

Utah Coach Rich Manning was pleased for his former player.

“What a great moment,” Manning said in a statement. “Lindsey worked really hard to develop her game. We are so proud of the player and person she has become and we are sure she will put everything into this opportunity.”

— From staff reports