Keller Signs With Washington Freedom
March 26, 2009 | Soccer
March 26, 2009
BOYDS, Md. - Former East Carolina women's soccer standout defender Madison Keller has inked a professional contract with the Washington Freedom, one of seven franchises in the new Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league, as announced by the organization Thursday morning.
Keller, who exhausted her collegiate eligibility as a senior for the Pirates this past fall, becomes the first player in program history to earn a spot on a professional roster. The Clarksburg, Md. native is no stranger to the organization, however, as she played for the Freedom's United Soccer League's (USL) W-League squad last summer, helping the team to the Eastern Conference Championship Game.
Keller played and started every contest for the Pirates in her career, helping backstop the squad to its first-ever Conference USA regular season title in 2008. She earned numerous accolades, including National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Southeast Region Second-Team, Soccer Buzz All-Southeast Region Third-Team, First-Team All-Conference USA, All-C-USA Tournament Team, C-USA First-Team All-Academic and NSCAA Second-Team Academic All-America Scholar honors.
The senior also anchored an ECU defense that ranked second in the league in goals allowed, goals against average and shutouts for all matches and first in the conference in goals allowed, goals against average, saves and shutouts in league contests this season. Keller was instrumental in helping goalkeeper Amber Campbell take over the school record for career shutouts, earning Keller C-USA Player-of-the-Week honors on Aug. 25. Additionally, she scored twice as a defender, putting 11 of her 17 shots on goal.
"To make a WPS team in the league's inaugural year is quite an accomplishment, said head coach Rob Donnenwirth. "It is the top league in the world and Madison will be playing with and against the likes of Abby Wambach, Briana Scurry and Marta (Brazil's top player). To put it in perspective, there were only 154 available roster spots between seven teams (22 spots per team). Our coaching staff always said that Madison approached her training and competition like a professional. She absolutely deserves this opportunity and ECU soccer wishes her the best."
The Freedom is set to participate in the WPS Inaugural Match on Sunday, March 29 when it travels to Carson, Calif. to meet the Los Angeles Sol. The contest is slated for a 6 p.m. ET inside the Home Depot Center and will be televised before a national television audience on Fox Soccer Channel.
