Red Stars draft Stanford defender with No. 1 pick

The Chicago Red Stars on Thursday used the No. 1 overall pick in the National Women's Soccer League draft to pick Stanford defender Tierna Davidson.

Already a member of the U.S. national team player pool, Davidson, 20, was named the 2018 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year. She seems likely to play for the United States this summer in the World Cup in France.

In the second round, the Red Stars drafted Maria Sanchez out of Santa Clara University. Naperville North High School graduate Kayla Sharples, a defender from Northwestern University, went to the Red Stars in Round 3, as did Bianca St. Georges of West Virginia University.

Forward Jenna Szczesny of Hoffman Estates and Loyola University went to the Red Stars in Round 4 along with Hannah Davison of Geneva and Northwestern and April Bockin of Minnesota.