Rachel Tejada Drafted by Chicago Red Stars

Three players from Missouri were drafted by National Women’s Soccer League teams today.

Rachel Tejada, from Triad, was was the 32nd pick, drafted in the fourth and final round by the Chicago Red Stars. She is one of seven players drafted by Chicago today.

In addition, FC Kansas City drafted Shea Groom from Texas A&M and Kaysie Clark from Missouri, two of the five players chosen by FCKC. Grooms and Clark were teammates at Liberty HS where they won two State Championships including the final one in dramatic fashion, with Clark sending a goal kick into space where Grooms blew past Maddie Friedmann of Ursuline to score the game-winner in the final SECOND of OT. They were also Club teammates at FCKC (now Futura?) as well as participating in US Youth National and National ODP programs.

Video – Groom scores Game Winner

Rachel Tejada
Illinois State soccer forward Rachel Tejada heard her name called on draft day for the National Women’s Soccer League and she won’t have to travel far to play at the next level. The Chicago Red Stars selected Tejada in the fourth round with the 32nd pick. Tejada becomes the first Redbird to be drafted in the NWSL

Tejada led the Redbirds to a program record 16 wins and a trip to the NCAA Tournament second round in 2014. The senior netted Missouri Valley Conference highs in goals (20), assists (11) and points (51). During the season she broke the conference records for goals and assists and finishes her career with 74 goals, 42 assists and 190 points. Read more at Illinois State Redbirds.

Shea Groom
Shea Groom was drafted in the second round, 12th overall, by FC Kansas City today. A homecoming, the Liberty High School alumni returns to Kansas City after leading the Texas A&M Aggies to a record setting season as one of their captains. She led the SEC and ranked third in the nation with seven game-winning goals, including the SEC Championship victory over Kentucky.

Groom was named to the NSCAA All-America First Team this year, following Third Team recognition in 2013. She was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and a Capital One Academic All-America First Team student-athlete. A Three-time All-SEC performer, she played in 84 matches, including 79 starts, recording 41 goals and 25 assists for her career, good for 107 points.

Kaysie Clark
Kaysie Clark was drafted in the fourth round (35th overall) of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft by FC Kansas City on Friday, Jan. 16. Clark, a Kansas City area product who grew up in Liberty, Mo., concluded her decorated Tiger career in November.

A two-time All-Southeastern Conference first team selection, Clark will enter the professional ranks after a memorable four years in black and gold. Over her career, Clark amassed 53 points on and 15 goals and 23 assists and ranks 11th all-time at Mizzou in career points and tied for fourth in career assists.
During her senior season in 2014, she recorded 18 points on three goals and a team best 12 assists, the former which also ranks fourth on Mizzou’s single season list. Additionally, her six game-winning assists in 2014 were a new single-season record.

In December, Clark became just the third Tiger in program history to make an All-Region first team after earning a spot on the NSCAA All-South Region first team. She also claimed Big 12 Conference All-Newcomer Team accolades as a freshman in 2011.