BOULDER
- University of Colorado women's soccer player Amy Barczuk was drafted by the
Western New York Flash in the second round of Friday's inaugural National Women's
Soccer League Draft.
"We are very excited for Amy," CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. "She has
all the physical tools, but just as important, she has the proper mental makeup
to compete against the top players in the world. This is a great day for Amy
and Colorado soccer."
Barczuk, a 5-foot-10 midfielder from Centennial, Colo., said she woke up Friday
morning scanning projections, unsure of where she would be drafted. Now she's a
member of the 2012 WPSL-Elite Champions Flash, and she couldn't be more
grateful.
"I'm just so thankful to be
drafted where I was by a great team," Barczuk said. "I'm thankful to those who have
stuck by my side, my family and my sister. I'm thankful to (coaches) Danny, Don
and Jason for being so helpful and for having done anything I asked them to do
and for (Eric) Pelloni (assistant director of BuffVision) for making my highlight
video. I just want to thank everyone who helped me get here. I'm excited about the
opportunity to play professionally among some of the best players in the world.
I mean, most people don't get the opportunity to say that. I'm so, so grateful for this opportunity."
Barczuk capped
her career as a Buffalo by breaking records and earning numerous honors.
As the 2012 captain, Barczuk became one of only eight players in CU soccer history
to have started at least 76 of 78 games played. She is also one of four Buffs
to have played in every one of the team's games in her four-year tenure at CU. Her
games started and played also rank her ninth and 12th on CU's all-time list.
In her career, Barczuk has scored 23 points off 10 goals and three assists. Her
124 shots attempted ranks her 11th all-time at Colorado.
A two-time all-conference second team selection, Barczuk made her mark at CU
from the minute she stepped on the pitch. In her first season, she was named to
the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. As a sophomore, she earned a spot on the Gonzaga University
All-Tournament Team and was a CS360 Performer of the Week. She gained national
attention her junior year as an Under-23 National Training Camp selection.
Most recently, she was named to the DU Invitational All-Tournament Team and was
a third-team NSCAA All-Pacific Region selection. In her senior campaign, she
scored four goals, hitting the decisive one in overtime against USC to lead the
Buffs to their first ever road victory in the Pac-12 Conference and earn CU
Athlete of the Week honors.
Barczuk also excelled academically. The business major was first-team
All-Academic Big 12 and a two-time All-Academic Pac-12 honorable mention.
Barczuk is just the second Buff to be drafted out of college. The first was
Nikki Marshall in the first round of the 2010 Women's Professional Soccer
Draft.
Watch:
