Angel City draft Duke women’s soccer’s Lily Nabet

It took 11 months from the first pick to the last, but now all three of Duke’s super-senior captains are going pro.

Holding mid Lily Nabet was drafted by Angel City FC 36th overall in the 2022 NWSL College Draft Saturday, Angel City having acquired the third-round pick from OL Reign in a deal concerning Thursday’s expansion draft. The super senior is the first Blue Devil holding mid to be drafted since Quinn was selected third in 2018, and gives Duke its first multi-selection class since that same draft.

Nabet returned to Durham for 2021, alongside fellow super seniors attacking mid Tess Boade and centre back Caitlin Cosme. Boade was drafted 40th overall last January, and Cosme went 10th overall Saturday. They were named tri-captains, and helped achieve the Blue Devils’ best season since her freshman year, going 16-4-1 (7-2-1 in the ACC) and fell a goal shy of reaching the Final Four. Their freshman squad, a 2017 team that went 23-2-1 and fell in College Cup penalties, now boasts 11 draftees.

Nabet has been a strong presence at the 6 in her time at Duke, both starting and coming off the bench throughout. Pure defending was not a calling card, but her ability in the air, on tackles and as a connector rivaled anyone’s in the ACC. She made 18 starts this year, playing a career-high 1,373 minutes and scoring the second goal of her career this past Oct. 2 against Syracuse.