Penn State midfielder Laura Freigang will forgo her final two seasons of eligibility and turn pro, the program announced Friday.

Freigang Signs Professional Contract

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— Penn State Women’s Soccer (@PennStateWSOC) June 1, 2018

Freigang, an Oppenheim, Germany, native who was scheduled to begin her junior year this fall, signed a three-year deal with 1. FFC Frankfurt of the Frauen-Bundesliga. She led the Nittany Lions in goals last season with nine, including four game-winners.

Freigang will likely represent her country at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France this August. She also participated in the 2016 event in Papua New Guinea alongside five of her Penn State teammates, who suited up for the United States.

Freigang’s playmaking presence and big personality will be sorely missed in Penn State’s midfield this season, but her departure opens the door for someone to step up and nab a starting spot for head coach Erica Dambach.

Freigang scored 11 goals during her two-year collegiate career and would surely have been a key contributor for the Nittany Lions in 2018. Her skill on the ball is electrifying to watch.

It’s fairly common for Germany’s top youth players to turn pro in their late teens or early 20s, with far more clubs to choose from than in the U.S., where the NWSL is the primary league for women’s soccer.

The Nittany Lions open their season versus West Virginia on Friday, August 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Jeffrey Field.