Former Penn State women’s soccer center back and captain Kaleigh Riehl was the 11th overall pick in Thursday’s NWSL College Draft in Baltimore, and will join Harrison, New Jersey’s Sky Blue FC for the 2020 season.

Riehl, who completed her redshirt senior season in 2019, has lead Penn State’s backline alongside fellow defender Ellie Jean since the program’s 2015 national championship-winning campaign. Jean has joined Danish side FC Nordsjælland.

A technical and tough defender, Riehl is a MAC Hermann Trophy semi-finalist, first and second team All-American, and the NCAA all-time leader in minutes played by a position player. She was called up to the United States Women’s National Team’s ID camp last month.

Riehl will join USWNT star Carli Lloyd and Sky Blue as they attempt to improve on last year’s eighth-place, second-to-last league finish. Riehl should play a significant role in a defense that is in desperate need of reinforcement. She was close to reuniting with former teammate and Penn State star Rocky Rodriguez, who was traded from Sky Blue to the Portland Thorns last week.

Riehl is the newest member of a long list of Penn State women’s soccer draftees. Emily Ogle and Maddie Nolf were both selected in the third round of last year’s draft.