Sky Blue FC select Kayla Mills with No. 4 overall pick

With the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft, Sky Blue FC selected defender/midfielder Kayla Mills from the University of Southern California.

Mills is a versatile player who can fill multiple roles when called upon. Listed as a defender/midfielder, she could prove an asset for Sky Blue FC at outside back, a position that has been lacking depth since Caitlin Foord left the team prior to the 2016 season, and defensive midfielder. She played defensive midfielder for the 2016 USC team that won the NCAA Championship. In 89 games played at USC, she posted 2 career goals, 8 career assists, and 12 career points.

Mills’ versatility and experience at USC, in ODP and within the youth national team system makes her a valuable asset for Sky Blue FC.

In 2015 she was named NSCAA All American and PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Mills capped off her senior season by being named to the MAC Hermann Trophy watchlist. TopDrawerSoccer also named her the top defensive player in a deep youth national team pool in 2016. Mills has been in the youth national team pool since U-17s and was just recently called into the January training camp with the U.S. U-23 WNT.

Mills is an alum of Slammers FC on the club level, which features notable alumni such as Christen Press, Shannon Boxx, and Whitney Engen. She also won the ODP national championship in 2012.