Tierna Davidson forgoes Senior Year at Stanford to go Pro

http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/ar...vidson-skips-senior-year-stanford-go-pro-nwsl

Not sure I'd want to skip out on a degree from Stanford, but on the other hand she mentions it will be tough academically since she will be spending so much time away due to playing on the US team.

Oh she will finish her Stanford degree for sure! Check out her twitter message to Stanford.

Stanford, thank you for everything you have given me. You’ve changed my life. Looking forward to a new chapter this year! #gocard

1:52
22.7K views
3:53 AM - 10 Jan 2019 from Loulé, Portugal

I doubt she "wanted" to leave but imagine hand was forced from the US WNT. Bummer she couldn't take spring semester off with WC preperations and play her senior year/graduate.

Yep, I agree. I can't imagine trying to handle the rigor of Stanford (or any college) while also preparing for the World Cup. Pretty exciting to be the NWSL #1 pick. Good for her and I wish her luck!

Now you have to skip HS Soccer and some college for USA Soccer.
Is it true avg salary for $40-$50K for NWSL & salary cap of $265K for each team?

The average salary of a NWSL team is much lower than 40-50k.

Ignoring certain exceptions around the supplemental draft from teams that folded, total team cap is $350,000 (and actually lower for some teams). Teams are required to carry 18 on the roster. So the mathematical average must be about $19,500. It is actually lower because some teams have a lower cap, and nearly all of them carry 20 on the roster instead of 18.

The maximum allowed by the collective bargaining agreement is $44,000.

Women on the national team make more from their national team contracts, and more in endorsements of course, but for players not named Alex Morgan or Mia Hamm there isn't much in endorsements either

In other words, your average dental assistant makes more than all but the top twenty women's soccer players in the country.

There is no money in womens soccer. None.

Min salary is 16,500 and max is 46,200 roughly.

Wow, please let me go pro right now!! So yeah, certainly leaving early wasn't the first choice until JE made her I'm sure.

I don't think women's soccer will ever make real money unfortunately.

Landscaping of Girls/Women's soccer for a final product of $16-$46K professional (excluding top 20 or .00009%).
1. Play GDA - banned from HS Soccer (or other PDP/ODP platforms) pay up to $10k a year. $10k x 4 years U14-U18 (avg) = up to $40k
2. Play ECNL/NPL - pay up to $7K year, ability to play HS Soccer and other platforms. $7k x 4 years u14-u18 (avg) = up to $28k
3. potential giving up part of college soccer for WNT/NWSL
4. Play in either platform get accepted/partial/full boat into college. Get degree; most likely first job salary more than NWSL top salary of $46K.

Her situation is unique since this is a WC year. Even if she stopped out to prep for the WC, unless she gave up her eligibilty, she’d have to forgo any bonus money for playing in and possibly winning the WC. That’s not an insignificant amount even if it pales compared to the men’s side (the FIFA’s winner share (for the team to share) will be $4MM and she’s bound to get other bonuses from US Soccer). Hard for me to criticize the decision since the bonus money will not be around for four more years.

Great decision. Stanford will gladly let her finish her education after she makes her millions.