Soccer stars were Broncos first

By Cecile Nguyen

Santa Clara can add four more players to their list of Broncos in the pros, as three Santa Clara alumni were drafted in the Women's Professional Soccer Draft and one Bronco is headed to Major League Soccer.

Brandi Chastain

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Brandi Chastain, as the famed Bronco soccer player will return to Santa Clara as part of the Women's Professional Soccer team FC Gold Pride, who will play their inaugural season at Buck Shaw Stadium.

The Pride made Chastain the 45th pick overall in the Women's Professional Soccer Draft Friday. She will join fellow Bronco and U.S. National Team star Leslie Osborne on the Pride.

Chastain's claim to fame was scoring the decisive penalty kick in the 1999 World Cup Championship match. She took off her jersey in celebration following the winning kick.

The San Jose, Calif., native was also part of the U.S. National Team that won the first-ever Olympic women's soccer gold medal in 1996.

With the Broncos, Chastain led the team to its first-ever postseason appearance in 1989 to start Santa Clara's 19 consecutive years of making an NCAA Tournament appearance.

The following season, Chastain scored 22 goals and collected 50 points for the Broncos. For her part in helping Santa Clara to an 18-1-1 record, she was named the ISAA National Collegiate Player of the Year and was the recipient of the Honda Award for most outstanding female collegiate athlete in the nation.

Chastain finished her two-year Santa Clara career with 32 goals, 8 assists and 72 points.

Brittany Klein

Brittany Klein was the highest Santa Clara alum pick at Friday's WPS Draft when the Chicago Red Stars made her the 14th overall pick.

The Arcadia, Calif., native currently plays with the U.S. under-23 National Select Team.

Klein was named to the All-West Coast Conference First Team her senior year.

She collected 15 goals, 8 assists and 38 points in her four years at Santa Clara.

The 5-foot-3 midfielder was a three-time All-WCC and a two-time All-West Region Selection Honoree.

Klein led Santa Clara to two West Coast Conference Championships and four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

As a freshman, Klein was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team after starting 11 of 22 contests.

The former Bronco captain notched 6 game-winning goals, including 3 in her final year in Santa Clara red and white.

Klein was named to McDonald's and Parade All-American as a senior in high school.

She was awarded the 2003 Gatorade California High School Girls Soccer Player of the Year and named NSCAA All-America Honoree in 2003 and 2004.

Chioma Igwe

The Chicago Red Stars selected Chioma Igwe as the 28th player in the WPS Draft.

Igwe played in a semi-professional league in Germany prior to entering the WPS Draft.

After two years at UC Berkeley, Igwe transferred to Santa Clara to finish her collegiate career.

The 5-foot-6 midfielder was a two-time All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention. She started 20 of 22 games and was named to the Soccer Buzz All-Freshman West with her squad at Berkeley.

Igwe played in all 21 games her senior year at Santa Clara and was named to the All-WCC Second Team and honored as the team's Defensive MVP.

In her two-year career with the Broncos, the Belmont, Calif., native scored 3 goals, posted 3 assists and had 19 shots on goal.

As a senior at Notre Dame High School in Belmont, Igwe was named San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year in 2004.

Igwe's two brothers, Kelechi '05 and Amaechi, both played soccer for the Broncos. Amaechi, who left Santa Clara after one year, currently plays for the New England Revolution.

Igwe and Brittany Klein will join former Bronco teammate Marian Dalmy, who was selected at the WPS General Draft back in October, as members of the Red Stars.

Jide Ogunbiyi

The New York Red Bulls made men's soccer player Jide Ogunbiyi their second-round pick, 18th overall, in last Thursday's Major League Soccer SuperDraft.

Ogunbiyi is the fifth Santa Clara player selected in the last two years -- Matt Hatzke, Matt Marquess, Jamil Roberts and Peter Lowry were selected in 2008.

Ogunbiyi is also the highest Bronco taken since Amaechi Igwe went 12th overall in 2006.

"Getting drafted is the ultimate goal of any college player," Ogunbiyi said. "It's at the top of my list of accomplishments."

Ogunbiyi impressed MLS coaches with his athleticism and physicality despite his inexperience on the back line, Santa Clara head coach Cameron Rast said.

The senior played midfield and forward most of his career at Santa Clara before moving to defender midway through the 2008 season.

Santa Clara made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and won two straight West Coast Conference titles in 2006 and 2007 with Ogunbiyi.

The 2008 All-WCC first-teamer leaves Santa Clara with eight goals and 11 assists over four seasons.

Ogunbiyi was invited to try out for the Nigerian national team.

Matthew Cucuzza contributed to this report. Contact Cecile Nguyen at (408) 551-1918 or sports@thesantaclara.com.