USC Women's Soccer: Midfielder/Defender Selected In NWSL Draft

Another pro!

Another of your USC Trojans is heading to the pros!

During this Friday’s NWSL draft, 5'2" senior Trojans midfielder and defender Zoe Burns was selected by the Utah Royals with the first pick in the third round, USC has revealed via a press statement. She’s the 16th Trojan to make the NWSL.

Burns will now be coached by her former USC assistant coach Amy Rodriguez, who has been installed in Utah since last April.

She's a three-time All-Pac-12 Second Team honoree, an All-Pacific Region First Teamer this year and was named to the All-Pacific Region Second Team in 2022.

As a key part of four straight postseason-bound Trojans squads during her collegiate tenure, Burns suited up for 68 games (58 starts). All told, she played for a total of 5,112 minutes, while registering 10 assists and six goals.

This past season, Burns' Trojans finished with an 11-5-3 record (6-2-3 in the Pac-12). In the 2023 NCAA Tournament, USC fell in the second round against No. 6-ranked Brigham Young by a margin of 0-1.

Burns will be joining a revived NWSL program. After kicking off their inaugural season in 2018, the Royals shuttered operations in 2020. The team announced it would resurrect itself last year, and will resume play this year.