Moment of Pride: Batavia’s Kerry Abello, a Benet grad, drafted by NWSL’s Orlando club

Kerry Abello was in first grade when she got the assignment every school kid is familiar with.

“You had to write down what you wanted to be when you grew up,” Abello said. “For me it was always, ‘I want to be a professional soccer player.’”

For most children, that first career ambition is merely a far-fetched dream.

But Abello made hers a reality. The 2017 Benet graduate and current Penn State senior was selected by the Orlando Pride with the 24th overall pick in the National Women’s Soccer League Draft on Jan. 13.

Abello, who lives in Batavia, was watching the draft on Twitch with several of her teammates, never expecting her name would be called.

“We had just seen my teammate, Sam Coffey, get drafted in the second round so we were thrilled about that,” Abello said. “We had just kind of died down and having a conversation and I heard my name.

“We were just shocked. I knew I was eligible to be drafted and I didn’t even realize I was on coaches’ radars.”

Abello’s phone began pinging with messages from friends and family. She was contacted by the Pride and made a selfie video for the team.

Only when the frenzy subsided a few hours later was Abello able to take stock of what had happened.

“When I was 10 or 11 years old, I started going to Red Stars games when they were playing at Benedictine (University) and I knew then that’s what I wanted to do,” Abello said. “It’s funny, when my name was called, in the commotion I was flying high but I don’t think it hit me until later.

“When I was alone, it really hit me that my biggest childhood dream came to fruition that night. It was something really special and something I got to share with my family and friends and all my coaches and teammates that have helped me get here.”

Abello counts Benet coach Gerard Oconer in that group. Oconer coached her during the 2015 season at Benet, during which Abello, then a sophomore, registered 16 goals and four assists in 13 games. She missed 10 games that year while training with the U.S. U-17 national team and spent her final two years playing club for Eclipse Select.

“We had a pretty clear idea from Day One that she had the potential to reach the very highest levels,” Oconer said. “I don’t think we’ve ever really had a player of her caliber in our program.

“You could just tell that she was special right away. She scored 12 goals in the first five games she played for us.”

Abello played forward at Benet but also has extensive experience as a defender and midfielder. She has tallied 15 goals and eight assists in 62 games for Penn State, helping the Nittany Lions win the last two Big Ten championships.

Orlando drafted Abello as a forward. The Pride already have an impressive group of attackers led by Alex Morgan and Brazilian star Marta.

“It is a stacked team,” Abello said. “I think I would have to get over my fan-girling my first week of training. I would just be in awe of these incredible players.

“I have a ball signed by Marta when I was 14. She would be my teammate on the Pride, which is just mind-blowing to me.”

Oconer said Abello’s accomplishments, which include straight A’s in the classroom while double majoring in Spanish and biological life sciences, are amazing. Abello is the first Benet player drafted by the NWSL.

“It’s a tremendous source of pride for Benet, especially with the way Kerry has done it – by being a true epitome of the student-athlete,” Oconer said. “Being able to keep her primary focus as school while still excelling athletically is just a huge testament to her and Benet student-athletes in general, what they’re capable of doing on and off the field.”

Abello intends to go to medical school one day and eventually become a surgeon. But that will have to wait until after her playing days are over, and her pro career will have to wait at least a year.

Abello, a Penn State co-captain, has committed to playing her senior season for the Nittany Lions this spring. She will also take advantage of the new NCAA rule that allows current players a fifth year of eligibility to play in the fall.

The Pride own Abello’s rights until the start of the 2022 preseason, but they could trade her in the meantime. Abello has ties to Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames, who is the director of Eclipse Select. The Red Stars had the 25th pick in the draft and might have used it on Abello had Orlando not taken her.

“I think that was the most shocking part about it,” Abello said. “If I went to Chicago, that would be a little more comfortable because I know Rory and have trained with him before. But it’s so exciting.”

Oconer will be excited, though not shocked, to see Abello play in the NWSL.

“That’s the thing with Kerry,” Oconer said. “She’s always had big aspirations, but she’s always been willing to put in the work to try to achieve those aspirations.

“That’s why it doesn’t surprise me that she’s gotten to this level.”