WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Former Purdue soccer stars Marisa Bova and Sarah Griffith have been named to their respective team's rosters ahead of the National Women's Soccer League season, which begins this weekend with the 2022 Challenge Cup.
Bova is one of three goalkeepers for the North Carolina Courage and Griffith is one of eight forwards on the Chicago Red Stars. The two former Boilermaker greats were selected in the 2022 NWSL Draft in December as the first two NWSL draft picks in Purdue history.
To open the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, Bova and the Courage host NJ/NY Gotham FC on Saturday, March 19 in Cary, North Carolina. Griffith and the Red Stars travel to Houston to face the Houston Dash on Sunday, March 20.
Bova and the Courage and Griffith and the Red Stars will meet twice in the regular season. The first matchup is on July 10 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, and the rematch is slated for August 20 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
In the 2022 draft, Griffith was selected by the Red Stars in the third round with the 35th overall pick and Bova was picked by the Courage in the fourth round with the 45th pick. Purdue was one of nine schools to have multiple players drafted. The Boilermakers were the only Big Ten program and the only team not on the east or west coast with two or more draft picks. Bova and Griffith are the third and fourth professional draft selections in program history and the first in the NWSL.
After concluding their record-setting Purdue careers in 2021, Bova and Griffith graduated from Purdue in December. Bova earned a bachelors of science degree in psychological sciences and a bachelor of arts in law and society, and Griffith graduated with a bachelors of science degree in psychological sciences.
One of the best goalkeepers in team history, Bova was named to the 2021 All-Big Ten Second Team. In her career, the Hartland, Wisconsin, native ranked No. 2 in team history with 21 shutouts, a 0.91 goals-against average and a .807 save percentage. She tied for No. 3 with 29 career wins as the fourth player ever with more than 20, and also was third with 5480:14 minutes and tied for No. 3 with 58 games started in goal. Bova's 230 career saves are No. 4 all-time, as she is the fifth ever with more than 200, and she is No. 4 with 60 games played. Additionally, her 55 goals against is seventh-best.
As a senior in 2021, Bova ranked No. 5 nationally with 2050:10 minutes played, No. 15 with 113 saves and No. 22 with a .843 save percentage. She broke the school record with her 113 saves as the first Boilermaker with more than 100 in a season, and her 15 wins rank No. 2 all-time. Bova is third with 2050:17 minutes and tied for No. 3 with 22 games started. She posted a save percentage of .843, fourth-best in the record books, her seven shutouts is tied for No. 4 and her goals-against average of 0.93 is 10th. A 10-save game in the NCAA Tournament Second Round is tied for sixth-most in a single match all-time.
Griffith was one of the nation's most dynamic scorers as a senior in 2021. A Naperville, Illinois, native, she earned Second Team All-America honors, All-North Region First Team accolades and Big Ten Forward of the Year recognition. Griffith is the fifth All-American and the second Big Ten Forward of the Year in program history. She was second among all NCAA Division I players with 2.67 shots on goal per game, No. 4 with 4.81 shots per game, No. 5 with six game-winning goals, No. 6 with 16 goals and No. 14 with 35 points, all the best in the Big Ten. Griffith had a Purdue-record 16 goals and three assists for 35 points, second-most in program history, with a team-record-tying six game-winning goals and two game-winning assists. She registered 101 shots and 56 shots on goal, both school records, in 1,566 minutes.
In her career, Griffith scored 26 goals, sixth-most in the Purdue record books, with 11 game-winning goals, tied for No. 4 all-time. She had 61 points, No. 6 in school history, and nine assists, six of them game-winners, which is tied for seventh-most in a Boilermaker career. Griffith was No. 4 with 117 shots on goal and No. 5 with 220 shots, as she played 5,182:21 minutes in 72 career games. Additionally, she tied the program record for career overtime points, with four, and is tied for No. 8 with two career multi-goal games.
Bova and Griffith helped the Boilermakers to a 15-4-3 season in 2021, their second-best record and second-most wins in program history behind only 2007. Purdue made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009, and seventh time in program history, and advanced to the second round for the fourth time and first since 2007. The squad went 8-2-0 in the Big Ten and notched a runner-up finish, both tied for their best-ever marks. Additionally, the Boilermakers appeared in the national rankings for the first time since 2009, and were ranked in seven consecutive weeks to conclude the year at No. 24 in the final poll.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Bova is one of three goalkeepers for the North Carolina Courage and Griffith is one of eight forwards on the Chicago Red Stars. The two former Boilermaker greats were selected in the 2022 NWSL Draft in December as the first two NWSL draft picks in Purdue history.
To open the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, Bova and the Courage host NJ/NY Gotham FC on Saturday, March 19 in Cary, North Carolina. Griffith and the Red Stars travel to Houston to face the Houston Dash on Sunday, March 20.
Bova and the Courage and Griffith and the Red Stars will meet twice in the regular season. The first matchup is on July 10 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, and the rematch is slated for August 20 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
In the 2022 draft, Griffith was selected by the Red Stars in the third round with the 35th overall pick and Bova was picked by the Courage in the fourth round with the 45th pick. Purdue was one of nine schools to have multiple players drafted. The Boilermakers were the only Big Ten program and the only team not on the east or west coast with two or more draft picks. Bova and Griffith are the third and fourth professional draft selections in program history and the first in the NWSL.
After concluding their record-setting Purdue careers in 2021, Bova and Griffith graduated from Purdue in December. Bova earned a bachelors of science degree in psychological sciences and a bachelor of arts in law and society, and Griffith graduated with a bachelors of science degree in psychological sciences.
Let's go, @bova_marisa!!#BoilerUp 🚂⚽️ https://t.co/CQF3TVY1D7
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) March 15, 2022
One of the best goalkeepers in team history, Bova was named to the 2021 All-Big Ten Second Team. In her career, the Hartland, Wisconsin, native ranked No. 2 in team history with 21 shutouts, a 0.91 goals-against average and a .807 save percentage. She tied for No. 3 with 29 career wins as the fourth player ever with more than 20, and also was third with 5480:14 minutes and tied for No. 3 with 58 games started in goal. Bova's 230 career saves are No. 4 all-time, as she is the fifth ever with more than 200, and she is No. 4 with 60 games played. Additionally, her 55 goals against is seventh-best.
As a senior in 2021, Bova ranked No. 5 nationally with 2050:10 minutes played, No. 15 with 113 saves and No. 22 with a .843 save percentage. She broke the school record with her 113 saves as the first Boilermaker with more than 100 in a season, and her 15 wins rank No. 2 all-time. Bova is third with 2050:17 minutes and tied for No. 3 with 22 games started. She posted a save percentage of .843, fourth-best in the record books, her seven shutouts is tied for No. 4 and her goals-against average of 0.93 is 10th. A 10-save game in the NCAA Tournament Second Round is tied for sixth-most in a single match all-time.
Officially official. Congrats, @SarahGriffithh!!#BoilerUp 🚂⚽️ https://t.co/0gZf4dh7kX
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) March 15, 2022
Griffith was one of the nation's most dynamic scorers as a senior in 2021. A Naperville, Illinois, native, she earned Second Team All-America honors, All-North Region First Team accolades and Big Ten Forward of the Year recognition. Griffith is the fifth All-American and the second Big Ten Forward of the Year in program history. She was second among all NCAA Division I players with 2.67 shots on goal per game, No. 4 with 4.81 shots per game, No. 5 with six game-winning goals, No. 6 with 16 goals and No. 14 with 35 points, all the best in the Big Ten. Griffith had a Purdue-record 16 goals and three assists for 35 points, second-most in program history, with a team-record-tying six game-winning goals and two game-winning assists. She registered 101 shots and 56 shots on goal, both school records, in 1,566 minutes.
In her career, Griffith scored 26 goals, sixth-most in the Purdue record books, with 11 game-winning goals, tied for No. 4 all-time. She had 61 points, No. 6 in school history, and nine assists, six of them game-winners, which is tied for seventh-most in a Boilermaker career. Griffith was No. 4 with 117 shots on goal and No. 5 with 220 shots, as she played 5,182:21 minutes in 72 career games. Additionally, she tied the program record for career overtime points, with four, and is tied for No. 8 with two career multi-goal games.
Bova and Griffith helped the Boilermakers to a 15-4-3 season in 2021, their second-best record and second-most wins in program history behind only 2007. Purdue made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009, and seventh time in program history, and advanced to the second round for the fourth time and first since 2007. The squad went 8-2-0 in the Big Ten and notched a runner-up finish, both tied for their best-ever marks. Additionally, the Boilermakers appeared in the national rankings for the first time since 2009, and were ranked in seven consecutive weeks to conclude the year at No. 24 in the final poll.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.