Sam Coffey signs two-year deal with Thorns FC

Portland Thorns FC today announced that Sam Coffey has signed a two-year contract with the club. Coffey was drafted with the 12th overall pick of the 2021 NWSL Draft from Penn State University.

“We knew we were getting a high-caliber player when the club drafted Sam, but the development we’ve seen in her over the last year excites us even more for her future in Portland,” said general manager Karina LeBlanc. “We are confident her quality of play will integrate into the team easily and add competitive balance to the club.”

Coffey is a 5-6 midfielder from Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. She started her collegiate career at Boston College where she appeared in 40 matches and contributed 17 goals and 24 assists. During her sophomore season in 2018, Coffey was named First Team All-American and an ACC Midfielder of the Year.

After her sophomore season, Coffey transferred to Penn State where she played three seasons, including an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During her junior season, she ranked second in the Big Ten in goals and assists with 11 and 10 respectively. Coffey played in a deeper-lying midfield role throughout the next season because of multiple Nittany Lions’ injuries. She was named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, amassing six goals and a conference-high 12 assists. Coffey started all 21 matches for Penn State during her final collegiate season. She scored eight goals and provided a team-high eight assists.

Coffey finished her collegiate career with 42 goals and 54 assists. During her final season as a Nittany Lion, she became the 50^thplayer in NCAA D1 soccer history to tally 40 goals and 40 assists.

“Sam is a versatile player and an attacking threat on the pitch,” said head coach Rhian Wilkinson. “She displays high levels of distribution, vision and technique. Her team-first mentality and work ethic make her a perfect fit for our club.”

The full release can be read here and you can learn more about Sam Coffey by reading the feature below.