FORT MYERS, Fla. (fgcuathletics.com) – Former FGCU defender Leah Scarpelli is taking her talents to Portugal. The reigning 2022 ASUN Defensive Player of the Year has signed a professional contract with Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Campeonato Nacional Feminino league. Scarpelli will now compete in the same league as former Eagle Opal Curless (Valadares Gaia FC - Feminino).
"My experience at FGCU made me a better student, player and most importantly, a more confident human being," Scarpelli said. "Although I will miss my FGCU family, I feel well prepared for this next part of my journey and playing professional soccer."
Scarpelli, a 2022 College Soccer News All-American, helped the Eagles finish the 2022 campaign with a 12-6-2 overall record (8-1-1 ASUN) and secure the program's seventh ASUN Tournament Championship and seventh berth to the NCAA Tournament.
The Brick, N.J. native helped anchor the Green & Blue's defense, as she shut down some of the nation's best players all season long. She also contributed on the offensive end with five goals and a team-leading six assists.
Scarpelli racked up several awards this season to close out her collegiate career, including an ASUN Player of the Week honor, ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, All-ASUN First Team, College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District, United Soccer Coaches All-South Region (First Team), United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-South Region (Second Team), United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American (Second Team), College Soccer News Third Team All-American, and the #1 play on SportsCenter with her 45-yard goal at Queens (Sept. 15).
"We are so happy for Leah and appreciate everything she has done here at FGCU," head coach Jim Blankenship said. "Going pro has been a goal of Leah's since her first day on campus, so it is very rewarding to see all her hard work and drive pay off."
During her four-year collegiate career, that included one season at Penn State and three seasons at FGCU, Scarpelli appeared in 47 matches and scored six career goals, while registering 12 assists. She also recorded 24 points and four game-winning goals, which all came during the 2022 season.
Scarpelli joins an esteemed group of FGCU women's soccer alumnae that have gone on to play professionally, which includes current assistant coach Ali Rogers, Louise Lillback, Tabby Tindell, Julia Roddar, Shannen Wacker, Emily Dolan and Varin Ness.
ASUN Conference, Atlanta – the only DI conference headquartered in the ATL, our footprint's primary media, sports, business, transportation and cultural hub
The ASUN, a Division I conference member of the NCAA, boasts a membership of institutions that share visionary leadership, bold ambition and creative innovation. As a nimble adaptive conference, unafraid to blaze a national pathway for better service to our student-athletes, teams, and institutions, the ASUN has a proud history of firsts, national academic and athletic achievements and a conference culture that walks the walk with its four ASUN Beams. Students First! Rise. Connect. Impact. #ASUNBuilt by Austin Peay (Clarksville, Tenn.), Bellarmine (Louisville, Ky.), Central Arkansas (Conway, Ark.), Eastern Kentucky (Richmond, Ky.), FGCU (Fort Myers, Fla.), Jacksonville (Fla.), Jacksonville State (Jacksonville, Ala.), Kennesaw State (Ga.), Liberty (Lynchburg, Va.), Lipscomb (Nashville, Tenn.), North Alabama (Florence, Ala.), North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.), Queens (Charlotte, N.C.) and Stetson (DeLand, Fla.).