Goodson makes return to soccer

Former UC Irvine All-American CoCo Goodson, who retired from the National Women’s Soccer League in March, returned to New Jersey-based Sky Blue FC in late June.

Goodson, a 5-foot-11 defender, had played two seasons with Sky Blue before electing to retire to begin a new career weeks before the 2015 season began.

An All-American at UCI in 2010 and 2011, Goodson received her degree from the school in June.

Goodson then reached out to Sky Blue about a return and her signing was announced on June 24. She played in the team’s 3-0 loss to the visiting Chicago Red Stars on June 28. Sky Blue (1-5-4 and in last place in the nine-team league) plays a road game against the Portland Thorns on Friday.

“Fortunately, we found a way to fit her into the roster and salary cap,” Jim Gabarra, Sly Blue technical director and head coach, said in a statement. “She adds a lot of experience to our team after having spent the past two seasons playing center back for us. She provides us with solid veteran leadership, and now we just need to see how quickly she can get herself into match fitness.”

Goodson, 25, made 43 appearances, including 40 starts, in her first two seasons in the league. She played every minute of the team’s 2013 season, in which she scored one goal and had one assist.

At UCI, Goodson was twice named Big West Conference Defender of the Year and became the program’s first All-American. She was a first-team All-American as a junior and a second-team All-American as a senior. Her arrival as a transfer from the University of Texas, was crucial in the Anteaters earning the program’s first two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

She was selected in the third round of the supplemental phase by Sky Blue in the inaugural NWSL draft in 2013.

She was the 12th overall pick by the Philadelphia Independence of the Women’s Professional Soccer League, but the league disbanded before the subsequently scheduled season.

Goodson played one season with the Dutch club FC Twente.

— Barry Faulkner