Kajan Selected Eighth by OL Reign in NWSL Draft

St. John's star Zsani Kajan has become the second player in program history to earn selection in the NWSL Draft, as OL Reign took the Second Team All-American eighth overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft on Saturday afternoon.

Kajan wrapped a stellar five-year collegiate career this fall by anchoring the Red Storm to arguably its best season in program history. The Budapest, Hungary, native tallied 17 goals and six assists in 23 games, earning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second time and becoming the third player in program history to garner selection to a United Soccer Coaches All-America Team. She finished fourth nationally in scoring and was one of just eight Division I players to log 40 or more points. Thanks in large part to five multi-goal efforts, including two hat tricks, Kajan tied Cristin Burtis' 1994 campaign for third on the Red Storm's single-season scoring list and trails only Rachel Daly's efforts in 2013 (23) and 2015 (19).

With Kajan leading the way, St. John's advanced to the championship game of the BIG EAST Championship for the first time since 1994 and, after earning its fourth NCAA Tournament bid, made the round of 16 for the first time in program history. The Red Storm topped Brown, 1-0, on the road in the first round before moving past Samford in a thrilling penalty shootout. Kajan scored the game-winner in the postseason run's most remarkable upset, netting the decisive tally in a 1-0 BIG EAST semifinal win over No. 11 Xavier on the Musketeers' home field.

As a redshirt senior in the spring of 2021, Kajan earned All-BIG EAST Second Team and First Team All-Region honors after recording four goals and two assists in 11 games.

Kajan posted back-to-back 11-goal efforts in 2018 and 2019, earning consecutive spots on the All-BIG EAST First Team and her first of two BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year awards in 2019. She is the only player in program history to record 10 or more goals in three separate seasons.

Kajan finished second on the Red Storm's career lists in both goals (45) and points (101), trailing only Daly's career totals of 50 and 111, respectively, set between 2013-15.

Daly was the first Johnnie to hear her name called in the NWSL Draft, going sixth overall to Houston in 2016.

St. John's University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Zsani Kajan

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