Hughes signs pro contract for Icelandic soccer team

By Maddy Adams 1/25/16 11:02pm

Selfoss, Iceland rests on the southern edge of Iceland’s Golden Circle. With a population of only 6,500, it is nevertheless the largest town in southern Iceland and a hub of commerce. Along with its impressive natural scenery, Selfoss boasts a highly ranked, fifty-year-old soccer club. That club, UMF Selfoss, signed Rice’s senior forward Lauren “Lo” Hughes on Wednesday Jan. 20, and she will begin her professional rookie season in early May. Currently, the women's team is ranked third in its league, Urvalsdeild kvenna. Urvalsdeild kvenna is Iceland's premier division for women's soccer, and its 10 participating clubs play a double round robin to determine its champion every season.

Thousands of young women play college-level soccer in the United States, and many hope to play professionally. In the United States, The National Women's Soccer League only drafts 40 players each year, and its meager minimum salary ($6,842 per year) is well below the poverty line. Because of these harsh realities, many NCAA Division I players look to professional opportunities abroad, which offer better opportunities for recruitment and compensation.

According to Rice Head Coach Nicky Adams, many clubs in Iceland wanted to recruit Hughes, but Selfoss appealed to her the most.

"There were actually quite a few teams in Iceland fighting for her, but this seemed like the best fit," Adams said. "She seems very comfortable with the coaching staff, and the club and the environment."

Hughes said that playing professionally has been a dream of hers, and, with her new position on Selfoss, it is finally being realized.

"This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time, so to actually see it happen is extremely exciting," Hughes said. "I'm just so ready to go to the next level."

During her final season at Rice, Hughes was named the 2015 Conference USA player of the year. The Canada native also led C-USA with 10 assists, the most assists in a single season in Rice history. By the end of her final season, Hughes was ranked the No. 60 Division I player in the United States.

Throughout her collegiate career, Hughes set a number of Rice records, including goals (39), assists (28), points (106), game-winning goals (14), shots (269) and shots on goal (129).

According to Hughes, her Rice career pushed her to achieve her current successes.

"Rice did a good job carrying me every season," Hughes said. "My coaches were challenging me and pushing me to new goals that I wasn't even sure I could make."

In April, Hughes will depart for the Selfoss training camp in Spain. She will then return to Houston to finish her final coursework and immediately fly to Iceland once classes have ended. Her first professional season will run from May through September.