Lisa-Marie Woods signs with Boston Breakers

Middle Tennessee soccer alum Lisa-Marie Woods signed a Discovery Player contract with the Boston Breakers of the newly christened National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

A member of the Norwegian Women's National Team system since 2003, Woods has also had several successful stints on the club level, particularly in 2010 when she won the Kniksen Prisen, given to the top player in Norway's top-flight league, Toppserien. Woods won the award while playing for Stabæk.

"I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to play for such a solid team and organization," Woods said. "I am looking forward to playing with such great, quality players on the Breakers this year. I've also heard the Breakers have the best fans in the league, so I am looking forward to playing in front of them. They do the job off the field, and I will work my best every day to do my work on the field. I am very excited to get started."

Woods, 28, most recently played for Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark's Elitedivisionen and started both legs of the team's UEFA Women's Champions League matches last spring against Glasgow City. Last summer, Woods played for the Ottawa Fury of the USL W-League. There, she helped lead the Fury to the W-League championship, the club's first-ever title. She also was named team MVP.

Woods began her national team career in 2003 with Norway, when she captained the U-19 team in the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. She earned her first cap with the senior national team in 2009.

"Lisa is a player with a lot of international experience; she's played all over the world. She is a talented player with a little bit of fire in her," Boston Breakers Head Coach Lisa Cole said. "She's competitive and wants to win. She's going to help push our team and help make our team better. She has a knack for scoring, and I'm excited she's joining the Breakers."

Woods played one season for the Blue Raiders in 2004. During that campaign, she garnered first team All-Sun Belt honors and was named the league's Newcomer of the Year. The midfielder belted off four goals and nine assists for 17 points as MT captured the school's first ever regular season league title.

"It's great having Lisa back in the USA playing," said head coach Aston Rhoden. "She was a fantastic player for Middle Tennessee and led us to our first regular season title. I look forward to watching her play in this new league with Boston."

The Breakers start preseason training on March 15 before playing the home opener against the Washington Spirits on April 14.

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