Wolves Women duo are heading out to the States
Two Wolves Women stars are preparing for life across the pond after landing football scholarships in America.
Goalkeeper Maddie Elbro and midfielder Nyah Edwards are set to step up their ambitions in the game by heading to Pennsylvania and North Carolina respectively.
Both of them had impressed for Dan McNamara's side before Wolves Women's season was cruelly deemed null and void because of the coronavirus outbreak – when they were nine points clear at the top of the table.
And McNamara said: "Both players have been fantastic since I came to the club three years ago.
"They came out of the under-16s and have developed into first-team players.
"Maddie was in goal for us for quite a big period this year. She kept the No.1 shirt and she's off to Pennsylvania, so the best of luck to her. What an opportunity that is!
"It's the same kind of story with Nyah, too. She broke into the first team despite having a really difficult time with an injury.
"She broke into the first team and held her place for the last few games, and now she's off to North Carolina.
"Nyah is a workhorse, has real energy and great quality as well.
"It's a major opportunity for both of those girls and thoroughly deserved. Hopefully, we will see them burst back onto the scene in three to four years.
"I'm sure we'll see much more bigger and better things for them over the next few years."
Both Elbro and Edwards had risen through the Wolves Women ranks to become first-team regulars.
From August, they will spend four years studying occupational therapy at Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania and sports science at Queens University in North Carolina, respectively, while also having the opportunity to continue playing football at a competitive level.
It has been a difficult few months for the ladies, having had their results in the National League Division One Midlands – the fourth tier – expunged, while the top two tiers were decided on a points-per-game basis with Villa earning promotion to the WSL as a result.
But McNamara still has a lot to be proud of. After all, his first team, the development group and the youth sides managed to raise more than £4,000 for Compton Care recently by completing a virtual challenge which saw them collectively travel the distance from Compton, Wolverhampton to Compton, California.
And now with Elbro and Edwards earning themselves great opportunities in the United States, McNamara added: "It's all about what you see as success, and our success this season, a lot of it is on those girls going onto bigger and better things.
"It's not just the first-team staff that are proud of them, though, it's the player development manager Steve Cullis, and the under-16s, 14s, 12s and 10s.
"Those girls have both come right through the pathway, so it's a whole club – women and girls – thing. It's fantastic to see them doing so well and we wish them both the best of luck over in America."
