Sky Blue FC has announced the signing of University of Connecticut and ENYYSA ODP alum Brittany Taylor to a three-year contract.  Taylor, a defender who was the first-round draft pick of Women's Professional Soccer champion Sky Blue FC in the college draft, will be with the team when it formally kicks off pre-season camp Monday.

"We are very excited to have Brittany on the team," Sky Blue FC head coach Pauliina Miettinen commented. "She is a top graduating defender in this country, and she will take a big role from the start. She is very athletic and possesses both defensive and attacking qualities. We are very lucky to have her."

Taylor, an Eastern New York ODP grad who comes from Campbell Hall, N.Y. played with the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues of the W-League, which is an affiliate club of Sky Blue. The Lady Blues captured the regular season title last year as Taylor was named the league's defensive player of the year.

"Brittany Taylor exemplifies the type of player that we want with Sky Blue FC," Sky Blue general manager Gerry Marrone said. "She arrived at training yesterday after a long trip from Connecticut and signed her contract on the counter at the Bob Smith Soccer Academy. Then she immediately walked onto the field and buried the first five balls she touched into the upper 90. It drove home what a special player we have in Brittany."

Taylor competed in a January training camp with the U.S. Women's National Team. She also has played at the Under-17, U-20 and U-23 levels of the National Team program and was a member of the silver medalists at the 2007 Pan-Am Games with the U-20 side. After playing her senior season at UConn this past fall, the Huskies captain received seven post-season awards, including NSCAA and TopDrawerSoccer All-America honors. Taylor also was named the Big East defensive player of the year was also selected to the Big East first team, ECAC First Team, All-Northeast Team, NEWISA All-New England first team and Soccer America second team.

During her first three years at UConn, Taylor was named to the Big East first team on three occasions while receiving conference defensive player of the year honors and NSCAA All-America accolades following her junior season.

Taylor and Sky Blue FC will open the season on Sunday, April 11 when the team hosts the Chicago Red Stars at 6 p.m. Sky Blue FC plays its home games at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J.