Know Your Dash: Allysha Chapman

As part of the 2015 NWSL allocations, Canadian defender Allysha Chapman (not to be confused with 2012 Canadian Bronze winner Candace Chapman) was sent to Houston in lieu of Kaylyn Kyle. With the news of defender Rhian Wilkinson returning to the NWSL, Chapman, a new face for Canada Soccer, was a surprise and somewhat shocking allocation.

Chapman represented Canada during the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup as well as the 2008 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, a tournament in which Canada brought home gold. She was the runner-up for the 2008 Canada Women's U-20 Player of the Year and was called up to a senior training camp in 2009 by former Canadian coach Carolina Morace. However her national team career was seemingly short-lived and Morace would not call her back. Seemingly falling out of the Canadian system, Chapman, who holds a British passport via her Scottish mother, considered playing for Scotland's international team instead.

After Lauren Sesselmann was ruled out with an ACL injury, Canada struggled to find a player to slot into the left fullback position. Herdman was vocal about the struggle, but looked to find a solution in 25-year old Chapman who was playing for the Swedish team Eskilstuna United. She received her first senior level cap in October 2014 against Japan in a 3-0 loss. Since, she has played in five games for Canada, started three of those and tallied one assist.

In 2014, Chapman started seventeen matches for Eskilstuna United, scoring three goals in nineteen games. She graduated from Louisiana State University* in 2011 as is hailed as "most decorated defensive standout" in the school's history.

*Canada Soccer's website indicates she graduated from Louisville State University; however Louisiana State University lists her profile as graduating from there.