Texas soccer player Trinity Byars became a part of U.S. women’s soccer history by signing a contract with the San Diego Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League, the club announced Thursday.

Byars, a forward, becomes the first active NCAA athlete to join the NWSL after the league’s transition away from a traditional draft process earlier this season.

“We are thrilled to welcome Trinity to the San Diego Wave,” sporting director and general manager Camille Ashton said in a news release. “Trinity has proven to be one of the most dynamic and exciting forwards at the collegiate level. Her ability to play between the lines and threaten in behind is special and we believe she will be an incredible addition to our team.”

Byars, a senior, hasn’t played for UT, which just qualified for the SEC championship match, since suffering a knee injury Sept. 1. She’ll join the Wave in January after the fall semester on a contract through the 2026 season with a mutual option for 2027. The transaction happened before the Oct. 10 NWSL roster freeze.

The NWSL and NWSL Players Association ratified a new collective bargaining agreement this summer that eliminated all forms of player drafts and granted players full free agency. This offseason is the first in the league's 12-year history in which college and youth players are free to sign directly with teams of their choice.

The NWSL is the first U.S. league to voluntarily remove the draft mechanism and follow the global method of player acquisition via full free agency.

"The draft is an antiquated model that treats people as property to be bought and sold," the NWSLPA said in its August news release about the CBA, which will run through 2030. "The new terms will empower players to decide which team environment is the best fit for their needs and their development."

Byars will report to San Diego with the rest of the roster in January to complete her rehab from a torn ACL, a Wave spokesperson told ESPN. Per an ESPN article, Wave officials anticipate a nine-month recovery from the time of her injury, though that could change, based on her progress.

Byars ended her collegiate career as one of the most decorated players in Longhorn history. She recorded 52 career goals while earning multiple accolades, including Big 12 Forward of the Year in 2023 and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. She has also competed for the U.S. youth national team from the U-14 through the U-23 level and helped the U.S. win gold at the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship in 2022.

Byars started all three group games for the U.S. at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, tallying an assist against Ghana.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas soccer player Trinity Byars makes NCAA history with NWSL contract