Melinda Mercado

Melinda Mercado (born March 19, 1990) is a former American soccer defender who played for the Boston Breakers in the National Women's Soccer League.

Early life Raised in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, Mercado attended Sapulpa High School, where she was a two-sport star on both the soccer and basketball teams. She was named Sapulpa High School's Athlete of the Year in 2007 and 2008. As captain of the soccer team, she led the team with 11 goals and was named all-conference and all-district as a sophomore, junior and senior. She captained the team to a district title and earned all-state honors as a senior.

Mercado was a member of the Edmond Soccer Club '90 and helped lead the team twice as a national runner-up and two-time regional championship. She also played on the Oklahoma Olympic Development Program (ODP) team from 2004 to 2006.

Playing career

Club

Boston Breakers Mercado was drafted by the Boston Breakers in the 2012 WPS Draft; however, the WPS suspended operations before league play began.

In 2013, she signed as a free agent with the Western New York Flash for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), but was traded a few months later to the Boston Breakers. She made her debut for the Breakers in a match against the Washington Spirit on May 11, 2013.

International Mercado was a member of the United States under-20 women's national soccer team in 2009.