Zsani  Kajan scored 17 goals for the Red Storm last fall. (Photo courtesy of St. John’s)

Former St. John’s University standout Zsani Kajan signed a one-year contract with OL Reign for the 2022 National Women’s Soccer League season, it was announced on Thursday.

She agreed to the deal, which had a team option for 2023.

Kajan was selected in the first round of the NWSL Draft as the eighth overall pick last month.

“Everyone at St. John’s is incredibly proud of both the player and the person that Zsani has developed into,” St. John’s women’s head coach Ian Stone said. “We are very much looking forward to following her in this thrilling next chapter of her career.”

Kajan closed out an outstanding five-year collegiate career last fall, anchoring the Red Storm to one of the best seasons in program history. The Budapest, Hungary native recorded 17 goals and six assists in 23 games, earning her the Big East offensive player of the year award for the second time. The forward became the third Johnnie to earn United Soccer Coaches All-America honors, joining Rachel Daly and Georgia Kearney-Perry.

She finished fourth nationally in scoring and was one of eight Division I players to record 40 or more points. With five multi-goal efforts, including two hat-tricks, Kajan tied Cristin Burtis (1994) for third on the Red Storm’s season scoring list. She trailedonly Rachel Daly’s efforts from 2013 (23) and 2015 (19).

St. John’s advanced to the Big East final for the first time since 1994. After earning their fourth NCAA Division I Tournament bid, the Johnnies reached the Round of 16 for the first time in program history.

Kajan finished second on the Red Storm’s career lists in goals (45) and points (101), trailing only Daly’s career totals of 50 and 111, respectively.

She was the second ever Red Storm player to be be drafted by an NWSL team. Daly was selected sixth overall by the Houston Dash in 2016.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.