Baseball | 11/22/2025 10:37:00 AM
Rosemont, PA|
Freshman Gisella "Gigi" Schiano of the Rosemont College baseball team was selected with the 44th overall pick (rd. 3.04) by team Boston of the Women's Professional Baseball League (WPBL). This was the inaugural draft for the league, with competition set to begin in August 2026.
Schiano attended tryouts for this league at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. this past August. She was among the 600 women from all over the world to attend these tryouts. She was one of the few that made it through all three days of tryouts. This landed her on a prospect list of 120 women.
The way the draft worked was simple: there are 4 teams, 6 rounds off the draft, 20 picks per round (5 picks per team). There were 120 players drafted, but not all are guaranteed contracts or roster spots. The initial roster size for the 2026 season will be 15 women per team. Transactions will be able to begin starting January 1, 2026.
Gigi had this to say on her thoughts going into the draft, " Honestly, I went into it thinking I probably wouldn't get drafted—and if I did, I assumed I'd be towards the end of the draft picks." She was attending a draft party at JetBlue park, the Boston Red Sox practice field, in Fort Myers, Florida. Gigi had no idea when her name would be called, "I was mid-conversation with a friend when we suddenly heard… We just stared at each other in shock. I truly wasn't expecting to be chosen that early. It was an incredible moment, and such an honor, something I will never forget!"
During the fall season at Rosemont, Gigi showed that not only is she a hard worker on the field, but she has been described as a great teammate. She fit in right away with the rest of the team and completely bought in to the program. Off the field, she has excelled in the classroom. Gigi is a Cornelian Scholar at Rosemont, which is one of the highest honors at the college. This is a testament to her commitment to academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to service.
Schiano's teammates were very happy for her. Graduate student Jimmy Rodier had this to say, "I am so proud of Gigi for making this dream come true. I have watched her grow these last few months and prove that she belongs every single day. This is very well deserved." This was essentially the general consensus among the baseball team, as fellow freshman Terrell Robinson commented, "Seeing our teammate, Gigi, get drafted is incredible, especially knowing that she is one of the first people to be a part of this league. I can't wait to see what she does for Rosemont and the WPBL."
Brody Lykes, another freshman, gave his thoughts, "Having a teammate that is drafted by any professional team is amazing. I am extremely proud of her. I am excited to take the field with her this season and see what she does." Yassine Zekkaria followed that up by saying, "Throwing with her every day showed me exactly who she is as an athlete, someone who can make you laugh between reps, but still push you to be better. She has the perfect mix of personality and work ethic, and seeing her take this next step feels like the natural result of everything she's put in."
This excitement wasn't exclusive to the team, the coaching staff was also very happy about the situation. Head Coach Ross Trachtenberg had this to say when asked about Gigi, "I am incredibly proud of Gigi for this great accomplishment. She had a great fall on the field with the Ravens, and we are excited for her freshman season this spring. One of Gigi's best qualities as a ball player is her understanding of how to use her skill sets to be successful. She plays to her strengths, which is a very mature approach to the game. This quality will aid her this spring and going forward with her baseball career."
Pitching Coach Mike Denton said, "I am extremely excited for Gigi, she came into this program this fall and has worked hard since day one. Gigi had a great fall on the mound for us and we are excited for what she brings to our team this spring. What a great accomplishment for Gigi to be a part of the Inaugural WPBL Draft."
On the WPBL's website, a round three draft recap read, "Schiano's story is rooted in resilience. From being "the girl at first base" hearing jeers from opposing parents to traveling the world with Baseball For All and winning gold at a PONY Women's World Series in the Philippines, she's learned to meet pressure with toughness. Now committed to play baseball at Rosemont College—the first woman in program history—she joins Boston as a right-hander who's already used to proving she belongs."
By NCAA rules, once an athlete agrees to a contract to be compensated for their play, then they are no longer amateur status. Since the league doesn't start until August, Schiano will be able to play her freshman year at Rosemont. The Ravens are very excited to be able to have her on the team for this upcoming spring. She made a name for herself this fall with dominant pitching performances, some big hits, and a sure handed glove at second base.
Gigi is very appreciative of the position that she has been put in, as she reflected on how she felt following the draft, "I am truly blessed and beyond grateful for all of the support I have received, especially from my family, friends and my community. I could not have done it with you. You all are truly great. The little girl inside of me had just had her dreams come true! Thank you to WPBL!"
The Rosemont College baseball team is very excited to have Gigi for this upcoming season, as it will be a special one with it being the last season in school's history. The Ravens first game of the spring season will take place on February 14th at Upper Merion High School, where they take on Penn State Abington.
