No. 11 Denver is turning a new leaf, as USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps is set to debut for the 2026 expansion side against No. 3 Portland on Saturday.
The match holds extra significance for Heaps, facing the team she led to two NWSL Shields and a league title before transferring to OL Lyonnes in 2022.
“Lindsey’s world-class talent and leadership will make an immediate impact,” Denver manager Nick Cushing said of the 2018 NWSL MVP. “We can’t wait to see her wear the crest.”
The weekend headliner pits two Colorado heavyweights against each other, with Heaps taking on fellow area native Sophia Wilson as the Thorns look to overcome Sunday’s 2-0 loss to regional rival Seattle.
The Summit’s temporary Centennial Stadium home will also make its premiere, hosting the club until its purpose-built venue opens in 2028.
“It is such a weird feeling,” Heaps told ESPN of her homecoming. “I’m waking up and getting on I-25 to go to training, which is a highway I would take all the time as a little kid to go play club soccer. It’s so bizarre.”
Denver hosts Portland at 2 PM ET on Saturday, live on CBS.
