The 2025 NWSL regular season returned this past weekend after a month-long international break, and the San Diego Wave are already ahead of schedule.
Because after a tumultuous end to 2024 followed by offseason roster and front office shakeups, the club has so far exceeded the soccer world's — and possibly even their own — expectations.
San Diego entered the second half of the year in third place in the NWSL standings, having lost only one of their last nine games before play suspended in late June. Along the way, the club produced a legitimate 2025 MVP candidate in forward Delphine Cascarino while also leaning hard into the league's youth movement, becoming the first NWSL club to start three 17-year-olds in the same match.
But as the second season starts to rev up, there are still lingering questions about the team's ability to create consistency on the pitch — not to mention the club's big picture plans.
The Wave know they don't have everything figured out just yet. But it's safe to say the light at the end of the tunnel showed up far sooner on the field than expected for a young team riding out a game-changing season.
Veteran Kailen Sheridan sees San Diego start anew
At the end of 2024, all San Diego Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan wanted was a break from soccer.
A member of the Wave since their inaugural 2022 season, Sheridan saw her team abruptly plummet down the NWSL table after winning the shield in 2023, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in club history.
And the trouble wasn't contained to the field. Amid the skid, the Wave parted ways with head coach Casey Stoney, dealt with allegations of front office toxicity† linked to club president Jill Ellis, and saw USWNT legend and founding Wave star Alex Morgan's surprise retirement.
"I remember at the end of last season being kind of bombarded with everything, and not sure how we were moving forward," Sheridan told Just Women's Sports. "I want to be the best version of myself on the field and off the field. The people who were left felt that as well, and we needed some time away."
After a disappointing finish, San Diego saw further roster shifts dominate the offseason headlines. USWNT defender Naomi Girma transferred to WSL side Chelsea for a then-record transfer fee, while star-in-the-making Jaedyn Shaw requested a trade to the North Carolina Courage. Change appeared to be chasing the Wave whether the club's remaining players were ready or not.
"Honestly, it was a really rough couple of weeks," Sheridan continued. "But once we got out, we could turn our focus onto what this year could look like, how we could have a really strong year but also focus on our growth."
The growing pains hurt. But as more changes brought a shift in leadership and perspective, a blank slate also began to emerge. The team entered 2025 under new ownership. Ellis left for a role at FIFA while former Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall took over as head coach, setting a fresh tone across the franchise.
"For me, it was coming in with less expectation," said Sheridan. "More just being ready to work and put in the effort to create a new culture."
Young Wave star Trinity Armstrong takes a leap of faith
After winning a national championship in her first season with UNC, then-17-year-old Trinity Armstrong was looking for a challenge.
She decided to turn professional in 2025. She then entered the NWSL under the U18 mechanism — a legal process that allows underage players to pick their pro teams. The wide-open nature of San Diego's rebuild spoke to her.
"It felt like the best environment for me. To not only try and earn a spot, but then be a consistent starter," she told JWS. After Girma's transfer, the team needed a new cornerstone center-back. Armstrong felt emboldened by conversations with Eidevall about the team’s developing defensive identity.
Armstrong was keenly aware of the legacy left by departed Wave superstars like Alex Morgan and Abby Dahlkemper. She liked the idea of adding to that history while also making her own mark as her star grew.
"It felt like they had their own successes in the past. But from what I was hearing coming in, it was basically a brand new team," she continued. "I was very excited to be a part of that young group to rebrand ourselves and push forward."
In January, Armstrong signed a three-year deal with the Wave. And she already has 11 starts under her belt this season. She's particularly effective in possession, completing nearly 90% of her passes with the ability to cut through lines to spring play forward.
Teen Wave stars write a new chapter
Armstrong became a key component to the Wave's rebuild. She joined fellow teen talents Melanie Barcenas and Kimmy Ascanio playing Eidevall's preferred style of purposeful possession. In Eidevall's game plan, San Diego holds the lion's share of the ball, executing plays at a tempo that sets defenses on their heels.
The Wave relied on established internationals like Sheridan and Cascarino to propel them forward with consistency. But transitioning to quickly developing the team's youngsters also sets the club up for years to come.
"We were unsure of how they would gel at such a young age. And honestly, they've blown all of us away," Sheridan said of her new teammates. "We've been really impressed with their mentality — and their desire."
The respect is mutual. Armstrong credits Sheridan with helping her adjust while adopting the same emphasis on growth that's become the team's calling card.
"Kailen, coming in, she's been such a great mentor to me," Armstrong said. "She's been super encouraging. I can only speak good things about her."
San Diego finds its footing on the pitch
It's easy enough for confidence-building and good vibes to carry a team through preseason training. But once the regular-season whistle blew, both veterans and newcomers were happily surprised at how quickly they were able to produce.
"It was just so beautiful to see us connecting, seeing our midfield and our forward line have these great combinations and getting really good goals off of them," said Armstrong. "This could really be something that pushes us all the way to the championship."
"I honestly wasn't 100% confident in how successful we would be putting it all together right away," Sheridan recalled. "It's great to see that we've been able to get through those first couple hurdles of gelling and creating chemistry. We'll still hit a bunch of bumps going forward, but ultimately, I was confident in the individual talent."
Much of the credit goes to the homegrown focus Eidevall imparted on his new squad within his first few weeks.
"The drive was, how do I make each player better?" Sheridan said of her coach's approach. "That was humongous for us."
Eidevall made headlines during his time at Arsenal, where he won two FA Cups but could never seriously endanger Chelsea FC's dominant run. When the 42-year-old crossed over to the NWSL after mutually parting ways with the WSL last October, he arrived with a bottom-up perspective.
His players have responded in kind.
"The mindset to want to grow, to want to develop, that's been great from the players and from the staff," he recently told reporters. "The commitment to the team and to the group, that's such an important aspect. And you can see that these players create something special between them."
Anchors of the central defense, Sheridan and Armstrong both enjoy playing technical football. They like the ball at their feet, connecting out of the back to set up the dynamic midfield, and setting their frontline free.
With half a season to go, San Diego has already scored more goals than they did in the entire 2024 season. It resulted in the third-best goal differential in the NWSL standings.
"It's a very tight team," added Eidevall. "We see that when players are coming on from the bench. We see how the bench and the starting XI interact. And that's very important because at the end of the day, this is team sport."
Marching into the NWSL season's back half
July's break allowed players across the league the opportunity to reset. Armstrong spent her days caring for her rescue pit bull mix Mochi — adopted a few months ago from the local Humane Society — going on hikes and taking trips to the beach. She also celebrated her 18th birthday, graduating from the separate U18 locker room shared with Barcenas and Ascanio to join the rest of the team.
But while the Wave's turnaround looks to be in full swing, the real tests might still lie ahead. No longer a surprise, their opponents can now review tape on the team's first-half successes. They're able to better counter San Diego's new form.
On Saturday, the Wave restarted their 2025 campaign with another positive result, though one tempered with missed opportunities. Despite both out-possessing and generating more attack than the North Carolina Courage, San Diego settled for a scoreless draw. The outcome pointed to a strong performance from the defense, while also showcasing yet another opportunity for growth.
Sheridan doesn't appear to be too rattled. Returning refreshed, she's confident in her team's ability to recapture the continuity they so fluidly created at the beginning of the season. Just so long as they stick together.
"We've started with a mindset of 'Okay, we're back at zero,'" Sheridan said. "How do we want this to look, and how do we want to go forward from here?"
†An October 2024 lawsuit filed by five former club employees alleging the Wave of workplace misconduct remains active and unresolved.
