The NWSL announced the full list of protected and unprotected players ahead of the expansion draft next Thursday, during which Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC will fill out their rosters for the 2022 season.

NWSL teams’ protection lists were due Friday at 12 p.m. ET. Each team is permitted to protect nine total players, including one U.S. federation player. All other U.S. federation players must be left unprotected for the expansion clubs. Players on the discovery list are not eligible for selection during the draft.

In a nine-round draft on Thursday, Angel City and San Diego will alternate picks. They may select one player from each NWSL team but only one U.S. allocated player.

Trades in recent weeks have given several NWSL clubs full or partial protection in the expansion draft. The teams receiving protection from both clubs are: the Chicago Red Stars, Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC and the North Carolina Courage. Racing Louisville FC and Portland Thorns FC have received expansion protection from Angel City through separate transactions. OL Reign has protected its forwards from Angel City, a group that includes Megan Rapinoe, Bethany Balcer, Tziarra, King Leah Pruitt and Ally Watt. The Washington Spirit have received protection of their U.S. allocated players from Angel City and full protection from San Diego.

The Equalizer reported on Friday that Portland also has an agreement in place with San Diego that would protect their players during the expansion draft in exchange for predetermined players. The deal would not be finalized until the NWSL trade window reopens on Dec. 17, one day after the expansion draft.

With all that in mind, here are the full protection lists, with noted asterisks based on the information outlined above:

Houston Dash

Protected Players

Jane Campbell (U.S. Federation Player)
Rachel Daly (International – ENG)
Makamae Gomera-Stevens
Shea Groom
Haley Hanson
Katie Naughton
Nichelle Prince (CAN Federation Player)
Maria Sanchez
Gabby Seiler

Unprotected Players

Michaela Abam
Michelle Alozie
Joelle Anderson (College Protected Player)
Bridgette Andrzejewski (Playing Rights)
Allysha Chapman (CAN Federation Player)
Taylor Comeau (Playing Rights)
Nikki Cross (Playing Rights)
Amanda Dennis (Playing Rights)
Hannah Diaz
Marissa Diggs (Playing Rights)
Lindsey Harris
Melissa Henderson (Playing Rights)
Bianca Henninger (Playing Rights)
Savannah Jordan (Playing Rights)
Veronica Latsko
Kristie Mewis (U.S. Federation Player)
Christine Nairn (Playing Rights)
Emily Ogle
Megan Oyster
Ally Prisock
Annika Schmidt
Sophie Schmidt (CAN Federation Player)
Jasmyne Spencer
Brianna Visalli

OL Reign

Protected Players

Bethany Balcer
Alana Cook
Angelina
Jessica Fishlock
Sofia Huerta
Rose Lavelle (U.S. Federation Player)
Quinn (CAN Federation Player)
Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Ally Watt

Unprotected Players

Lauren Barnes
Amber Brooks
Maria Bullock (Playing Rights)
Stephanie Catley (Playing Rights)
Stephanie Cox (Playing Rights)
Kiersten Dallstream
Ella Dederick
Madison Hammond
Kelcie Hedge
Sam Hiatt
Celia
Adrienne Jordan (Playing Rights)
Tziarra King*
Alyssa Kleiner (Playing Rights)
Jimena Lopez (International – MEX)
Kristen McNabb
Sinclaire Miramontez
Cosette Morche
Theresa Nielsen (Playing Rights)
Morgan Proffitt (Playing Rights)
Leah Pruitt*
Megan Rapinoe*
Nikki Stanton
Rumi Utsugi (Playing Rights)
Abby Wambach (Playing Rights)
Dani Weatherholt
Lydia Williams (Playing Rights)
Beverly Yanez (Playing Rights)

Orlando Pride

Protected Players

Mikayla Colohan (College Protected Player)
Taylor Kornieck
Sydney Leroux
Phoebe McClernon
Alex Morgan (U.S. Federation Player)
Courtney Petersen
Amy Turner (International – ENG)
Marta
Viviana Villacorta

Unprotected Players

Kerry Abello (College Protected Player)
Kaylie Collins
Claire Emslie (Playing Rights)
Joanna Fennema (Playing Rights)
Caitlin Farrell (Playing Rights)
Megan Dougherty Howard
Gunnhildur Jonsdottir
Abi Kim
Carrie Lawrence
Camila Martins Pereira (Playing Rights)
Erin McCleod (CAN Federation Player)
Jade Moore (International – ENG)
Toni Pressley
Ali Riley
Parker Roberts
Kylie Strom
Erika Tymrak
Emily Van Egmond (Playing Rights)
Marisa Viggiano
Chelsee Washington
Brittany Wilson
Shelina Zadorsky (Playing Rights)

Portland Thorns FC

Protected Players

Bella Bixby
Crystal Dunn
Lindsey Horan
Natalia Kuikka (International – FIN)
Emily Menges
Olivia Moultrie
Raquel Rodriguez (International – CRC)
Sophia Smith (U.S. Federation Player)
Morgan Weaver

Unprotected Players

Ali Amirah (College Protected Player)
Nadine Angerer (Playing Rights)
Hannah Betfort
Celest Boureille
Samantha Coffey (College Protected Player)
Marian Dougherty (Playing Rights)
Britt Eckerstrom (Playing Rights)
Marissa Everett
Shelby Hogan
Kelli Hubly
Meghan Klingenberg
Andressa Machry (Playing Rights)
Nikki Marshall (Playing Rights)
Meagan Morris (Playing Rights)
Meaghan Nally
Madison Pogarch
Hayley Raso (Playing Rights)
Katherine Reynolds (Playing Rights)
Yazmeen Ryan
Angela Salem
Becky Sauerbrunn
Christine Sinclair
Katarina Tarr (Playing Rights)
Rachel Van Hollebeke (Playing Rights)
Christen Westphal
Sandra Yu (Playing Rights)

Racing Louisville FC

Protected Players

Gemma Bonner (International – ENG)
Kristen Davis (College Protected Player)
Emina Ekic
Emily Fox
Cece Kizer
Katie Lund
Nadia Nadim (International – DEN)
Freja Olofsson (International – SWE)
Ebony Salmon (International – ENG)

Unprotected Players

Julia Ashley
Janine Beckie (Playing Rights)
Caitlin Foord (Playing Rights)
Parker Goins (College Protected Player)
Tobin Heath (Playing Rights)
Alanna Kennedy (Playing Rights)
Nealy Martin
Cheyna Matthews
Savannah McCaskill
Addisyn Merrick
Lauren Milliet
Yuki Nagasato (International – JPN)
Taylor Otto
Kaleigh Riehl
Erin Simon
Emily Smith (College Protected Player)

Washington Spirit

Protected Players

Dorian Bailey
Aubrey Bledsoe
Bayley Feist
Ashley Hatch
Tara McKeown
Julia Roddar (International – SWE)
Trinity Rodman
Ashley Sanchez
Sam Staab

Unprotected Players

Taylor Alymer
Camryn Biegalski
Averie Collins
Jordan DiBiasi
Morgan Goff
Anna Heilferty
Tori Huster
Devon Kerr
Lori Lindsey (Playing Rights)
Joanna Lohman (Playing Rights)
Paige Nielsen
Kelley O’Hara (U.S. Federation Player)*
Kariana Rodriguez
Sydney Schneider
Emily Sonnett (U.S. Federation Player)*
Andi Sullivan (U.S. Federation Player)*
Saori Takarada (International – JPN)
Kumi Yokoyama (International – JPN)

*Protected from one or both teams based on team transactions, as outlined above

The NWSL Expansion Draft will air on CBS Sports Network on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. ET.

Sidelined Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally is still down for the count, with the 27-year-old set to miss the 2026 season tip-off of Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball as she continues to recover from lingering concussion symptoms.

Sabally suffered the head injury in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals on October 8th, requiring assistance in exiting the matchup after visibly swaying upon standing.

The concussion forced Sabally to sit out the remainder of the postseason series against the eventual 2025 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.

Both Sabally and Unrivaled planned her return to Phantom BC for the league's second season, with the German national impressing in the offseason venture's debut run by averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

Sabally is under a multi-year contract with the upstart, with Unrivaled promising that while the forward will be out "indefinitely," medical personnel will reevaluate her fitness "at a later date" as both parties hope to see her on the 3×3 court this season.

In her stead, Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes — who suited up for Unrivaled's Laces BC last season — will join Phantom BC as Sabally's replacement.

The second season of Unrivaled 3x3 Basketball will tip off in Miami on January 5th, 2026.

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese is running it back, with the 23-year-old confirming plans to return to the Windy City for the 2026 WNBA season while participating in a USA Basketball training camp over the weekend.

"I'm under contract, so yes, I plan on returning to the Sky," Reese told reporters. "[I'm] continuing to talk to [head coach] Tyler [Marsh], and building that relationship with [GM] Jeff [Pagliocca] and Tyler."

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Her future with the Sky came into question in September, after the front office suspended Reese for half a game for making comments deemed "detrimental to the team" in a Chicago Tribune interview — comments she later apologized for, both publicly and privately.

Drafted by the Sky as the overall No. 7 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, the LSU alum remains under a rookie contract through 2026, with an option to extend through the 2027 season.

After leading the WNBA in both double-doubles (23) rebounds-per-game (12.6) in the 2025 season, Reese's late-season availability waned due to a back injury — though the forward now reports a full recovery from the knock.

"Angel is an ascending young talent in this league who's had two very, very good seasons here in Chicago," said Pagliocca after September's suspension. "Obviously, we went through what we did. I feel like we closed the chapter on it."

Overall No. 1-seed Nebraska's perfect season is officially over, after No. 3-seed Texas A&M volleyball ousted the Huskers in a five-set Elite Eight thriller on Sunday, booking the Aggies a program-first trip to the Final Four.

Undaunted by Nebraska's 33-0 record, the Aggies jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Huskers stormed back to force a fifth-set tiebreaker — which A&M won 15-13, stunning a home crowd that hasn't seen a Cornhusker loss in Lincoln in more than three years.

"A lot of us are seniors, and we've been doing this for a really long time," said Aggie senior opposite Logan Lednicky. "And I think all the newbies came in ready to work, ready to grind."

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Though Nebraska boasts five national titles — good for third on the all-time NCAA volleyball championship list — the Huskers haven't won an NCAA volleyball tournament since 2017, falling three times in the final and once in the semifinals in recent years.

With fellow No. 3-seed Wisconsin's Sunday Elite Eight upset win over four-time champ No. 1 Texas, the 2025 Final Four will now feature two squads — A&M and No. 1-seed Pitt — hunting a first-ever title.

Meanwhile, No. 1-seed Kentucky and the Badgers will be aiming for a second national trophy after earning their debut Division I championships in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

How to watch the 2025 NCAA volleyball Final Four

Texas A&M will kick off the 2025 Final Four against Pitt at 6:30 PM ET on Thursday, before Kentucky takes on Wisconsin at 9 PM ET.

Both semifinals will air live on ESPN.

The WSL appears to have a serious 2025/26 title race on its hands, after No. 1 Manchester City cemented their six-point lead on six-time reigning champs No. 2 Chelsea with Sunday's lopsided 6-1 win over No. 8 Aston Villa.

City striker Bunny Shaw scored four times in the victory, bringing her all-time club tally to 103 goals — and becoming the first woman to reach the century scoring mark in the team's modern era.

"Coming into this game, I knew that if I scored it would have been a really good milestone for me," she told BBC Radio.

Manchester City have been perfect since dropping their 2025/26 season opener — a 2-1 loss to six-time champions Chelsea — with the Citizens now carrying a 10-match WSL winning streak into 2026.

While Chelsea and No. 3 Arsenal have ample ground to make up on the WSL table, both managed to keep pace by snagging their own multi-goal wins over the weekend.

After No. 10 Everton snapped the Blues' 34-game WSL unbeaten streak last week, goals by France international Sandy Baltimore and USWNT star Alyssa Thompson shot Chelsea past No. 7 Brighton 3-0 on Sunday.

Arsenal is also back to their winning ways, taking down Everton 3-1 on Saturday to hold off No. 4 Manchester United as captain Leah Williamson returned from injury.

How to watch the WSL in 2026

Now on holiday break, the WSL will return at 7:30 AM ET on January 10th, when Arsenal will kick off 2026 play against Manchester United at Emirates Stadium, airing live on ESPN+.