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:
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
Bethany Balcer Alana Cook Angelina Jessica Fishlock Sofia Huerta Rose Lavelle (U.S. Federation Player) Quinn (CAN Federation Player) Phallon Tullis-Joyce Ally Watt
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)
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
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)
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
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)
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)
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)
Dorian Bailey Aubrey Bledsoe Bayley Feist Ashley Hatch Tara McKeown Julia Roddar (International – SWE) Trinity Rodman Ashley Sanchez Sam Staab
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.