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Way-too-early 2022 NWSL Power Rankings

DANIEL BARTEL/ISI Photos/Getty Images

The 2021 NWSL season has officially come to a close, with the Washington Spirit winning their first-ever championship in an extra-time thriller. Now it’s time to look ahead to 2022.

With December’s expansion draft just around the corner, most of the league’s teams will undergo a considerable roster shakeup this offseason. Clubs are allowed to protect nine players, including just one U.S. allocated player, from San Diego and Angel City FC’s selection, making change inevitable.

How will the upcoming expansion draft impact the existing NWSL teams, and how will the Wave and ACFC fair? We’ll find out in December. For now, here’s how the league shakes out today.

2022 NWSL Way-too-early Power Rankings:

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Joe Robbins/ISI Photos/Getty Images

1. Washington Spirit

It’s hard to bet against the Washington Spirit after their commanding 2021 Championship run. The Spirit finished the season on a 12-game unbeaten streak, excluding the club’s two forced forfeits due to COVID-19 protocol violations. Overcoming off-field turmoil, the team fielded a young team that was stacked across the board, including Rookie of the Year Trinity Rodman, Goalkeeper of the Year Aubrey Bledsoe, Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch and USWNT stars Kelley O’Hara, Emily Sonnett and Andi Sullivan.

Even on their way to capturing the league title, the team looked to be still growing into itself, with young, talented players yet to hit their apex. With another year of development, Washington seems poised for a playoff repeat.

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Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2. Portland Thorns

The Portland Thorns were the heavy favorites heading into the 2021 season and lived up to the preseason hype, winning the 2021 Challenge Cup and NWSL Shield but falling short of the Championship.

Longtime coach Mark Parson’s departure could shake things up, but with veteran talents like Becky Sauerbrunn and Christine Sinclair, coupled with young stars in Simone Charley, Sophia Smith and Morgan Weaver, Portland could exact revenge in 2022, clinching the NWSL Championship they were expected to win in 2021. The big what-if? How soon Crystal Dunn can return from pregnancy.

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Mike Lawrence/ ISI Photos

3. NJ/NY Gotham FC

Gotham FC had a landmark 2021, launching one of the most successful rebrands in NWSL history, playing in Red Bull Arena, booking a trip to the Challenge Cup final, and making a hard-fought playoff run. Though Carli Lloyd has retired, Gotham FC has plenty of talent ready to step up to the plate, including MVP candidate Margaret Purce.

The squad is also loaded defensively, with Caprice Dydasco winning Defender of the Year and Imani Dorsey recently receiving a call-up to the USWNT. With another year to gel as a team and develop their confidence, Gotham FC should be a force to be reckoned with in 2022.

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Jeremy Reper/ISI Photos/Getty Images

4. OL Reign

OL Reign ended the season as one of the most exciting attacking teams in the league, boosted by an influx of international talent. The Tacoma club, however, is set to lose Eugiene Le Sommer, Dzsenifer Marozsan and Sarah Bouhaddi, who are all on loan from Lyon. The team does still have the 2021 MVP in Jessica Fishlock, star midfielder Rose Lavelle and Sofia Huerta, who is quickly becoming one of the league’s best outside backs. OL Reign also has a not-so-secret weapon in Coach of the Year Laura Harvey, who has experience leading teams to titles and getting the most out of her players.

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Joe Robbins/ISI Photos/Getty Images

5. North Carolina Courage

The North Carolina Courage undoubtedly had a trying 2021, dealing, like the rest of the league, with the allegations of sexual coercion made against former coach Paul Riley. The team somehow found a way to make the playoffs despite the off-field drama and a sidelined Sam Mewis. If the team can regroup in the offseason and get their all-star midfielder back, the Courage may just be back in contention for the top of the table. With Lynn Williams and Jessica McDonald up top, it’s hard to count out North Carolina.

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Bryan Byerly/ ISI Photos

6. Chicago Red Stars

The Chicago Red Stars pushed their way to the club’s third NWSL title match in 2021 against all odds, with a series of the team’s top players falling to injury. Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher and Casey Krueger were all mainstays on the injury list following the Tokyo Olympics, while Kealia Watt and Mallory Pugh picked up knocks throughout the playoffs. Pugh also missed Chicago’s semifinal match alongside teammate Kayla Sharples due to COVID-19 protocols.

Now, the Red Stars must deal with a bombshell report detailing former coach Rory Dames’s alleged misconduct over his tenure with the team. Depending on the new coach and what the club does to shift the overall culture, Chicago could either rise to the challenge of a culture overhaul or be forced to start over next year. No matter what, the talent will be there, as Ertz, Watt, Naeher and Kreuger should all be healthy — the only question is if the Red Stars will get to keep all of them during the expansion draft.

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Bryan Byerly/ISI Photos/Getty Images

7. Houston Dash

The name of the game for Houston’s offseason will be defensive development. The Dash ranked fourth in goals scored for the 2021 season but conceded 32 goals — the only teams to allow more goals in their net were Racing Louisville, Kansas City and Orlando Pride, none of whom made the playoffs.

With USWNT center-back Abby Dahlkemper traded to San Diego, Houston will need to shore up their backline in order to make a playoff run in 2022.

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Howard Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images

8. Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride had a tough break in 2021, enduring a midseason coaching switch-up that resulted in a late-year stall after what looked to be a promising start to the NWSL schedule. The club is still on the search for a new head coach after Beck Burleigh’s stint as interim coach came to an end.

The team has undeniable talent in Marta, Alex Morgan, Ashlyn Harris and Sydney Leroux, but has yet to find a way to be productive in the final third, with the team ranking eighth in the league in goals and shots on goal this season, in front of only Racing Louisville and Kansas City.

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DANIEL BARTEL/ISI Photos/Getty Images

9. Racing Louisville

Racing Louisville made its presence known in the NWSL early, winning the inaugural Women’s Cup in its first year as an expansion team. The club also played host to the NWSL Championship, showcasing its world-class facilities and the city’s burgeoning soccer fandom. On the pitch, Louisville finished strong, too, notching two draws and a win to end the year, indicating promise for the 2022 season. Now that Louisville knows what it has in star striker Ebony Salmon, the team certainly has the ability to build a compelling attack and climb the NWSL standings.

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@thekccurrent

10. Kansas City Current

Kansas City can breathe a sigh of relief as it is the only team exempt from the NWSL expansion draft in an agreement solidified with the club’s introduction to the league. The Current finished last in the 2021 NWSL standings but showed flashes of promise during their debut season. Acquiring known talents in Adrianna Franch and Kristen Hamilton during the season, Kansas City has a solid core to build around without the stress of losing players to either San Diego or Los Angeles.

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Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images

11. Angel City FC

Before ever making a pick in December’s NWSL expansion draft, Angel City FC heads into their first season with a key roster cornerstone — that being USWNT star Christen Press. The Los Angeles expansion team signed Press in August, acquiring one of the best forwards in the world in the process. The team also brought on Gotham FC’s former head coach Freya Coombe, who has a proven record at succeeding in NWSL. Depending on who the club takes in the draft, ACFC could be a contender in its inaugural season. For now, they’re sitting near the bottom of our list.

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Brad Smith/ ISI Photos

12. San Diego Wave FC

San Diego also has a proven coach and a big-name star heading into the league’s expansion draft. The Wave inked a deal with Casey Stoney, luring Manchester United’s manager to the NWSL, while USWNT defender Abby Dahlkemper also signed with the team, becoming San Diego’s first player. Stoney’s experience in professional women’s soccer could be a real advantage in a year that’s scene historic turnover elsewhere across the NWSL. But as with ACFC, San Diego sits at the bottom of our rankings until we know more about their roster come December.

‘Sports Are Fun!’ Talks Dust-Up Between WNBA Rivals Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark

Cover image for Sports Are Fun with Kelley O'Hara featuring WNBA rivals Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.
The 'Sports Are Fun!' crew spotlights the WNBA rivalry between stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. (JWS)

Welcome to another episode of Sports Are Fun!

Every week on Sports Are Fun! presented by Amazon Business, co-hosts soccer legend Kelley O'Hara, sports journalist Greydy Diaz, and JWS intern BJ serve up their hottest takes on the biggest women's sports headlines.

This week, the Sports Are Fun! crew is joined by retired NWSL star Darian Jenkins. And with the WNBA season tipping off last weekend, women's basketball naturally dominated conversation.

Firstly? The Caitlin Clark flagrant foul heard around the league — and the fallout that subsequently followed it.

"First game that we want to go over is Fever vs. Sky," O'Hara introduced. "Caitlin Clark had a triple-double. Angel Reese had a double-double. And the Fever won. But what everyone's been talking about is the foul that Caitlin Clark committed on Angel."

"The flagrant," corrected BJ.

"Excuse me," O'Hara said. "So Caitlin Clark had a foul on Angel Reese under the basket. It got upgraded to a flagrant one. Aliyah Boston came to her defense, because Reese got up and was kind of going for Caitlin. A lot of chatter around this, and I liked the spice."

"It's the game," Diaz said, jumping in. "It was a basketball play, as they both said. However, it was flagrant. It happens in basketball. I think it was the reaction that we saw on social media that really elevated it."

"This is a rivalry, everyone," quipped BJ. "This rivalry feeds families. We love it."

"She's a spicy player. I love seeing the passion," Jenkins said of Reese. "We should be excited about that, especially in women's sports."

"I feel like it's always, 'We'll play nice, be proper, don't swear,'" she continued. "You never see that in the men's game. They're heated all the time."

"At the end of the day, these are physical players," echoed Diaz. "Caitlin Clark is physical. She was physical last year, she's physical this year. It's a grown woman's game."

Along with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, the Sports Are Fun! hosts additionally cover WNBA tip-off, the surging San Diego Wave, the PHWL Finals, and so much more!

'Sports Are Fun!' condemns allegedly hateful remarks from Indiana fans

The rivalry between second-year WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese was on full display at the Indiana Fever's opening weekend game against the Chicago Sky. But it was the crowd's response to it that hit a nerve with the Sports Are Fun! hosts.

"It was a foul, flagrant foul, obviously," BJ said. "But I would be remiss if I didn't say that what is unacceptable is the Fever [fans'] behavior — bad statements, bad sportsmanship, bad slandering on Angel."

"There's no space for that sort of behavior," Diaz agreed. "There are kids at that game... It's unacceptable."

"You can you can heckle, we're all for that," O'Hara chimed in. "But if there's somebody saying hateful things, racist things, it's got to be reported."

"Just on a human level. You can be a fan of the game, but you see something wrong, check it," Jenkins said. "These women worked so hard to get where they are. If you're stooping that low, you should not be allowed at a game."

Sports Are Fun! podcast graphic featuring Kelley O'Hara.
'Sports Are Fun!' places Kelley O'Hara at the intersection of women's sports and fun. (Just Women's Sports)

About 'Sports Are Fun!' with Kelley O'Hara

'Sports Are Fun!' is a show that’ll remind you why you fell in love with women's sports in the first place.

Join World Cup champ, Olympic gold medalist, and aspiring barista Kelley O'Hara as she sits down with sports journalist Greydy Diaz and a revolving cast of co-hosts and friends. Together, they're talking the biggest, funnest, and most need-to-know stories in the world of women’s sports.

From on-court drama to off-field shenanigans, to candid (and silly) chats with the most important personalities in the space, this show screams "Sports Are Fun!"

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

USWNT Roster Strikes a Balance Ahead of Summer Friendlies

USWNT players including Sam Coffey and Crystal Dunn line up before a 2025 friendly.
This week's 24-player USWNT roster will face China PR and Jamaica in upcoming friendlies. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Another USWNT roster arrived on Tuesday, with head coach Emma Hayes tapping 24 players for the world No. 1 team's upcoming early summer friendlies against No. 17 China PR and No. 40 Jamaica.

Featuring both mainstays and prospects, the lineup showcases Hayes's interest in developing young standouts while also highlighting returning regulars — and one unexpected favorite.

USWNT staples like Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Heaps, and Lynn Biyendolo are back, balancing out less experienced players like forwards Michelle Cooper and Emma Sears, midfielder Claire Hutton, and defender and first-time call-up Kerry Abello.

One uncapped invitee doesn't fit the US's ongoing youth movement mold, with 32-year-old Kansas City captain and celly queen Lo'eau LaBonta earning her first national team nod.

"First of all, she's deserving of the call-up," Hayes told reporters on Tuesday morning, praising the midfielder's NWSL play. "She’s being consistent in everything that she has done. And with the volume of young players or less experienced players we're bringing in, I think we have to get that balance right."

Angel City sister duo Alyssa and Gisele Thompson also made the cut, with Hayes shifting Gisele from defender to forward ahead of the younger Thompson's possible fourth senior cap.

European club players also returned to the spotlight, with Ajax's Lily Yohannes, Chelsea's Naomi Girma and Catarina Macario, Arsenal's Emily Fox, and Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce heading to camp alongside Dunn (PSG) and Heaps (OL Lyonnes).

Hayes also noted that former call-ups Jaedyn Shaw (North Carolina), Mia Fishel (Chelsea), and Korbin Albert (PSG) will spend the break with the USWNT U-23 squad, calling time with the youth team "what I felt has been really missing for a lot of players."

Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey makes a save during a 2025 NWSL match.
Stellar NWSL play has Seattle's Claudia Dickey in the mix for the USWNT goalie gig. (Soobum Im/NWSL via Getty Images)

USWNT goalkeeper competition continues

Tullis-Joyce as well as Utah's Mandy McGlynn and Seattle’s uncapped Claudia Dickey will feature in goal, as the search to replace retired USWNT legend Alyssa Naeher continues.

"The data don't lie — Claudia Dickey's probably the best performing goalkeeper in the NWSL this season," Hayes said of the US newcomer.

Notably, Houston's Jane Campbell will not be joining the team, despite the longtime reserve keeper's 10 caps and six clean sheets for the USWNT.

All in all, Tuesday's roster marks one of Hayes's more diverse lineups, with this window's friendly opponents allowing her the freedom to test out new configurations.

Expect the US boss's next roster to be a bit less experimental, as the stakes will raise with late June's three-match slate against No. 26 Ireland and No. 7 Canada.

The May/June 2025 USWNT roster

  • Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)
  • Defenders: Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)
  • Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Lo’eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax)
  • Forwards: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC)

How to watch the upcoming USWNT friendlies

The 24-player USWNT roster will kick off their upcoming friendlies by taking on China PR at 5:30 PM ET on Saturday, May 31st, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Live coverage of the match will air on TBS.

Then on Tuesday, June 3rd, the US will face Jamaica in St. Louis, Missouri, with the 8 PM ET match airing live on TNT.

WNBA Rookie Paige Bueckers Balls Out in Dallas Home-Opener

Dallas rookie Paige Bueckers sets up a pass during the Wings' Monday loss to Seattle.
Bueckers tied the current season-high WNBA rookie single-game scoring mark with 19 points on Monday. (Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)

Dallas rookie Paige Bueckers took charge on Monday, with the 2025 WNBA Draft's No. 1 overall pick proving her worth in the Wings' 79-71 loss to Seattle.

The only Wing to log more than 29 minutes in Monday night's home-opener, Bueckers spent 37 minutes on the Dallas court, tallying a team-leading 19 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and two steals in just her second pro game.

She also joined Mystics newcomer Sonia Citron as the only 2025 rookies to score more than 18 points in a single game so far this season.

On the flip side, 2025's No. 2 pick Dominique Malonga did not feature in the Storm's starting lineup, finishing her night with just one minute of playing time.

The 19-year-old French phenom made the most of her brief appearance with a speedy two points, despite Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn taking a conservative approach to integrating the WNBA's youngest player into the league.

While rookies make headlines, veterans still run the WNBA, with Quinn relying heavily on her experienced starting core to notch Seattle's first victory of 2025.

Leading the Storm was 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike with a 23-point, 18-rebound performance — her 110th career double-double — while Skylar Diggins (21 points, nine assists) and Gabby Williams (17 points, five assists, five rebounds) followed closely behind.

"I love how our vets showed up and willed us through possessions," Quinn said after the win. "I think that there's a lot to build and grow from this game."

How to watch WNBA games on Tuesday

The 2025 WNBA season continues at 7 PM ET on Tuesday, when the Atlanta Dream take on the Indiana Fever while the Las Vegas Aces visit the Connecticut Sun.

Both game will stream live on WNBA League Pass.

Ottawa, Minnesota Chase History as Puck Drops on PWHL Finals

Minnesota's Denisa Krizova and Claire Thompson chase Ottawa's Ronja Savolainen, who controls the puck, during a 2025 PWHL game.
Ottawa is the first Canadian team to ever make the PWHL Finals. (Troy Parla/Getty Images)

For the second straight year, the 2025 PWHL Finals are down to the postseason's underdogs, with the No. 3 seed Ottawa Charge and the No. 4 seed Minnesota Frost facing off in the best-of-five championship series after ousting the league's top teams.

Minnesota booked their Finals spot with a 3-1 series victory over No. 2 seed Toronto last Wednesday, before Ottawa ousted top-seeded Montréal by the same series margin on Friday.

While the Frost gear up to defend their 2024 Walter Cup title this week, first-time playoff team Ottawa will aim to make even more history by securing Canada’s first-ever PWHL trophy.

This year's PWHL Finals pits Minnesota's red-hot offense, which netted 18 goals across four semifinal games, against Ottawa's shutdown defense.

Led by rookie goaltender Gwyneth Philips — a 2025 Goaltender of the Year finalist — the Charge allowed just six pucks into the net through four playoff games.

Philips's top save percentage and low 1.14 goals-against average will be put to the test by the Frost, who claim seven of the PWHL's Top-8 postseason players, led by forward Taylor Heise and her seven playoff points.

Ottawa's Jincy Roese and Minnesota's Liz Schepers skate during a 2025 PWHL game.
Either Ottawa or Minnesota will earn the Walter Cup in the 2025 PWHL Finals. (Troy Parla/Getty Images)

How to watch the 2025 PWHL Finals

The puck drops on the 2025 PWHL Finals tonight at 7 PM ET, as Minnesota hits the ice against Ottawa live on YouTube.

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