Rose Lavelle to join OL Reign, play May 30

The OL Reign are getting better. 

Rose Lavelle is set to join the Reign May 26 after a stint with Manchester City. The Reign acquired the midfielder’s rights back in August 2020 in a trade with the Washington Spirit. In return, the Spirit received the Reign’s first round draft pick in the 2022 NWSL College Draft and $200,000 in allocation money. The first $100,000 was paid at the time of the trade and the second payment will be made to complete the trade as Lavelle returns to the NWSL.

“We believe Rose has the ability to be the best player in the world. She is an extraordinary talent that is the perfect fit for our long-term vision for the team,” said OL Reign CEO Bill Predmore in a statement. “From the moment the trade became a possibility last year we have been focused on finding a way to bring her to the club. We are thrilled to add her to the squad and believe she can play a key role in our efforts to compete for a championship this season.”

Lavelle made 16 appearances and three starts for Manchester City, scoring one goal during the 2020-21 WSL campaign. 

In the Women’s FA cup, Lavelle made four appearances, scoring two goals for Man City. Additionally, the midfielder appeared in four UEFA Women’s Champions League matches and two FA League Cup matches, where she scored two goals. 

Currently, Lavelle is a major piece of the U.S. Women’s National Team. A key part of the USWNT’s 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup run, Lavelle started six matches and scored three goals in France. Additionally, as part of the USWNT, the midfielder has won the 2018 Tournament of Nations, the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, the 2020 and 2021 SheBelieves Cups, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Qualifying Tournament. In total, she has made 53 appearances for the United States, scoring 14 goals and eight assists.

“We are incredibly excited for Rose to be joining our team,” said OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti. “She is a special player that has the ability to change games. She is an ambitious player and very effective in the midfield. Her experiences in the NWSL and WSL, as well with the national team have made her a very aware and intelligent player. We are looking forward to adding her to our team.”

Lavelle is expected to be available in the Reign’s match against the Washington Spirit on May 30.