In the end, Angel City FC chose to stay in house for its new head coach, dropping the interim tag from Becki Tweed. But the decision came after serious deliberation.
The Los Angeles-based NWSL club was committed to finding the right fit. So committed, in fact, that Tweed was competing against roughly 52 candidates for the position, general manager Angela Hucles Mangano revealed Friday.
In the end, Tweed’s work in bringing together Angel City players in her months as interim head coach put her at the head of the pack. After stepping into the interim role in June, Tweed finished with a 6-1-4 record in the regular season, and she led the club to its first playoff berth.
“I think there was an early, very early inkling from the early success,” Mangano said Thursday. “But ultimately, and as [team president Julie Uhrman] mentioned before, one of the commitments that I had was to a thorough process.”
Angel City made sure to involve players in that process. But Mangano also didn’t want to make the search a distraction as they made their run to the playoffs.
“I did not want the process to be a distraction to Becky or the players,” Mangano said. “And so they kept winning and we wanted to be sensitive to the timing of their inclusion at the very end.”
Under Tweed’s leadership, the team went from 0.82 points per game to 2.0 while cutting goals against from 1.91 to 0.82. Angel City also had more success on tackles, goals scored and direct attacks.
Aside from that, Tweed also helped the club find its identity – something that players have been vocal about.
“She knows how we work,” M.A. Vignola said after Angel City beat Portland Thorns 5-1 on the final day of the NWSL regular season. “She knows how to say things to us and how each different player works. You can even just tell in training that she’s very in tune with everyone individually. That helps us as a collective because it helps talk to each other in certain ways or push each other.”
Even still, Angel City leaders had a timeline they wanted to follow. While they missed their initial Oct. 15 deadline by about a week, it was worth it to ensure that they hired the best possible person.
“It was also about having conversations internally to our staff just so that if there were questions that the expectation was known about what the timing did look like,” Mangano said. “I don’t think it was comfortable for anybody to be in that situation. But ultimately being able to get through the entire process being the goal and I think a very important one.”
With the interim tag officially dropped from her title, Tweed is excited to continue to build with Angel City into the 2024 NWSL season.
“It’s been an incredible journey and something that’s just started,” Tweed said Thursday. “I think we all look at: This is just a platform for us to grow from and move the needle and get bigger and better from next season.”
Angel City FC officially has hired Becki Tweed as its head coach, as first reported by The Athletic’s Meg Linehan and as announced by the club Thursday.
With the decision, the club rewards Tweed for engineering a turnaround in 2023. She stepped into the role of interim head coach in June, replacing Freya Coombe, who was fired after a 2-6-3 (W-L-D) start to the season. Tweed started her tenure with an 11-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, and she finished with a 6-1-4 record in the regular season and an 8-2-5 record in all competitions.
“I’m really proud to be staying with Angel City,” Tweed said in a news release. “I am most excited to have the opportunity to pick up where we left off. We aren’t starting over. We are continuing to build and have unfinished business.”
Under Tweed’s leadership, Angel City made the playoffs for the first time, though the 2022 expansion team lost 1-0 to OL Reign in the first round. And Tweed is one of three finalists for the NWSL Coach of the Year award, becoming the first interim head coach to earn a nomination.
“I mean, Becki has done — can I say the f-word? — Becki has done f—ing fantastic,” Angel City defender Sarah Gorden said after the regular-season finale. “She’s done a great job at holding us accountable, pushing us, knowing when to just manage players.
“She’s done great. I mean, you’ve seen the difference.”
Tweed joined Angel City as an assistant coach ahead of the 2023 season. She spent the previous three years as an assistant coach for Gotham FC. She also played professionally for six years in England.
With Tweed receiving the post in Angel City and former U.S. women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski joining the Kansas City Current, four head coach openings remain in the NWSL. The Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, Racing Louisville and Washington Spirit all are on the hunt for their next coach.
¡Vamos, @beckitweed!
— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) November 2, 2023
📝 #AngelCityFC has named Becki Tweed as its head coach.
Read more details here: https://t.co/Ihf8WNvGWq pic.twitter.com/fQjwBsvh9D
Sophia Smith is looking to run it back as NWSL MVP, as the Portland Thorns star is nominated for the top individual award for the second straight season.
In 2022, Smith became the youngest MVP in the history of the league. The 23-year-old has built a solid case for the 2023 award, leading the league with 11 goals and winning the Golden Boot award. But the Portland Thorns forward also missed significant time due to the World Cup and a knee injury.
That opens the doors for other candidates, including San Diego Wave defender Naomi Girma. Another repeat MVP finalist, Girma won the Defender of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards in 2022.
Another top candidate: North Carolina Courage star Kerolin, Just Women’s Sports‘ pick for the award. Kerolin, Girma and Smith are joined by Kansas City Current forward Debinha and Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey.
Girma also is nominated once again for the Defender of the Year award. But repeating could prove a challenge, as both Gotham FC captain Ali Krieger and Washington Spirit star Sam Staab have had outstanding defensive seasons. Kaleigh Kurtz and Sarah Gorden round out the nominees.
Alyssa Thompson, meanwhile, leads the Rookie of the Year candidates, having lived up to the hype as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL draft.
She is joined by Messiah Bright of the Orlando Pride and Jenna Nighswonger of Gotham FC. Bright is Just Women’s Sports’ pick for Rookie of the Year after finishing with six goals on the season and proving wrong everyone who passed her over in the draft.
Both Angel City’s Becki Tweed and Gotham FC’s Juan Carolos Amorós challenge for Coach of the Year, as does San Diego Wave’s Casey Stoney – to no surprise.
The choice between Katie Lund of Racing Louisville, Jane Campbell of the Houston Dash and Kailen Sheridan of the San Diego Wave for Goalkeeper of the Year is a tough one, although Lund has had a solid year and is Just Women’s Sports’ pick. Sheridan is looking to repeat as winner.
NWSL fans can vote on the award winners via online ballot any time before 12 p.m. ET Friday. The NWSL uses a weighted voting formula — 40% from players, 25% from owners, general managers and coaches, 25% from media and 10% from fans.
2023 NWSL award nominees
Most Valuable Player
- Sam Coffey, Portland Thorns
- Debinha, Kansas City Current
- Naomi Girma, San Diego Wave
- Kerolin, North Carolina Courage
- Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
Defender of the Year
- Naomi Girma, San Diego Wave
- Sarah Gorden, Angel City FC
- Ali Krieger, Gotham FC
- Kaleigh Kurtz, North Carolina Courage
- Sam Staab, Washington Spirit
Goalkeeper of the Year
- Jane Campbell, Houston Dash
- Katie Lund, Racing Louisville
- Kailen Sheridan, San Diego Wave
Rookie of the Year
- Messiah Bright, Orlando Pride
- Jenna Nighswonger, Gotham FC
- Alyssa Thompson, Angel City FC
Coach of the Year
- Juan Carlos Amorós, Gotham FC
- Casey Stoney, San Diego Wave
- Becki Tweed, Angel City FC
If any question remained about whether Becki Tweed deserves to have the interim tag removed from her head coaching title, it may have been answered Sunday when Angel City FC secured its first-ever playoff appearance.
Angel City FC did so with a resounding 5-1 win over the Portland Thorns, who have been one of the league’s best teams all season long. The win put an exclamation point on one of the greatest turnarounds in the NWSL.
After starting the season with a 2-3-6 record (W-D-L), the team fired head coach Freya Coombe and elevated assistant coach Tweed to interim head coach in her place. Since then, Tweed has proven she deserves a shot at a more permanent role, leading the team to the No. 5 seed in the NWSL playoffs.
Tweed started her tenure with an 11-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, and she finished with a 6-4-1 record in the regular season. Tweed spoke after Sunday’s win about the buy-in from players, and she shouted out her assistant coaches and her “incredible group of staff.”
“We’ve won games in these moments that haven’t just come down to the head coach or the player,” she said. “It’s a bigger squad than that. We say every day in the film room and at training, it’s not about 11 players, it’s about 26 people. We have players that graft and grind every day and don’t make a squad, but they keep going and they believe in the team.
“I can’t speak highly enough of how the group has come together. … I think the buy-in comes down to everybody being on the same page and having the same goal. I can’t speak highly enough about the team, the players and the staff that we have in and around every day that continue to push all the standards and the boundaries.”
For Angel City players, though, much of the success leads back to their head coach.
“I mean, Becki has done, can I say the eff word? Becki has done f—ing fantastic,” defender Sarah Gorden said. “She’s done a great job at holding us accountable, pushing us, knowing when to just manage players.
“She’s done great. I mean, you’ve seen the difference.”
In recent weeks, players have spoken about wanting to see Tweed take over the head coaching job on a permanent basis, noting that she has established a winning mentality and has given Angel City an edge they didn’t have before.
On Sunday, defender M.A. Vignola echoed that sentiment.
“She knows how we work. She knows the things [like], how she can say things to us and how each different player works,” she said. “You can even just tell at training that she’s very in tune with everyone individually and that kind of helps as a collective. Because it helps us be able to talk to each other in certain ways or push each other, get through s–t – the nitty and gritty – and that’s what she does best.”
Angel City FC’s 11-game unbeaten streak came to an end Monday, leaving behind a team that has grown immensely over the course of the season.
The streak began when interim head coach Becki Tweed took over for Freya Coombe, who was fired by Angel City midway through the season. The streak started on June 17, with a 2-1 rivalry win against the San Diego Wave, and ended on Oct. 2, with a 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride.
Even after their first loss in months, Angel City players sung Tweed’s praises for helping them to find their identity as a team.
“She’s made it super competitive, has uplifted us but also motivated us,” defender Paige Nielsen said. “Sets the right tone at training and it’s carried us to success.”
Midfielder Dani Weatherholt agreed, adding: “We’re developing an identity that I think is allowing us to play free and allowing us to be competitive in the league. I think before it was very unsure, and we got by with our grit and our fight in our heart, [now] you’re seeing more tactical awareness and more of an identity.”
Of course, players know it will take time to build a foundation on which the club can build. But Nielsen already is seeing “so much growth,” and she believes the mix of young players and veterans is promising for the future.
Their identity, she says, is “coming together.” And while it might be difficult to lose after going unbeaten for 11 straight, Tweed knows it’s a good learning moment for her team in the midst of the NWSL playoff race.
“It’s never easy to lose a game, especially at this point in the season where the table is so close,” she said. “What’s important for us is that we learn from it, we move on. I don’t think it’s a game where we’ve been outplayed. I don’t think it’s a game where we can walk away from it saying that we were beaten by the other team – we beat ourselves.
“Togetherness is now important. We move on from it and move into the next game. This league is wild, who knows what happens in the next two games, but we’re just going to do what we can do to be in control of what you can control.”
Two weeks remain in the NWSL regular season. Angel City sits in ninth place with 25 points, just three points out of the sixth and final playoff spot.
Just three games remain in the NWSL regular season, and the players are continuing to make their case in their campaigns for the end-of-year awards.
Since Just Women’s Sports’ last check-in, no one player has pushed to the front of the pack, setting the stage for a frantic final push. Here are the players to watch in the final weeks of the season.
MVP: Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
Shortlist: Adriana, Kerolin, Morgan Weaver, Ashley Hatch
While it remains unclear whether or not Smith will make her return from an MCL sprain during the regular season, she is back training with Portland. And her work early on in the season still puts her ahead of everyone else in the MVP race. Not only does she lead the league in goals scored with 11, she’s also second in the league in assists with five. Her goals per 90 sits at 0.88, far ahead of the next best in the league (Kerolin, 0.57). Teams don’t have an answer for the reigning MVP, and Portland has missed her in her absence.
Elsewhere, Smith’s teammate Morgan Weaver has been putting together her own case for MVP in the final weeks of the season. She’s got three goals in three games and is putting up better numbers than anyone else in the league right now.
Defender of the Year: Tara McKeown, Washington Spirit
Shortlist: Tatumn Milazzo, Sarah Gorden, Natalia Kuikka, Sam Staab
Fresh off a contract extension, Tara McKeown has had a standout season alongside Sam Staab. The 24-year-old defender ranks first in the league in clearances and sixth in interceptions. But while she’s been a steady presence for the Spirit, Washington hasn’t won in six games, which puts her in a tough spot.
Meanwhile, Tatumn Milazzo has once again been a bright spot for a Chicago Red Stars back line that has struggled but has started to find its groove toward the end of the season. And Sarah Gorden has had a great bounce-back season from an ACL tear for Angel City, who remain in playoff contention.
Goalkeeper of the year: Katie Lund, Racing Louisville
Shortlist: Casey Murphy, Kailen Sheridan, Jane Campbell
Katie Lund leads the league in many goalkeeping categories, and she has been one of the big reasons for Racing Louisville’s turnaround this season. She’s allowed among the fewest goals in the league per 90 (1.00) – with Jane Campbell of the Houston Dash the only goalkeeper to allow fewer goals (0.79).
While Louisville is still searching for its identity, Lund has managed to keep them in the conversation for the playoffs.
Coach of the Year: Becki Tweed, Angel City
Shortlist: Sean Nahas, Juan Carlos Amorós, Mike Norris
Becki Tweed might be the interim head coach for Angel City, but she’s led the team on an astounding turnaround after the team parted ways with Freya Coombe in June. Since then, the team has put together an 11-game unbeaten streak. Not much has changed; Tweed has just made things a little bit clearer and in turn has made Angel City a possible postseason contender.
If Angel City qualifies for the playoffs, naming Tweed as coach of the year is a no-brainer. But Sean Nahas has led Gotham on a tear in his first year as head coach, turning them into one of the best teams in the league. Part of the success is due to the addition of Lynn Williams. But he’s also managed to bring World Cup champion Esther González to the NWSL, which has further boosted the club as it makes a push for the playoffs. If the winner of this award isn’t Tweed, Nahas should take it home.
Rookie of the Year: Messiah Bright, Orlando Pride
Shortlist: Alyssa Thompson, Paige Metayer, Jenna Nighswonger
This year’s Rookie of the Year race is less clear-cut, but Messiah Bright has continued to stand out amongst the rookie class. Her six goals lead all rookies, and she’s worked well with Adriana and Marta down in Orlando.
Alyssa Thompson also has been a bright spot for Angel City, putting her in contention for this award. She came out hot in her first NWSL season and has been consistently getting better as the season has progressed.
With five games remaining in the NWSL regular season, the players who have excelled in 2023 are beginning to wrap up their individual awards campaigns. While the 2023 World Cup took a number of stars away from their squads, a well-timed Challenge Cup break allowed many to miss as few regular season matches as possible, making the awards race as compelling as ever.
As we head into the home stretch of the season, here’s how my current NWSL awards ballot is shaping up.
MVP: Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
Shortlist: Kerolin, Adriana, Sam Coffey
While Smith has missed a few regular season games due to the World Cup (and may miss more due to an MCL sprain), she has once again been a standout among many in 2023. She leads the league in goals scored with 11, in addition to an impressive tally of five assists. Her dribbling abilities are unmatched, as teams build their entire game plans around trying to stop her from running in on goal to little avail.
If Smith misses the rest of the season due to her injury, the scales might tip out of her favor simply due to availability. But based on her per-game 90-minute impact, she is worthy of the MVP trophy for a second straight year.
Defender of the Year: Sam Staab, Washington Spirit
Shortlist: Sarah Gorden, Ali Krieger, Michelle Alozie
Sam Staab is such a steady presence along the Washington Spirit backline that at times she undeservedly fades into the background of the awards conversation. Partnering with first-time center-back Tara McKeown, she is the anchor of a defense that has undergone extensive change in recent years. While Washington’s defense hasn’t been perfect this year, Staab consistently controls space while playing a key role in the Spirit’s ball progression, including long-ball distribution.
Washington’s defense has tightened up in the second half of the season, giving Staab my nod over players in more staunch units. She’s been one of the better center-backs in the league for years, and 2023 is no different.
Goalkeeper of the Year: Katie Lund, Racing Louisville
Shortlist: Kailen Sheridan, Aubrey Kingsbury, Abby Smith
Katie Lund has been overlooked for major postseason awards due to Louisville’s difficulty with getting above the playoff line, but 2023 should be her year. She’s consistently one of the best shot-stoppers in the league, excelling both when Louisville’s defense is struggling and when she has seasoned veterans like Abby Erceg in front of her. Lund leads the NWSL in saves and leads the league’s goalkeepers in American Soccer Analysis’ goals added metric, based on her elite ability to stop shots.
Louisville increasingly looks like a team with a number of stars that can’t quite find the winning combination to contend for the playoffs, but Lund has been a steady standout for years.
Coach of the Year: Becki Tweed, Angel City
Shortlist: Juan Carlos Amorós, Mark Parsons, Sean Nahas
It’s unconventional to put an interim manager up for Coach of the Year, but Becki Tweed has flipped the script. Tweed has only been in charge of Angel City since June 14, after the club parted ways with Freya Coombe, but her ability to build off the team’s foundation has been impressive to witness. The squad is currently undefeated under her management, without having drastically changed their style of play. Tweed has simply adjusted the clarity of instruction to help turn Angel City’s players into the best versions of themselves.
Tweed’s candidacy for Coach of the Year may be dependent on the Los Angeles club qualifying for their first playoff appearance, but her work is at least deserving of a permanent job and a shot at steering the team in the future.
Rookie of the Year: Messiah Bright, Orlando Pride
Shortlist: Paige Metayer, Alyssa Thompson, Jenna Nighswonger
When Messiah Bright fell to the second round of the 2023 NWSL Draft, it seemed fated that the forward out of TCU would make a number of teams regret letting her pass them by. Bright has been a spark plug for a rising Orlando Pride team, collaborating well with players like Adriana and Marta and developing a talent for putting the ball in the back of the net.
With six goals so far during the regular season, she’s showcasing a tenacity that will only grow with the more NWSL minutes she plays. Whether she can get Orlando above the playoff line remains to be seen, but Bright has the skills to excel in the league for years to come.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
Angel City FC pulled off a thrilling victory on Saturday, rallying to defeat SoCal rival and top-ranked San Diego, 2-1, on the road at Snapdragon Stadium.
It was a statement win for 11th-ranked Angel City. After a poor showing during the first half of the NWSL season, the club fired head coach Freya Coombe on Thursday. Assistant Becki Tweed is serving as interim head coach until a replacement is selected.
“I think we just fed off her energy,” Angel City defender M.A. Vignola said of Tweed’s leadership. “She wanted us to play to our potential. We know what we have on the field. As teammates we know what we can do. She really brought it out of us. This past week of training was the most competitive training session we have had in two or three months.”
Stars of the game
All three goals in Saturday’s match were scored by defenders. San Diego got on the board first, with Kristen McNabb finding the back of the net in the 57th minute.
Paige Nielsen recorded the equalizer in the 70th minute, capitalizing on a corner kick, and Vignola scored the game-winner in the 89th minute to secure Angel City’s first win since April 2.
Did @MAVignola just win this for @weareangelcity?! 😱 pic.twitter.com/isL5vVN5pu
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 17, 2023
“We needed that one,” said Nielsen. “We knew that with the momentum, it would take the entire team to grind a game out. That is what we did today.”
“This being San Diego and being our first win in a while, it means a lot,” echoed Vignola. “A road win is always big. It being San Diego makes it so much better.”
Home away from home
Nielsen shouted out the Angel City fans who stuck with the team during their rough patch and traveled to San Diego for Saturday’s game.
“We have felt like people have given up on us. Seeing the fans in the stands was overwhelming,” she said.
The ACFC crowd is looooooving it! pic.twitter.com/nNPEQR2xLL
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 17, 2023
San Diego head coach Casey Stoney said her side knew Angel City could be buoyed by their recent head coaching change.
“We spoke about the circumstances and we were very clear that when teams lose their manager, they bounce and they get a win,” Stoney said. “So it wasn’t something we were not prepared for.”
What’s next
With the win, Angel City (3-6-3) moved up one spot to 10th place in the NWSL standings. San Diego (6-4-2) fell from the top of the table to third after the North Carolina Courage and OL Reign each picked up points on Saturday to surpass the Wave.
Angel City and San Diego meet again in two weeks on June 28 — this time at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles for a Challenge Cup game. With NWSL players released for World Cup duty on the 26th, both teams’ lineups will look different at that point. The USWNT roster is slated to be announced this week; from San Diego, Naomi Girma, Taylor Kornieck, Alex Morgan, and Jaedyn Shaw are in contention for roster spots, while Angel City’s top hopefuls include Julie Ertz and Alyssa Thompson. San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan has already been named to Canada’s World Cup roster.
The two sides meet again on Aug. 5 — the same day the Round of 16 gets underway at the World Cup — for their second regular-season game.