Jenna Nighswonger stepped into a Gotham FC roster full of U.S. women’s national team veterans and current stars. And the NWSL Rookie of the Year candidate still made a name for herself.
The 22-year-old credits her success to her teammates, who put her at ease as soon as she stepped onto the field — even as she navigated a position change.
Drafted out of Florida State as a forward, Nighswonger made her name in her first season as a fullback, becoming a mainstay for Gotham in her new role. While she is still working on her defensive skills, she has enjoyed bringing an attacking mindset to the position as well.
And her fellow players, including Gotham FC captain and defender Ali Krieger, have been “so helpful” in her finding her confidence on defense, she said Thursday. Even if it was a little intimidating at first.
“I think the biggest thing that stands out to me is I was just quite nervous to come into a team with names like Ali Krieger, Lynn Williams, Kelley O’Hara,” she said Thursday. “Just because I didn’t really know. I [had] never met them before.”
But in meeting the international stars on the Gotham FC roster for the first time, Nighswonger found them to be “such good people.” The roster for the New Jersey-based club features not just Krieger, Williams and O’Hara but also USWNT players Midge Purce and Kristie Mewis, as well as Nigeria’s Ifeoma Onumonu, Spain’s Esther González and Brazil’s Bruninha.
“Everyone on the team is just amazing and they’ve been so welcoming,” she said, noting that she’s grown more comfortable with time. “I hope everyone else feels [comfortable]. We just have such a great group of girls and I think that we’re all willing to work so hard for each other and do whatever it takes to get to the final. I think it’s just amazing how in a matter of like a few months I just feel so comfortable with a whole new group of girls.”
Nighswonger and her Gotham FC teammates will face the No. 2 seed Portland Thorns at 7 p.m. ET Sunday in the NWSL semifinals with a shot in the championship match on the line.
Gotham FC will face a tough test on the road the NWSL Championship in the No. 2 seed Portland Thorns, but Jenna Nighswonger is confident in her team’s abilities.
The rookie spoke with CBS Sports’ “We Need To Talk,” telling the hosts that the sixth-seeded team has its sights set on winning it all.
“Since we’ve come together as a team in January, we’ve had our sights set on winning the championship,” she said. “Just because we’re the No. 6 seed, it doesn’t matter how we get there, but all that matters is that we’re getting to the final.”
Part of ensuring that happens, Nighswonger said, is making sure that the team is “staying true to ourselves.”
“Knowing that, no matter who we’re playing against, we’re good enough to take on any team and having confidence in what we’ve been working on throughout the season,” she said. “Just taking it one game at a time. We’ve been working so hard, we’re so confident in the team that we have, in the coaching staff the tips and advice that they’re giving us that we know that we can go out there and give the Portland Thorns a good game.”
A big team goal is to get an NWSL title for retiring captain Ali Krieger, as the 39-year-old defender has not won the league championship in her career. Nighswonger in particular would like to see Krieger come out on top, as Krieger has taken the rookie under her wing.
“The first name that stands out to me the most is Ali Krieger,” she said when asked who has been helping her out in her rookie season. “She’s been so helpful to me, especially because I’ve been playing a new position this year, I’m not normally left-back. And she’s just been so helpful in taking all of the time that she can to help me and give me confidence and really take me under her wing, help me learn the new position.”
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