The NWSL season kicked off this weekend, and many teams debuted new kits (or new spins on their existing kits) ahead of their opening matches.

While this year’s new batch of kits display a disappointing lack of color, teams did show off intriguing (and polarizing) creative choices. But which team did it best? Just Women’s Sports lays out our 2023 kit rankings.

12. Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit are in the process of rebranding, and that includes the team’s new kits for the 2023 season.

While the iridescent logo is cool, all-black and all-white kits leave much to be desired. And while black-and-white wardrobes are all the rage in fashion, we’ll miss the color that the Spirit always brought to the field.

The only thing that could possibly improve the Spirit’s ranking is a cherry blossom-inspired kit, which has long been a wish of editor Kate Yanchulis.

11. San Diego Wave FC

San Diego did not move up a spot in this year’s rankings simply because its new kit isn’t exactly new. The Wave have gotten rid of the detailing last year’s kit had on the sleeve and got for a straight navy home kit. The away kit is all white, which is certainly a choice.

While both kits feature cool detailing in the texture, a lack of color differentiation makes it difficult to see. Once again, the Wave failed to live up to the potential of their crest, which is disappointing as they have one of the best colorways in the league.

10. North Carolina Courage

Very little has changed from last year’s kits, save for the fact that the Courage have now gone with an all-white away colorway with a “ghosted” crest that features a light blue outline. While they’re now on the very short list of colorful NWSL teams, the refresh still leaves something to be desired.

9. Houston Dash

The Dash get a point for their new Estrella Kit, which is a vibrant orange color, especially in a year when teams are turning to black-and-white colorways. But unfortunately, the orange kit doesn’t stand out as much as one might like.

The design is a bit bland, although the orange accents on black shorts are a nice touch. And while orange is the Dash’s color, it wouldn’t hurt to be a little bit more adventurous, would it?

8. Kansas City Current

Kansas City offered up a refresh on its secondary kit with the “Ice Kit,” which is a white jersey paired with teal shorts and socks. It’s fresh, colorful and brings something different to the NWSL lineup with the teal shorts. But the white jerseys are exactly that: white, without much added excitement.

7. Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride get bumped up in this year’s rankings due to their revamp of their Luna Kit. While not a fully new kit, the numbers on the backs of the jerseys have been updated to black so that fans can more easily identify players on the field.

Also, the Pride get major prop points for changing to dark shorts to make the kits more comfortable for players during their periods. While it’s a small change, it’s a huge moment for inclusivity and accessibility. Plus, the black, gray and white look sleek.

6. OL Reign

OL Reign revealed their new “Purpose” kit, which features two-toned blue psychedelic-style print and red accents. The change is fitting for the Reign, and it offers a refreshing update to their home kit.

Plus, the video reveal was one of the better ones we’ve seen this season.

5. Gotham FC

Gotham get style points simply for the fact that they didn’t reveal their new kit for this year, EA Sports did, via NWSL gameplay announcement. And while this kit maintains black elements, Gotham’s trademark Sky Blue is sprinkled throughout in a fun way.

Overall, this kit is fun and includes color – something that a lot of other kits seem to be lacking this season. Plus, we get to see Kelley O’Hara and Lynn Williams play in it. Sounds like a win.

4. Portland Thorns FC

What can I say? I’m a 2000s kid who was raised on Ed Hardy. You either hate this kit or you love it, and I love it. Not only does it pay homage to the Thorns and their city, but it brings something different to this year’s kit lineup.

First stop, NWSL championship. Next stop, MTV.

3. Angel City FC

When considering last year’s away kit, this year’s seems decidedly less exciting. But the pops of pink help. The team once again opting to hone in on their home city of LA, this time by showcasing it on the front of the kit, is a cool touch. The Volemos on the back of the kit, accompanied by a gray to white ombré, is different from other teams’ kits.

The gray shorts to go along with the jersey isn’t the most exciting choice. Pink or black shorts might have elevated and helped to counteract the blandness of the gray color on the jersey.

2. Racing Louisville FC

Since their inception, Racing Louisville has not missed on a kit release. The mint kit was a joyous addition to the NWSL lineup, following home kits that were one of the best expansion kits the league has ever seen.

They once again hit the mark with the Houndstooth Kit, meant to honor Penny Chenery, the owner of Secretariat, 50 years after the colt’s Triple Crown run.

It’s fitting for Louisville, which is home to the Kentucky Derby, and is meant as a “celebration of pioneering women.” While the fleur-de-lis kit will always hold a special place amongst the NWSL kit ranks, this refresh means a lot and looks good. It also breaks up the trend of black jerseys that has plagued the league this season, with Racing opting to go all-purple with a mint logo.

1. Chicago Red Stars

The Chicago Red Stars stay winning with the kit game, releasing their new “Foundation” kit, which once again pays homage to the city of Chicago and its architecture. These might not just be the best uniforms in the NWSL, but also top the list when it comes to Chicago teams as well.

Not to mention, the kit is meant to signify the club’s new beginning as they work toward new ownership.

“The stars represent the bedrock of the foundational framework being laid as we prepare to enter a new chapter for the club,” the Red Stars wrote in a statement.

Other teams should take note of the ways in which the Red Stars lean into their city’s unique features. (Although, to be fair, no city does it quite like Chicago, which is probably why the Cubs’ City Connect jerseys were such a disappointment.) Home to some of the best architectural elements in the world, that the Red Stars continuously look to the skies and the city for their kit inspiration keeps them at the top of the league in this year’s rankings.

Every NWSL offseason comes with player movement, but the months leading up to the 2023 season reflected a new era of player choice. The league’s first free-agency period saw many top players leaving for new environments and teams making a few surprising moves themselves.

Almost every NWSL roster will look different in 2023, with the potential for dramatic returns as teams meet for the first time in the regular season.

Don’t look now, but revenge season might be upon us. Here are the games to circle on your calendar.

March 25: Kansas City Current at North Carolina Courage

The first game of the NWSL regular season wastes no time in getting into one of the most dramatic narratives of the offseason. The Kansas City Current were the big winners of the league’s free-agency period and feature heavily on this list as players take on their former teams.

First up, two-time NWSL champion Debinha returns to the home of the North Carolina Courage in her first game after a high-profile move to Kansas City. Courage head coach Sean Nahas said at the 2023 draft that they had made serious overtures to the Brazilian superstar to try to convince her to stay with her club of five years, and her playmaking ability will surely be missed in North Carolina.

The Current come into the season with high expectations. Debinha appeared to pick up a knock in preseason that might limit her availability for this game. Regardless, the opening match against her former teammates (and current Brazil teammate Kerolin) will be a battle that sets the tone for Kansas City’s ceiling in 2023.

img
Emily Sonnett was a part of Washington's 2021 NWSL championship run. (Ira L. Black/Getty Images)

March 26: OL Reign at Washington Spirit

OL Reign travels to Washington D.C. on opening weekend, with a few chips on their shoulder to shake off. The Spirit famously ended the Reign’s postseason dreams in 2021 before going on to win the club’s first NWSL Championship. Prior to that, Rose Lavelle found her NWSL rights abruptly sent to Seattle from Washington while playing for Manchester City, a move she said surprised her at the time.

More recently, Washington unexpectedly sent another USWNT mainstay to the Pacific Northwest, completing a draft-day trade that dealt Emily Sonnett to OL Reign. The trade came about quickly, with new Spirit head coach Mark Parsons making a move to address what he referred to as a “structural” imbalance to his roster. This is the second time Parsons has traded Sonnett to a new team, first sending her to the Orlando Pride when he was the head coach of the Portland Thorns.

The Reign had a consistent partnership between Alana Cook and Sam Hiatt in the central defense in 2022, so it will be interesting to see how Sonnett is deployed. No matter, the potential revenge factor in this one is sky high.

April 15: Kansas City Current at Chicago Red Stars

There’s nothing like facing your former captain at home. Vanessa DiBernardo was a Chicago Red Star for eight years, and most recently their captain, before leaving for the Current in her first year of free agency. She was joined by former Chicago teammate Morgan Gautrat, who had played for the Red Stars for five years.

Both midfielders played in multiple NWSL finals with Chicago but decided to sign with a stacked Kansas City roster still in search of their first piece of hardware. The Red Stars team they left behind is now rebuilding around star striker Mallory Swanson after a tumultuous few years behind the scenes. Chicago will want to prove themselves against one of the deepest teams in the league and show what life looks like after the departure of a number of their veterans.

img
Kansas City used the pick they acquired in the Lynn Williams trade to select Michelle Cooper at No. 2. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

April 30: Gotham FC at Kansas City Current

Lynn Williams never registered regular-season minutes for the Current, but this matchup has the potential for revenge nonetheless. Kansas City traded Williams to Gotham FC right as she made her return to the field with the USWNT, after a serious hamstring issue kept her sidelined in 2022.

Relinquishing Williams likely freed up salary cap space for the Current’s stacked midfield and also for rookie Michelle Cooper, whose prowess at Duke made her a clear target for Kansas City with the No. 2 pick in the draft. Cooper is untested at the professional level, meaning this particular game could become a referendum on veteran experience over rookie ceiling.

Gotham will likely be in revenge mode as a team, looking to improve upon their league-worst finish in 2022 and showcase their own offseason moves. If Kansas City is the standard, Gotham will want to rise to meet it.

May 27: North Carolina Courage at Racing Louisville

The offseason’s other surprising trade also involved North Carolina, with the Courage sending Carson Pickett and longtime captain Abby Erceg to Louisville in exchange for rising USWNT outside back Emily Fox. In soccer terms, the trade made some sense for both teams, but the unceremonious end to Erceg’s time at the club where she won multiple championships wasn’t lost on the center back.

Both teams will be eager to show off how they’ve honed their roster in the offseason, with North Carolina attempting to rise back to the upper echelon of the NWSL and Racing Louisville pushing for their first-ever playoff spot. The addition of Erceg and Pickett radically changes the outlook of Louisville’s defense, and they’ll have extra motivation to keep the Courage off the scoresheet. At the other end of the field, Fox is working her way into an assured U.S. roster spot for the 2023 World Cup and will want to excel with the same freedom on the pitch that she had in Louisville.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

The 2023 NWSL is shaping up to be one of the most competitive yet, as a new wave of talent enters the league. With the 2023 World Cup taking place in the middle of the NWSL season, expect top internationals to step up their game prior to the tournament and underrated teammates to emerge in their absence.

Let’s take a look at who seems poised for a career year in 2023, as availability ebbs and flows around the international calendar. These are my predictions for the top team and individual awards this NWSL season.

Rookie of the Year: Alyssa Thompson, Angel City FC

Competition for this award will be fierce, with the first two 2023 draft picks — Thompson and Kansas City’s Michelle Cooper — likely to see a fair amount of playing time and a number of late-round gems looking strong in preseason. This award went to a defender last year in San Diego’s Naomi Girma, so I anticipate it swinging back around to an attacker in 2023.

Thompson is the easy choice due to her high-profile entry into the NWSL. The No. 1 pick should have the opportunity to produce as a bigger part of Angel City’s attack due to the injuries they’re carrying along their frontline.

Dark-horse candidate: Messiah Bright, Orlando Pride

img
(Harry How/Getty Images)

Defender of the Year: Sarah Gorden, Angel City FC

Sarah Gorden’s return to an NWSL defense is going to feel like a breath of fresh air after a season lost to an ACL tear. The center back plays her position with a freedom of spacing thanks to her blistering speed, which allows her to push forward in distribution while also making key recovery runs. Angel City might need positional flexibility from Gorden as they settle on their defensive personnel at center and outside back, and she’ll take the opportunity and run with it.

Dark-horse candidate: Tierna Davidson, Chicago Red Stars (if she doesn’t make the USWNT roster)

Goalkeeper of the Year: Bella Bixby, Portland Thorns

Kailen Sheridan deservedly won this award last year, but with the Canadian goalkeeper likely absent during the World Cup period, other top performers could rise to the occasion. Bixby has been a consistent presence for the reigning champion Thorns, but sometimes gets overlooked due to the excellence of her backline. If the Thorns make another run at the NWSL Shield, Bixby could finally get some of the individual attention befitting her performances.

Dark-horse candidate: Abby Smith, Gotham FC

img
(Jamie Sabau/USA TODAY Sports)

Coach of the Year: Casey Stoney, San Diego Wave

Stoney won Coach of the Year in 2022, and there’s very little reason to think she’d give up the title in 2023. The Wave have constructed their roster to be able to withstand pressure from opponents and take the next step toward controlling tempo and evolving their style of play in Year 2. Stoney also has the challenge of dealing with World Cup absences. If the Wave can both produce top internationals and stay close in the Shield race, expect Stoney to have this one locked up.

Dark-horse candidate: Seb Hines, Orlando Pride

Golden Boot: Mallory Swanson, Chicago Red Stars

Swanson will likely miss a number of games for the World Cup, but with the way she is playing so far this year, it might not matter in the Golden Boot race. Swanson has had the task of being Chicago’s primary goal-scorer and playmaker in recent seasons, notching 11 goals and eight assists in 2022. This season, the Red Stars will rely on her once again as their attacking engine. If she can stay healthy, the clinical finishing she’s been showcasing with the U.S. women’s national team could put her on top.

Dark-horse candidate: Ebony Salmon, Houston Dash

img
(Craig Mitchelldyer/USA TODAY Sports)

MVP: Sam Coffey, Portland Thorns

A defensive midfielder has never won NWSL MVP, but if there was ever a year to break the mold, it would be 2023. Coffey has found herself on the outside of the USWNT midfield bubble for this summer’s World Cup, and players who have just missed out on an international opportunity have thrived in the past. In fact, if the U.S. struggles in the midfield on the international stage, Coffey’s excellence at the league level might be thrown into sharp contrast, garnering the attention her position sometimes lacks.

Dark-horse candidate: Midge Purce, Gotham FC

Challenge Cup champion: Orlando Pride

The winner of the Challenge Cup should be a squad best set up to withstand World Cup absences, and the Pride might just fit that bill. Orlando has been in a strategic rebuild over the last few offseasons, and the team’s up-and-coming talent should have significant playing time under their belts by the middle of the regular season. While NWSL Shield contenders have to manage more rotations, teams with their core intact might be able to snag the first Cup of the year.

Dark-horse candidate: Angel City FC

img
OL Reign's Jess Fishlock and Laura Harvey (Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images)

NWSL Shield: OL Reign

The Reign play some of the most intricate soccer in the NWSL, and they suffered no real loss of talent over the offseason. The 2022 Shield winners still have room to grow as a squad, including integrating their frontline into the smothering possession-based style of their midfield. They’ll also have to be versatile in handling international absences mid-season, but the Shield rewards consistency, and the Reign are the most consistent club in the league under coach Laura Harvey.

Dark-horse candidate: San Diego Wave

NWSL Champion: Kansas City Current

Unlike the NWSL Shield, winning the NWSL Championship is about peaking at the right time. It might take the Current a few months to begin to gel after an offseason of intense roster reshuffling, but if they can ride the wave of World Cup returners into their best run of form, they’ll be difficult to break down in the postseason. Head coach Matt Potter now has NWSL final experience and should have the tactical ability to keep his group versatile enough to solve any problem.

Dark-horse candidate: Portland Thorns

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

After finishing in last place in their inaugural season in 2021, Kansas City rode the underdog mindset in 2022. Head coach Matt Potter and general manager Cami Levin Ashton made a few important tweaks to a young group in order to peak at the right time and make it all the way to the NWSL Championship.

In 2023, the underdog label is far behind the Current, who signed some of the NWSL’s biggest free agents in the offseason. With full buy-in from ambitious ownership, the Current have become one of the premier destinations for professional women’s soccer players in the U.S. in only three years. But after a successful 2022 season, how will the team’s chemistry withstand all the new additions?

2022 review: Underdog energy

The Kansas City Current of 2022 played a cohesive, sometimes chaotic style of soccer that other teams found difficult to break down. While they weren’t immune to conceding first, they almost always found a way to come back to challenge for a result.

The team played in an expansive 3-5-2 formation, with three center-backs behind a high-flying midfield that moved the ball quickly and found space for their attackers. A number of young and relatively inexperienced players helped reset the team’s culture, with key veterans like Lo’eau Labonta and AD Franch setting the tone.

The team committed to the grind of the NWSL season early on with a preseason process they’re using again this year. Labonta told reporters in February that the heavy lift days the team holds in Florida in the preseason are a “rite of passage” and that the time spent in camp set them in the right direction in 2022.

“Matt [Potter] has actually given credit to us being here and grinding here for why we’re able to make it so far in the league last year,” Labonta said. “I think it’s true.”

The Current ultimately finished fourth in the regular-season standings, a vast improvement from their league-worst finish in 2021. Their style of play proved perfect for the NWSL’s knockout playoffs, as they advanced past the Houston Dash and then Shield winners OL Reign. A collective never-say-die attitude took them all the way to the 2022 NWSL final, where their inexperience showed in a 2-0 defeat to a Portland Thorns team ready for the big moment.

img
The Current made the biggest splash of free agency, signing midfielder Debinha. (Jaylynn Nash/USA TODAY Sports)

Offseason moves: Building a superteam

Rather than running it back with the benefit of hard-earned experience, the Current appeared unsatisfied with being runner-up. In the offseason, Levin Ashton took a clinical approach to push the roster to the next level, re-negotiating Sam Mewis’ contract as she continues to rehab her knee and abruptly sending Lynn Williams to Gotham FC in order to make room for other players.

The Current signed Vanessa DiBernardo and Morgan Gautrat away from Chicago, traded up for No. 2 draft pick Michelle Cooper and, most crucially, won the bidding war for Brazilian superstar Debinha. They’ve since also signed top Swedish outside back Hanna Glas.

Players have noted the club’s resources and facilities as some of the best in the world. But the decision to move Williams, in a trade the USWNT forward called “shocking,” also showcased the ruthlessness the team feels is necessary to improve in the long term.

Potter said he declined to bring non-roster invitees into Kansas City’s 2023 camp — reversing a common practice among NWSL teams — because making the 28-player roster (24 first-team and four supplemental) is going to be difficult enough for draft picks and other acquisitions.

“To be perfectly honest, there was an opportunity to bring in more players, but it would only be false hope for them,” he said. “Because the reality is to make this roster even with the players that we have here, it’s going to be super competitive.”

Early in preseason, Labonta wasn’t worried about the locker room being disrupted by big-name players.

“I actually had a meeting with Matt yesterday, and I was just saying that this team already, we have great human beings,” she said. “There’s not one bad person on this team.”

As for team rules, they’re keeping it simple: “Don’t be late, don’t leave your gear around. That’s literally it. That’s all that we have to enforce,” Labonta said.

img
Lo'eau Labonta and the Current thrived on their team chemistry last season. (Amy Kontras/USA TODAY Sports)

2023 Outlook: Keeping the culture

While spirits are high in Kansas City, ambitious offseasons also present challenges in player management. Some players who carried the load last year were waived or traded in the offseason, and others who remain are going to see their roles on the team reduced when the roster is at full strength.

Even Labonta, one of the team’s breakout stars of 2022, has a new level of competition at her position.

“I think a lot of the people saw in the offseason signings, we signed about 12,000 midfielders — that’s my position — but it only makes it so much more competitive,” she said.

The team does have positional imbalances, having loaded up on central midfielders and wide defenders in the offseason. They lost defender Kristen Edmonds to free agency and will have to control games through the prowess of the midfield so they don’t get into high-risk shootouts. The Current should be well-positioned for the World Cup period — when they will be without Glas, Debinha and likely Franch — thanks to an influx of players who are used to participating in other teams’ systems and can get up to speed quickly.

No matter what, Kansas City players will be in fierce competition for playing time, with the hope that their deep midfield can score enough goals to compensate for vulnerabilities in the central defense.

“We talk often about competition being about striving together,” Potter said. “How can we, whoever’s out there, take the mantle of what we have as a team identity and express that for something bigger than ourselves?”

The NWSL has a history of the best team on paper not always being the squad that hoists the trophy at the end of the season. The Current are taking a very different approach than what worked for them last year, but if they can get the balance right, they might become unbeatable once the playoffs roll around.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

With the release of Week 1 rosters, the NWSL offseason is almost behind us. The league’s 10th regular season kicks off with a doubleheader on Saturday and many teams looking different than when the 2022 season ended thanks to roster movement through trades, the draft and the NWSL’s first free-agency period.

The race for the Shield and the six playoff spots was tighter than ever in 2022. As the 2023 season begins, let’s evaluate where every team stands in the preseason power rankings now that rosters are nearly settled.

1. OL Reign

2022 regular-season finish: 1st

The Reign didn’t have to do much in the offseason after winning the NWSL Shield in 2022 and returning one of the most balanced rosters in the league. The midfield of Rose Lavelle, Jess Fishlock and Quinn remains one of the most formidable in the NWSL. The team also added more defensive depth with the acquisition of Emily Sonnett and attacking firepower with the trade for second-year forward Elyse Bennett.

The Reign’s biggest question mark comes during the World Cup period, when they lose multiple players to their national teams. But longtime manager Laura Harvey has proven to have a remarkably steady hand during a regular-season campaign.

2. San Diego Wave

2022 regular-season finish: 3rd

The Wave are poised for another excellent year after exceeding all expectations in their inaugural season. They balanced their midfield with the free-agency acquisition of Danny Colaprico, and they return a number of top internationals that will make them difficult to break down throughout the regular season.

San Diego will deal with World Cup absences, but the team’s depth has also improved, giving them the opportunity to stay in the Shield race until World Cup performers return.

3. Kansas City Current

2022 regular-season finish: 5th

The Current had arguably the most ambitious offseason in the NWSL, acquiring more midfield assets and a few defensive reinforcements. If new signee Debinha is ready and available for much of the season before the World Cup, Kansas City could be at the forefront of the Shield race by July.

They will, however, have to contend with slight roster imbalance. Sweden international Hanna Glas will shore up the defense, but the team targeted the backline less than other areas in the offseason. The Current’s formation might help them compensate for getting their strongest signings on the pitch together, but it will be a delicate balance for head coach Matt Potter.

img
Sophia Smith returns to Portland in 2023 after a breakout year for club and country. (Craig Mitchelldyer/USA TODAY Sports)

4. Portland Thorns

2022 regular-season finish: 2nd

The Thorns rival the Reign for steadiness in their roster construction with top performers at every position, led by 2022 NWSL MVP and Final MVP Sophia Smith. While the Thorns will lose a number of key contributors during the World Cup, their depth will be formidable, just as it was in 2019.

The only question lingering for the Thorns is the new coaching staff. After the departures of Mark Parsons and one-year manager Rhian Wilkinson, former assistant Mike Norris now leads the club. Even if he is a revelation in his first year, the inconsistency at the top might slow down the reigning champions.

5. Houston Dash

2022 regular-season finish: 4th

The Dash had a slightly less flashy offseason than their 2022 quarterfinal opponent, Kansas City, but they go into 2023 as solid as ever. New manager Sam Laity brought in record-breaking rookie scorer Diana Ordoñez from North Carolina to pair with rising England forward Ebony Salmon on the frontline, and the perennially underrated Katie Lind (neé Naughton) will continue to anchor Houston’s defense.

6. Orlando Pride

2022 regular-season finish: 10th

The Pride made a number of savvy business moves in the offseason and, as a result, could significantly improve upon their 10th-place finish in 2022. The team is going young, with No. 3 draft pick Emily Madril likely starting at center back and other rookies getting serious time in the attack during preseason. Under new permanent head coach Seb Hines, the Pride appear to be forging a new identity on the field, and they could surprise more than one opponent this year.

img
No. 1 draft pick Alyssa Thompson scored in her Angel City preseason debut this month. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)

7. Angel City FC

2022 regular-season finish: 8th

Angel City could be one of the biggest boom-or-bust projects in the NWSL. They still appear to be without star forwards Christen Press and Sydney Leroux, and their preseason friendly against Club América showed a lack of depth at outside back and in the defensive midfield. On the other hand, No. 1 draft pick Alyssa Thompson should be electric, center-back Sarah Gorden returns from an ACL tear, and other reinforcements during the season could create just the right mix in Los Angeles.

8. Chicago Red Stars

2022 regular-season finish: 6th

The player departures from Chicago at the beginning of the offseason were jarring, as the team lost the core of its midfield to free agency. To compensate, the Red Stars drafted well, picked up quality talent on the waiver wire and made a key addition with the signing of Brazil midfielder Julia Bianchi. Tierna Davidson and Casey Krueger should return to bolster the starting defense, and breakout star Mallory Swanson is good enough to push the team up the standings on her own.

9. Racing Louisville

2022 regular-season finish: 9th

Don’t be surprised if Racing Louisville is in the playoff hunt for the first time in team history in 2023. The additions of Carson Pickett and Abby Erceg immediately upgraded the defense, and former Tigres forward Uchenna Kenu has the ability to shine in the NWSL. New players join an already balanced midfield, and Racing will be losing fewer players to the World Cup than some other clubs.

10. Gotham FC

2022 regular-season finish: 12th

There’s no doubt that Gotham will be better in 2023 than they were in 2022, but to what extent depends on their ability to find enough cohesion to overtake the teams in front of them. Lynn Williams will be the key to new manager Juan Carlos Amorós’ style of play, and the additions of Yazmeen Ryan and rookie Jenna Nighswonger should greatly improve the team’s midfield. The Gotham of 2022 looked better than their record on paper showed, so progress may just be a matter of gelling on the field.

img
Trinity Rodman scored four goals for the Spirit last season after winning 2021 Rookie of the Year. (Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports)

11. Washington Spirit

2022 regular-season finish: 11th

Washington’s attack is still one of the most talented in the NWSL, with Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman backed by key playmaker Ashley Sanchez. Those mainstays struggled in 2022 as managerial dysfunction and a punishing schedule set the Spirit adrift. New head coach Mark Parson made some bold moves in the offseason, but his approach to the draft and Washington’s defense makes it seem like the team is preparing to contend in 2024 rather than immediately.

12. North Carolina Courage

2022 regular-season finish: 7th

Never count out the Courage, but based on their offseason alone, they have a lot of work to do to contend for championships again. The loss of Debinha will loom large over the early part of the season, while new pick-up Emily Fox will need to do a lot of heavy lifting on defense to make up for the departures of Abby Erceg and Carson Pickett. North Carolina seemed to go against common wisdom with a hyper-specific draft approach, and now the pressure lies with head coach Sean Nahas to forge a new team.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Count this injury update from the Kansas City Current as disappointing but not surprising: Sam Mewis is not expected to play in the 2023 NWSL season.

The 30-year-old midfielder underwent knee surgery in January. She has been dealing with a nagging injury since August 2021, when she played in the Tokyo Olympics with the U.S. women’s national team.

“I don’t have a timeline for return to soccer,” she said in January.

The Current do not expect to see Mewis in their lineup in the upcoming season, the team indicated in a roster update Tuesday.

After the USWNT’s bronze-medal game against Australia at the Tokyo Games, Mewis underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee. She was traded to Kansas City in late 2021 and made two appearances for the Current at the Challenge Cup in March 2022, but she has not played in any matches since then.

The Current bought out the midfielder’s previous contract and signed her to a new deal through the 2023 season, the team announced after her latest surgery. During the upcoming season, Mewis will be “focused on her recovery and future” as she works her way back “from her progressive injury to her right leg,” the team said in its news release.

“I’ll be starting my rehab at home where my family can support me,” Mewis wrote in a statement posted to her Twitter account. “I gave everything I had after my last procedure in 2021. This has been a really difficult time for me personally and I’ve been devastated to be away from soccer for so long.”

The latest update from the Current also hammers home her all but certain absence from the USWNT lineup for the 2023 World Cup.

“At this point I don’t want to guess what the time is or if she is going to be back at all,” USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski said ahead of the team’s two January friendlies against New Zealand. “With Sam, it’s a long-term injury and at this point, you know, we probably would not go into details for that.”

Sam Mewis does not have a timeline for her return to soccer after undergoing another knee surgery, she announced Monday via social media.

The 30-year-old midfielder for the U.S. women’s national team and Kansas City Current underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee in August 2021. At the time, she was expected to be out for up to eight weeks. More than 17 months later, she remains on the sidelines.

Mewis had another surgery on the same knee last week, she revealed in a statement posted to her Twitter account Monday afternoon.

“I’ll be starting my rehab at home where my family can support me,” she wrote. “I gave everything I had after my last procedure in 2021. This has been a really difficult time for me personally and I’ve been devastated to be away from soccer for so long.”

The Current released their preseason roster Monday, which included Mewis. But the club has bought out the midfielder’s previous contract and signed her to a new deal through the 2023 season, during which she’ll be “focused on her recovery and future” as she works her way back “from her progressive injury to her right leg,” per the news release.

For her part, Mewis described the Current as “extremely patient and supportive” through her continued recovery.

“I don’t have a timeline for return to soccer, but I will give my best effort in my recovery as I always have,” she wrote. “Thank you to everyone for your support and well wishes.”

Mewis was traded to Kansas City last offseason, but she did not play at all for the Current in 2022 outside of two preseason Challenge Cup matches. While she was named to the USWNT roster last March ahead of friendlies against Uzbekistan, she later was ruled out due to “a knee issue,” per U.S. Soccer.

The exact nature of Mewis’ injury remains unknown, but the latest surgery and indeterminate timeline for recovery almost certainly will preclude her from participating in the 2023 World Cup.

USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski confirmed as much before the team’s January friendlies against New Zealand, saying of Mewis: “At this point I don’t want to guess what the time is or if she is going to be back at all.”

Lynn Williams was “shocked” by the trade that sent her to NJ/NY Gotham FC, she said Friday in her first Instagram post since the deal.

“I would have loved to play in front of you,” she wrote in a caption addressed to Kansas City Current fans.

The U.S. women’s national team forward was traded to Kansas City last January. She played in just one game for the 2022 NWSL finalists – their Challenge Cup opener against Racing Louisville – before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury that required surgery.

She was named to the USWNT roster for two January friendlies against New Zealand. Those matches are scheduled for Jan. 17 and 20.

While she expressed surprise at the trade, the forward wrote that she “couldn’t be more excited to get things started” in New York with Gotham.

A plethora of USWNT, Kansas City and Gotham teammates took to the comments to provide their reactions.

“LFG BABY,” wrote USWNT teammate Kelley O’Hara, who made one of the first big free agent moves of the offseason when she joined Gotham FC.

Sam Kerr, who is in a relationship with Gotham FC midfielder Kristie Mewis, wrote that Gotham will now have a “nice little squaddd.” Addisyn Merrick, who plays for Kansas City, said that she’s “gonna miss” Williams.

It’s rare for any NWSL team to come out of draft day without improving, but the questions following the chaos remain the same: Who got better immediately, who opted for slow, high-value growth, and who took too many risks?

Drafts are best analyzed at least a year after they occur, and hindsight is 20/20. But with one of the strongest draft classes in years, each team carved out a path for the 2023 season. Armed with picks, trades and team quotes, let’s evaluate how they did.

Big winners

Kansas City Current – A

  • No. 2 Michelle Cooper, F; No. 10 Alexa Spaanstra, F; No. 15 Gabby Robinson, D; No. 18 Jordan Silkowitz, GK; No. 35 Mykiaa Minniss, D; No. 38 Ella Shamburger, D; No. 42 Rylan Childers, M; No. 47 Ashley Orkus, GK
  • Traded forward Lynn Williams to Gotham FC for the No. 2 overall pick

In both volume and impact, the Current cleaned up. Kansas City made a steep choice in sending Williams to Gotham to pick up Michelle Cooper, but general manager Cami Levin Ashton and head coach Matt Potter were adamant that they wanted Cooper as their cornerstone going forward.

Selecting Spaanstra at No. 10 was perhaps the team’s biggest steal. It was a bit of a surprise that she was still on the board at that point, and the winger is going to bring dynamism to the team’s wide attack. From there, the Current drafted solid players in positions of need, particularly at defense and goalkeeper. With eight total picks entering training camp, competition for contracts is going to be fierce in Kansas City in February.

Team says: “​​Michelle is somebody that we’ve obviously watched over the course of the last couple of years. And she’s somebody that we really wanted to be part of this organization. She’s an incredible talent and has showcased that at the collegiate level, and we’re very excited to have her with us in Kansas City.” — GM Cami Levin Ashton

Orlando Pride – A

  • No. 3 Emily Madril, D; No. 21 Messiah Bright, F; No. 25 Tori Hansen, D; No. 39 Summer Yates, M; No. 41 Kristen Scott, F
  • Traded the No. 24 and No. 34 picks to Washington Spirit for $75,000 in allocation money

The Pride made the right strategic pick at pretty much every point in the draft. Madril already has professional experience in Sweden and will be a crucial piece to Orlando’s backline rebuild. Messiah Bright is a fantastic pick-up at No. 21, since many (myself included) thought she’d be off the board by the middle of the second round.

Hansen and Yates were two other players projected to go higher than they ultimately landed. The Pride had the benefit of selecting not only the best players available, but also players at positions where they could use good, young talent. Yates is a little less proven against strong competition, and Hansen likely suffered positionally with few teams going all-in on defense, but both can make an impact in Orlando.

Team says: “[We gained] variety. We highlighted key players in key positions and you look at the picks that we got, they can come in and make an immediate impact to the team. I spoke about having a competitive environment in our training, and I think we have that in our draft picks.” — head coach Seb Hines

Gotham FC – A-

  • No. 4 Jenna Nighswonger, M; No. 44 Iliana Hocking, M
  • Traded the No. 2 pick for forward Lynn Williams; traded forward Paige Monaghan, an international slot and $150,000 to Racing Louisville for the No. 4 pick; also traded the No. 13 pick to the San Diego Wave for $100,000

It almost feels like you have to take a deep breath before even coming close to analyzing Gotham’s furious amount of activity this offseason, but with the dust mostly settled, things are looking good in New Jersey. Williams should be back to full fitness, and the cost of selecting Nighswonger seems reasonable considering the talent Gotham has picked up in other trades. Nighswonger has the ability to be the creative playmaker in the attacking midfield that Gotham has long wanted.

The only questions remaining from Gotham’s draft day are mostly in the “what if” category. What if Gotham had held onto the No. 1 pick? What if they had selected Michelle Cooper at No. 2? How do young players fit into the team’s vision, with the choice of a proven forward in Williams over the potential of a rookie? We’ll see how it plays out over time, but for now general manager Yael Averbuch West should be proud of her work.

Team says: “All of today was the culmination of thousands of conversations, and every decision we made was not taken in a vacuum. It’s part of a holistic look at how we, from yesterday to now, become a significantly better team.” — GM Yael Averbuch West

Portland Thorns – A-

  • No. 5 Reyna Reyes, D; No. 12 Izzy D’Aquila, F; No. 24 Lauren Debeau, F; No. 32 Lauren Kozal, GK
  • Traded No. 36 pick and $20,000 to Houston for the No. 32 pick, as well as the No. 48 pick for Houston’s 2024 third-round pick and $10,000

The Thorns didn’t need much, and yet the players they picked up could have a lasting impact on the club. Reyes can play outside back as well as midfield, and D’Aquila is an excellent addition to the team’s attacking depth, especially with a number of players likely out for the World Cup this summer. The only question mark following the Thorns’ draft is what the long-term plan is at center back, but that’s simply now a position to watch for other moves.

Anytime Thorns goalkeeper coach and former Germany international Nadine Angerer selects a goalkeeper, you can feel good about that player not only having an impact in Portland but also on the league at large in a few years’ time. Angerer has developed a number of players who currently start at other NWSL clubs, and if she thinks Lauren Kozal has what it takes, expect big things.

Team says: “For us, we wanted to keep our group together. As you’ve seen we haven’t had too much turnover in the offseason, and we wanted to know where can we add to our roster to make us better” — GM Karina Leblanc

img
Diana Ordoñez set an NWSL rookie goal-scoring record with the Courage last season. (Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Houston Dash – A-

  • No. 20 Sophie Hirst, M; No. 22 Jylissa Harris, D; No. 36 Lindsi Jennings, D; No. 48 Madelyn Desiano, D
  • Traded the No. 8 pick, their 2024 first-round pick, an international slot and $100,000 to North Carolina for forward Diana Ordoñez; sent the No. 30 pick to Washington for the No. 32 pick and $30,000; sent the No. 32 pick to Portland for No. 36 and $20,000, and their 2024 third-round pick and $10,000 to the Thorns for the No. 48 pick.

The Dash benefited from player wishes and a North Carolina team in flux with their trade for Ordoñez, who set a rookie goal-scoring record last year with 11 goals. They will pay for the opportunity next year, trading out of the 2024 first round, but when a player of Ordoñez’s caliber becomes available, you jump at the chance to take her.

The Dash’s other picks fill positional needs, with Harvard product Hirst giving cover in the midfield and arguably the second-best center back on the board in Harris. Houston has to feel like they can get more out of the players they currently have while the additions give the whole team balance.

Team says: “One of the reasons to bring Ordoñez in was to get more out of María Sánchez, because she’s going to beat the player 1v1 on the dribble, she’s got an incredible delivery in the box, and one of the assessments that I had was that we need to get on the end of those deliveries.” — head coach Sam Laity

Perfectly good draft days

Chicago Red Stars – B+

  • No. 7 Penelope Hocking, F; No. 14 Grace Yochum, M; No. 23 Allison Schlegel, F; No. 43 Sophie Jones, M
  • Traded No. 19 to OL Reign for No. 23, an international spot, and a 2024 third round pick

This was a sneaky good draft from the Red Stars, a team where this year’s rookies will have the opportunity for a lot of playing time. Hocking was one of the best players still available at No. 7. The Penn State grad will be a good center-point to combine with Mallory Swanson up top and pick up attacking steam while the USWNT forward is away at the World Cup.

Fear of positional imbalances also fell away with Chicago’s selections of Yochum and Jones, both of whom have a chance for serious playing time in the midfield. Questions about Jones’ defensive capabilities were likely the reason she fell to the fourth round, but she is a first-round level passer. If the Red Stars can stay patient and give her support, she might be the steal of the draft.

Team says: “I think that you’d be a little bit naive to think that we don’t have good players, because we do have some very good players. We got some building blocks that we’ll build around, and we’ve got some players that I think a lot of people would like to have. So we’re not walking around with our tail between our legs. We do feel like we’re gonna have a good team.” — head coach Chris Petrucelli

img
Angel City traded up to select Alyssa Thompson with the No. 1 pick. (Courtesy of Angel City Football Club)

Angel City FC – B+

  • No. 1 Alyssa Thompson, F; No. 27 Angelina Anderson, GK

Angel City had the most significant selection of the night, picking up the youngest draft pick in NWSL history in 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson. Thompson already has experience with the USWNT first team, and her potential to be L.A.’s next superstar is sky high. The team went all-in on an expensive top choice, and it could pay off for years to come.

When looking at the draft holistically, however, the $450,000 ACFC spent to select Thompson was noticeable. Angel City has worked with a deficit of assets in both of the drafts they’ve participated in so far. On Thursday, they had only one other pick after Thompson, which they used on goalkeeping depth. They’re going to have to use other transfer opportunities to fill positions of need, and it will be interesting to see how they move money around to have the depth they need to make it through the season.

Team says: “I think it shows a massive intent by the club, in terms of being aggressive to trade up and get the No. 1 pick. And we couldn’t be happier with getting a talented player who’s got a massive ceiling and who’s going to be able to make a difference. And then obviously getting someone so young and then being able to develop the person is huge.” — head coach Freya Coombe

Washington Spirit – B

  • No. 26 Nicole Douglas F; No. 28 Lyza Bosselman, GK; No. 30 Riley Tanner, F; No. 34 Lena Silano, F; No. 37 Civana Kuhlmann, F; No. 40 Delaney Graham, D
  • Traded defender Emily Sonnett to OL Reign for No. 32 and a 2024 first-round pick; sent No. 32 and $30,000 to the Dash in exchange for No. 30; sent $75,000 to Orlando for No. 29 and No. 34; sent No. 29 and a total of $55,000 to Racing Louisville for No. 28 and No. 40

The Spirit came into the draft with only two picks and came out with six, wheeling and dealing in the later rounds to buy in. Head coach Mark Parsons said at the draft that he had 2024 league expansion in mind with the moves the team made, and their late-round picks could pay dividends in the future.

Washington’s biggest move was the trade that sent Emily Sonnett to Seattle, marking the second time Parsons has traded the defender in their careers. The Spirit’s decision not to carry as many national players in order to maintain roster consistency has some logic to it, but Sonnett has been very good for Washington and was a big part of their 2021 championship season.

Team says: “We have a structural problem that we had to rebalance. If five players go to the World Cup, if five players — with expansion potentially coming — and also looking at how many of those players are going to play consistent minutes in the World Cup and how they will return, we’ve been open about the direction we feel that we’re gonna have to go.” — head coach Mark Parsons

San Diego Wave – B

  • No. 13 Sierra Enge, F; No. 33 Lauren Brzykcy, GK; No. 45: Giovanna DeMarco, M
  • Traded $100,000 to Gotham FC for the No. 13 pick

The Wave went with known properties over positions of need after making some strong free-agency moves. Enge, out of Stanford, should provide depth to the attacking line, as San Diego looks for consistent scorers outside of 2022 Golden Boot winner Alex Morgan.

The Wave will also need another backup keeper when Kailen Sheridan is out for the World Cup, and Brzykcy is fresh off a national championship with UCLA. Overall, San Diego has set itself up well through strong drafts last year and smart transfer pick-ups. Their rookies are coming into a good situation without a ton of pressure to carry the load.

Team says: “Sierra was a big target for us, we’re really pleased we got her. The fact that she can play multiple positions gives us a bit of versatility. Lauren has been in training with us anyway, so we know her character and we know what she’s like. And then Giovanna, I can’t believe she dropped so low down the order, because that is one really talented player. So we’re really, really happy with our picks.” — head coach Casey Stoney

OL Reign – B

  • No. 19 Shae Holmes, D; No. 46 Natalie Viggiano, M
  • Traded No. 32 and their 2024 first-round pick for defender Emily Sonnett; sent the No. 23 pick, a 2023 international spot and a 2024 third-round pick to Chicago for the No. 19 pick

Laura Harvey has never been a manager who prefers to build through the draft, and her team got better mostly through other moves this week. The Reign picked up Elyse Bennett from Kansas City on Wednesday, acquired Emily Sonnett in a late-round trade with the Spirit and re-signed Megan Rapinoe to a one-year deal.

Bennett and Sonnett will both have to compete for playing time, but the Reign’s strength has long been their level of depth. In a World Cup year, they’ve set themselves up to make another run at the NWSL Shield and maybe even the elusive NWSL championship.

Team says: “I think we all knew that there wasn’t going to be a ton of business this offseason for our team with where we’re at … I think that might be something that happens throughout the year is we we tend to do a little bit of business here and there just to tweak and make our team as good as it possibly can be to get over the hump at the end of the season, and try and get what our ultimate goal is, which is to win a championship” — head coach Laura Harvey

Lingering question marks

North Carolina Courage – B-

  • No. 6 Olivia Wingate, F; No. 8 Sydney Collins, D; No. 9 Clara Robbins, M; No. 11 Haley Hopkins, F
  • Traded forward Diana Ordoñez and the No. 30 pick to Houston for the No. 8 pick, Houston’s 2024 first-round pick and $100,000

North Carolina’s draft night felt somewhat odd to the outside viewer, and not for the first time. The unexpected trade of Diana Ordoñez set the tone early, though it was later explained that the forward had requested a trade.

From there, the Courage seemed to get more value out of their late-round picks than the swings they took on their early selections. Robbins is ready for pro-level games, having anchored a strong Florida State midfield for five years, and head coach Sean Nahas said he sees Hopkins as a possible replacement for Ordoñez up top.

Team says: “I think the realistic situation is that players are in a situation now where they want to make decisions that best suit them as well. And from the business side of things, you have to make sure you’re doing the right thing for your business. I think at the end of the day, we wanted to make sure [Ordoñez] was happy.” — head coach Sean Nahas

Racing Louisville – B-

  • No. 16 Kayla Fischer, F; Brianna Martinez, D; No. 29 Jadyn Edwards, M; No. 31 Riley Mattingly Parker, F;
  • Traded the No. 4 pick for forward Paige Monaghan, $150,000 and an international slot; traded No. 28 and No. 40 to Washington for No. 29 and a total of $55,000

Racing Louisville’s draft day started with a player they weren’t going to get rather than one they were. Emily Madril is a player Louisville knows well, and it seems that when they heard Orlando was picking her at No. 3, they started looking for exit strategies out of the first round.

Monaghan is a hard-working winger who can get in behind a defense and will do the defensive work from an attacking position that Louisville can use. Martinez will likely start at right back, opposite Emily Fox on the left, and Mattingly Parker is a great pick-up late in the draft. The biggest mark against Louisville’s draft is that they missed out on a key center back, which is a huge area of need for the club.

Team says: “In our preparation leading up to today, there was only one center back we wanted, but on draft day it became clear we weren’t going to have that chance at No. 4. We sought the best value for our pick, and we moved for a player in Paige Monaghan who has league experience, a great personality and positional versatility. She will be a great addition to our team.” — head coach Kim Bjorkegren

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

PHILADELPHIA — Even with Angel City’s No. 1 pick already turned in, Duke sophomore Michelle Cooper found herself in the middle of the biggest bombshell moment of the 2023 NWSL Draft.

The MAC Hermann trophy winner went No. 2 on Thursday, selected by the Kansas City Current after a league-shaking trade that sent U.S. women’s national team forward Lynn Williams to Gotham FC. Cooper is joining one of the most ambitious sides in the league, which acquired a number of high-profile players in the offseason, including Brazilian superstar Debinha and two-time USWNT world champion Morgan Gautrat.

Those kinds of big moves build a level of excitement and expectations that can threaten to swallow a young prospect whole. But on one of the biggest days of her young soccer career, Cooper made sure to keep things in the family.

“I don’t think I’ve completely digested quite yet that my life is gonna do a 180 as of today,” the 20-year-old told Just Women’s Sports the morning of the draft from a hotel room in Philadelphia, as she and her family and coaches prepared for the next step in her career.

The decision to go pro and leave Duke University two years early wasn’t an easy one, especially as many players still choose to exhaust their college eligibility before jumping to the NWSL and beyond. It’s only been four years since Tierna Davidson became the first player to forgo her final year of college and become the first non-senior to enter the NWSL draft.

Cooper’s move reflects both a personal decision and a shifting of norms.

“I made sure to talk with my mom, my sister, especially, and kind of get their viewpoints on it,” Cooper said. “And once I ultimately decided the dreams that I want to chase, going pro would help chase those dreams.”

She’s gotten nothing but support from her coaches at Duke, who have been with her every step of the way, but the final decision ultimately had to be hers.

“It’s definitely like a gut feeling, and that’s something that I trusted,” she said.

Once a top prospect decides to go pro, moving on to the NWSL isn’t a guarantee. Cooper has been tested at the U.S. youth levels and is coming off a season in which she recorded a team-high 19 goals and 11 assists for Duke. Increasingly, homegrown talent have the opportunity to join a growing global market, with past top prospects like Catarina Macario and Jessie Fleming making the choice to go to Europe instead.

img
(Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

When Cooper announced she’d be turning pro, she had to make another personal decision, and again she kept things close to home.

“Ultimately, I’m really close with my family, my mother and my sister, and I didn’t want to be too far away from them, and make sure that they can still visit me and I can still be in close contact with them,” she said. “And that was a lot easier if I stayed in the NWSL.”

Cooper admits entering the draft is daunting, but she went into the process with an open mind. After she had been selected Thursday night, Kansas City general manager Camille Levin Ashton confirmed that Cooper had trained with the Current during Duke’s offseason and had gotten a feel for their environment.

Even before her name was called, Cooper had high praise for the project the Current are building in Kansas City, saying their investment in facilities is one of the greatest examples of league progress, and she described their vision as one other clubs now have to follow.

Current head coach Matt Potter said at the draft that the feeling is mutual.

“The one common denominator is [Cooper and others] have all said, ‘We promise we’ll work hard.’ And the fact that they can follow through with that with the environment we have, the facilities and resources we have, that’s all a top, top player wants,” Potter said.

img
(Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

With her focus now 100 percent on soccer, Cooper also began to field offers from apparel brands, something she didn’t feel she always had time for in college even with the opportunities that came from Name, Image and Likeness rights.

“I honestly didn’t have a lot of experience with NIL (Name, Image and Likeness),” she said. “I was always making sure that I was just focused on doing my part on the field and staying present with my teammates off the field, and obviously making sure that the classroom part is staying up to par as well.”

When the time did come to choose a brand, she followed her instincts once again, signing with New Balance.

“It was a no-brainer for me,” she said. “It’s a private, family-owned company. And that’s honestly what I’m all about, like I said earlier, just being close to my family.”

img
(Photos courtesy of New Balance)
img

With the draft finally over, Cooper has the entire world of professional soccer in front of her, joining a league she’s been watching for a long time. When asked if there are current NWSL players she’d like to emulate, she had a typically well-rounded answer.

“Diana Ordoñez, who likes to score headers, that’s one thing I want to do,” she said. “There’s people like Debinha who are just super creative and savvy on the ball, something else that I want to do. And then there’s people like Ali Krieger, who makes slide tackles and puts in the hard work.”

For a player who says she enjoys a game-winning assist as much as a goal, it’s not surprising that, as she transitions into the NWSL, she’s most excited about the connections she’s going to make.

“I’m excited to get to know new people and play with big names, people who’ve made history in women’s soccer,” she said. “To learn from them, to get to know who they are as people, to make friends. That’s what I’m most excited for.”

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.