Sam Coffey wasn’t named to the USWNT roster for this year’s World Cup, but her Portland Thorns teammates believe the best is yet to come for the 24-year-old midfielder.

“I think she’s the best holding midfielder in this league,” Christine Sinclair said after the Thorns defeated the Washington Spirit, 4-2, on Friday, with Coffey adding the final tally of the night.

Coffey, currently in her second NWSL season, leads the league with six assists. She made her USWNT debut in 2022, but was left off the invite list for national team camps in February and April.

“I think the future for her is whatever she wants it to be,” Sinclair added. “I’m sad for her that she’s not going to be able to represent the U.S. at the World Cup.”

After Coffey was informed of her World Cup fate, Smith offered the best advice she could.

“After she got her phone call, I told her, ‘This is literally just the beginning. All you can do right now is continue to be yourself and prove to everybody why it was a mistake.'”

Smith then made a big prediction for Coffey’s future: “Her time will come, I have no doubt. I fully believe that she will be the holding midfielder on the national team for a very long time.”

In some ways, U.S. women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski has one of the toughest jobs in women’s soccer, especially when it comes to the decisions he has to make about his roster construction. The USWNT’s depth has been tested due to unexpected injuries, and Andonovski nonetheless has had to leave a number of very talented players home from the 2023 World Cup.

There are a few players on the bubble not dealing with injury who very likely could have made the USWNT 2023 World Cup roster. These are the biggest surprises and snubs from the team’s roster reveal Wednesday.

Ashley Hatch, forward

It feels like a harsh rite of passage in a way for a player to, through no fault of their own, find themselves on the very edge of a USWNT World Cup roster after months spent in camp with the team. In 2015, that player was Crystal Dunn; in 2019, it was Casey Krueger; and this year, it is Washington Spirit center forward Ashley Hatch.

Hatch wasn’t beaten out by any one player, but rather by a concept shift and more pressing issues elsewhere on the pitch. Rose Lavelle’s lingering injuries made way for Savannah DeMelo earning a surprise spot, while Becky Sauerbrunn’s absence might pull Julie Ertz away from the midfield. A spot had to be sacrificed, and Andonovski felt he had enough cover from players who can start both centrally and on the wings to eliminate the backup center-forward role entirely. It’s difficult to argue against the way Andonovski has shifted things to make numbers work throughout the roster, but the loss of Hatch could alter the attack even further.

Sam Coffey and Jaelin Howell, midfielders

Andonovski moved away from developing Howell and Coffey into 2023 World Cup defensive midfielders months ago, making their exclusion less of a surprise as it is an ongoing frustration. Coffey has the distributive skills and sophisticated spacing of a veteran far beyond her years, and Howell is the kind of disruptor USWNT fans are used to in the position.

Together, they’d make the perfect addition to the USWNT’s midfield numbers. Individually, they have been left to develop further with their club teams rather than within the U.S.’s punishing system that requires players to cover a significant amount of ground, have an elite defensive presence and distribute the ball.

Tierna Davidson, defender

Davidson fell prey to timing in many ways, as her return from an ACL injury coincided with her club, the Chicago Red Stars, struggling mightily on the pitch. Chicago has changed its formation multiple times while Davidson has tried to get her confidence and timing back in both a three- and a four-back system.

The result became a defense that couldn’t stop leaking goals, and while club issues were not enough to keep entrenched goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher off the World Cup roster, Davidson never got a chance to resume the elite play she had been known for.

Casey Krueger, defender

Davidson’s Red Star teammate, Casey Krueger, hasn’t seen her personal form dip despite Chicago’s issues, but multiple small decisions Andonovski faced likely kept her off a World Cup roster once again. Krueger has been fit and effective on both sides of the ball this season and is still one of the best American 1v1 defenders in the world. She can also play center back when asked to, possessing the type of versatility the U.S. usually prioritizes.

But after controversially being the last player off the plane in 2019, Krueger doesn’t have World Cup experience, and the loss of Sauerbrunn likely had Andonovski looking for someone who had been in that position before. He opted for crossing specialist Sofia Huerta to break down low blocks, and longtime veteran Kelley O’Hara to offset the defense’s experience gap despite dealing with a few lingering injuries herself.

AD Franch, goalkeeper

Franch has won a World Cup and an Olympic bronze medal with the USWNT, and she had worked her way back into consistent camps through stellar performances in 2022. But Franch’s form hasn’t been quite the same in 2023 as Kansas City deals with defensive injuries, leading to the 32-year-old being benched in favor of Cassie Miller.

The U.S. has a long history of expecting goalkeepers to have different levels of form for club and country with how many variables can exist in a club environment — Alyssa Naeher being a primary example. But Franch’s inability to get back on the field, combined with the excellent form of Aubrey Kingsbury, was just enough to push Andonovski into a late switch for his third goalkeeper spot.

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

Only a few weeks into the regular season, the NWSL is already switching gears. The 2023 Challenge Cup kicks off with five games on Wednesday as the league gets set to debut a new Cup format in its fourth year of existence.

Instead of a preseason tournament, the Challenge Cup will run as an in-season campaign with games interspersed throughout the league’s regular season. To accommodate players competing in the World Cup this summer, the league will play only Challenge Cup games from July 10 to Aug. 17. The top four teams at the end of the Cup round-robin stage will advance to single-elimination semifinals on Sept. 6, and the final will be played on Sept. 9.

With more prize money available than ever before, players will be greatly incentivized to compete for the trophy. What can fans expect from this year’s version of the Challenge Cup? Let’s dig in.

Why the schedule change matters

The NWSL’s decision to turn the Challenge Cup into an in-season competition is rooted in recent history. In 2020, the Challenge Cup functioned as a mini-tournament replacing the regular season, as professional sports reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021 and 2022, the Challenge Cup became a preseason tournament, where teams played out the group stages before the regular season began. The scheduling was both a blessing and a curse as teams rotated depth and showed a varied commitment to immediate results versus long-term process.

For example, the NWSL’s two new California expansion sides in 2022, the San Diego Wave and Angel City FC, used Challenge Cup to test brand-new rosters ahead of the regular season. The Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage, meanwhile, played competitively all the way to the Challenge Cup final and then suffered in the regular season after a taxing Cup championship game.

Turning the Cup into a regular season competition should help teams stay sharp, and UKG’s commitment of $1 million in prize money — equitable to the winnings of the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament — will keep players engaged. While coaches will be tasked with keeping their squads fresh for the regular season matches on either side of their midweek Cup games, players will give their all with the opportunity to win bonuses that rival some of the highest in women’s soccer.

Which teams are set up best to compete?

The Challenge Cup is a depth game, so the teams that have the ability to rotate without sacrificing quality will have the best chance at winning it all by the end of the year. Fitness and player absences for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in July and August will force some teams into greater challenges than others.

Historically, the Challenge Cup has rewarded scrappy sides who ride momentum and punch above their weight. In 2023, however, the stretched-out schedule could tip the scales back in favor of the NWSL Shield contenders. OL Reign, the Portland Thorns and the Kansas City Current boast the highest levels of depth in the NWSL.

While the Current’s injury bug could hold them back in the early stages of the competition, they have the reinforcements to power through the World Cup period of the Cup, including a number of top midfielders and attackers who will not be leaving for any period of time. Another team to watch out for is 2020 Challenge Cup champion Houston Dash, who have a frontline of red-hot talent that will not be leaving for Australia and New Zealand in July.

Other teams with the potential to hit their stride as the Cup progresses are Racing Louisville, the Chicago Red Stars and Angel City. All three of those clubs have shallow areas on their rosters, but due to their roster construction, could have more players available during the World Cup than a number of the league’s heavy-hitters.

Top players to watch: Check the midfield

In past Challenge Cups, strong midfields that can generate goal-scoring opportunities have held an advantage in later rounds, and this year might be no different.

Houston’s attacking trio of Diana Ordoñez, María Sánchez and Ebony Salmon have already been putting opponents under pressure in the early going of the regular season, and it’s possible all three will be available throughout the Cup (Salmon theoretically could still be called up to England).

The Current could find themselves heavily reliant on their non-World Cup talent, including rookie attacker Michelle Cooper and veteran midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo, while hoping Morgan Gautrat and Kristen Hamilton return from injury. Racing Louisville will also rely on a growing midfield, as Jaelin Howell and Savannah McCaskill try to stake their claim as the next generation of the USWNT midfield player pool.

OL Reign and Portland will similarly turn to their stacked midfields. The Thorns boast rising U.S. talent Olivia Moultrie as an attacking midfield option, while the Reign have already gotten quality minutes from midfielder Olivia van der Jagt, who will likely combine with longtime veteran Jess Fishlock while World Cup players are away.

Outside of the hidden gems, expect the league’s top stars to show out before they leave for the international stage. Sophia Smith currently leads the regular season Golden Boot race with four goals and two assists, followed by Washington Spirit forward Ashley Hatch with three goals. Gotham winger Midge Purce has two goals and two assists as she battles for a spot on the USWNT’s World Cup squad.

Predictions

Challenge Cup champion

Portland Thorns over Houston Dash

The Dash have the defensive tenacity and attacking firepower to advance all the way to the Cup final. But given the length of this year’s Challenge Cup, the deepest and steadiest team should have just enough to emerge victorious.

Challenge Cup MVP

Sam Coffey, M, Portland Thorns

Midfield options will be critical throughout the Challenge Cup, and Portland’s could be the difference in the quest for the trophy and $1 million prize pool. Coffey has been growing into her role as a midfield maestro for Portland, and the team doesn’t have an obvious rotation replacement that would pull minutes from the 24-year-old.

Challenge Cup Golden Boot

Diana Ordoñez, F, Houston Dash

Ordoñez is the focal point of Houston’s front three, with the ability to score both with her feet and her head. The Dash have the potential to make one of the strongest runs during the World Cup period as the chemistry between Mexico teammates María Sánchez and Ordoñez builds with every game.

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

The NWSL’s first free agency period is underway.

The league established free agency with its new collective bargaining agreement, ratified in February. Despite a rocky start, which included a disagreement between the NWSL and its players association about exactly which players were eligible, the market has heated up ahead of the season opener on March 25.

March 13 — Carson Pickett commits to Racing Louisville

The 29-year-old left back signed a three-year deal with Racing Louisville that runs through the 2025 season, the club announced Monday.

Pickett was traded to Louisville from the North Carolina Courage in January. The deal sent Pickett and Abby Erceg to Racing, while Emily Fox went to the Courage.

“I am beyond excited to be staying in Louisville for three more years,” Pickett said in the news release. “This was the easiest decision for me for so many reasons. Not only are the facilities top-class, but you are also treated like a true professional in every aspect.”

The fourth overall pick in the 2016 NWSL draft, the defender led the league in assists last season with six. She also made her first appearance for the U.S. women’s national team last June, becoming the first player with a limb difference to play for the USWNT.

So happy to have @Cars_Pickett16 running with us! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/wO2PijgI8G

— Racing Louisville FC (@RacingLouFC) March 13, 2023

March 6 — Midge Purce re-signs with Gotham FC

The U.S. women’s national team forward signed a two-year contract to stay with Gotham FC, the club announced Monday. The deal runs through the 2024 season and includes a third-year option for 2025.

“I’m excited to be a part of the vision to build Gotham into one of the greatest clubs in the world,” Purce said.

The 27-year-old joined Gotham in 2020 via a trade with the Portland Thorns. In 2021, she led the team in scoring with nine goals, finishing second in the Golden Boot race. She also was a finalist for NWSL MVP and was named to the league’s Best XI.

Last season, Purce had three goals and three assists.

“This new contract for Midge is another step towards shaping Gotham FC for the present and the future,” Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós said. “Midge is an outstanding player with the ability to make the difference in the final third. Her long-term commitment to the club shows that she believes in the project we are building. Midge is a player I am excited to work with and to help continue maximize her full potential.”

Jan. 19 — Pride add another Brazil WNT star in Adriana

The 26-year-old midfielder will join her Brazil teammate Marta in Orlando after signing a three-year deal with the Pride.

Since 2018, Adriana has played in the top Brazilian league with Corinthians, but she will make the leap to the NWSL in the 2023 NWSL season.

“Adriana is an exciting, dynamic and entertaining player with an eye for the goal. She possesses great technical ability and an incredible work rate, and we’re extremely happy to have her as part of the Pride,” Pride coach Seb Hines said.

Known as “the Wizard,” Adriana scored 72 goals in her 143 appearances for Corinthians, and she leaves as the second-leading scorer in club history. She also helped the team to four Brazilian Championship titles.

The Pride also re-signed defender Celia Jiménez Delgado to a two-year deal, and they brought back midfielder Jordyn Listro on a one-year deal.

Jan. 16 — Spirit bring back Sam Staab amid flurry of moves

Washington re-signed the defender to a three-year contract, which will keep her with the club through the 2025 season. Staab played every minute of every regular-season match for the Spirit in 2022.

The Spirit also signed defender Anna Heilferty, midfielder Jordan Baggett and forward Tara McKeown to multi-year deals.

Jan. 13 — Gotham re-signs captain McCall Zerboni

The 36-year-old midfielder signed a one-year deal to remain with Gotham FC, though the deal did not come without controversy.

Gotham FC also re-signed midfielder Delanie Sheehan to a two-year deal.

Jan. 12 — Trades shake up 2023 NWSL draft

Angel City FC orchestrated a blockbuster four-team trade to select Alyssa Thompson with the No. 1 overall pick before the draft even started, and proceedings only got wilder from there.

Gotham FC received USWNT forward Lynn Williams from the Kansas City Current in exchange for the No. 2 overall pick, which the Current used to select Duke forward Michelle Cooper. And the Washington Spirit made many trades, one of which sent USWNT defender Emily Sonnett to OL Reign.

Catch up on all the picks and all the trades from draft night.

Jan. 11 — Megan Rapinoe back for 11th season with OL Reign

The 37-year-old forward re-signed with OL Reign on a one-year deal, the club announced. The signing came exactly 10 years after she first was allocated to the team ahead of the NWSL’s inaugural season in 2013.

Rapinoe is one of 10 players who have appeared in every one of the NWSL’s first 10 seasons. Just five of those players have appeared for the same team every season, and that number includes Rapinoe as well as her teammates Lauren Barnes and Jess Fishlock.

The Seattle club also re-signed Barnes, bringing the defender back on a two-year deal. And midfielder Nikki Stanton will be back as well, as she agreed to a one-year contract.

Jan. 10 — Jaelin Howell signs contract extension with Louisville

After a rookie campaign in which Howell started all 22 of her team’s matches, the 23-year-old midfielder signed a contract extension, adding another year to her original deal and keeping her with Racing Louisville through 2025.

“Racing has treated me super well, and they’ve always invested in me,” Howell told Just Women’s Sports. “I see a lot of great things in the future of the club.”

Racing Louisville also extended the contract of goalkeeper Katie Lund through the 2025 season.

Jan. 9 — NWSL MVP finalist Debinha joins Current

The 2022 NWSL MVP finalist spent her first six seasons in the league with the North Carolina Courage, and she entered the offseason as one of the most sought-after free agents.

Kansas City signed her through the 2024 season, with an option for a third year.

“As a professional athlete, I always want to get better and to be on a competitive team that fights for titles, with excellent professionals,” Debinha said in a statement. “I’m sure it will help me in that goal and Kansas City showed that last season.”

The Current also re-signed defender Alex Loera, securing her through the 2025 season.

Jan. 3 — Casey Murphy re-signs with Courage

The goalkeeper signed a three-year deal to stay with North Carolina, the club announced.

A member of the USWNT since 2021, Murphy joined the Courage that same year. She made 18 starts in 2022, recording six clean sheets and making 58 saves. Her new contract would keep her with the club through 2025.

“I’m thrilled to hit the field again with all the returning players and can’t wait to meet the new talent coming to the Courage this season,” Murphy said in a statement. “I know our commitment to setting the standard and being the best team in the league will bring out the best in all of us…

“This off-season has been by best yet and I am so pumped to help the Courage win a championship in 2023.”

The Courage also re-signed midfielder Brianna Pinto to a three-year deal.

Dec. 23 — Ary Borges inks three-year deal with Racing Louisville

Racing Louisville announced that it had signed the Brazilian international to a three-year deal. As a result, she will be with the club through the 2025 season.

“I am thrilled about this new challenge,” Borges said in a statement. “It will be an honor to represent Racing Louisville FC and play in the NWSL, one of the top leagues in the world. I am ready and very much looking forward to taking on this new opportunity. Go Racing!”

Through three years with Palmeiras, the midfielder scored 37 goals in 87 appearances. She also had 18 goals through 32 appearances en route to helping the club to the 2022 Campeonato Paulista, the 2022 Copa Libertadores and the regular-season shield in the Brasileiro Serie A.

She was also named the Campeonato Paulista’s midfielder of the year.

Dec. 22 — Victoria Pickett signs extension with Gotham

The Gotham FC midfielder signed a three-year contract extension to stay with the club, with a mutual option for a fourth year.

The club acquired Pickett in a trade with the Kansas City Current in August in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick and $200,000 in allocation money. The 26-year-old Canadian was selected 15th overall by the Current in the 2021 draft and was named a Rookie of the Year finalist that season after scoring a goal and adding an assist in over 1,500 minutes across 19 games. She started four of the six games she appeared in with Gotham in 2022.

“The vision and goals of the club align with what I expect out of myself and out of a professional environment, so it was a no-brainer to re-sign with Gotham,” Pickett said in a statement.

Dec. 21 — Marta inks two-year deal with Pride

The Brazilian star will remain in Orlando after signing a two-year deal that runs through the 2024 season. The 36-year-old forward has played with the Pride since 2017.

Her 2022 season ended before it began, as she tore her ACL during the preseason Challenge Cup tournament.

“I’m very excited for the future we are building for the Pride and can’t wait to return to the field next year, play alongside my teammates, and fight for a championship for our fans,” Marta said in a statement.

A city fit for a Queen 🐐 pic.twitter.com/hYwNcu9aFK

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) December 21, 2022

Dec. 19 — Hailie Mace re-signs with Current

The USWNT defender signed a new three-year contract with the club, which will keep her in Kansas City through the 2025 season.

Mace came to the Current via trade from the North Carolina Courage during the 2021 season. She has five goals and 22 shots on goal in her 31 appearances for Kansas City, and she helped lead the team to the NWSL championship match in 2022.

“After this last season in Kansas City, it was a no-brainer to want to sign on for three more,” Mace said.

The Current also re-signed defender Kate Del Fava to a deal that will keep her in Kansas City through the 2024 season.

Dec. 19 — Amber Brooks stays with Spirit

The 31-year-old defender re-signed with Washington on a one-year deal.

In her first season with the team, she made 16 appearances — and made waves when she flipped two birds after she took issue with a call from an official.

Dec. 12 — Tatumn Milazzo signs extension with Chicago

The 24-year-old defender agreed to an extension with the Red Stars through the 2024 season. The deal also includes a one-year option for the 2025 season.

“To play for my hometown, in front of my friends and family, has always been a dream,” Milazzo said. “I love this city and I’m so hopeful for the future of this organization.”

She played in every match — preseason, regular season and postseason — for the Red Stars, and she led all defenders in clearances (103) and interceptions (58).

Dec. 8 — Washington brings back co-captain Tori Huster

Huster, who serves as president of the NWSLPA, signed a one-year deal with the Spirit. She has played for the club since the NWSL’s inaugural season in 2013.

A torn Achilles tendon kept her off the pitch in 2022.

“Tori is incredibly important to the Washington Spirit club and re-signing her was a top offseason priority,” Spirit president Mark Krikorian said.

Washington also re-signed defender Camryn Biegalski and midfielder Marissa Sheva and signed defender Gabrielle Carle to a two-year contract.

Dec. 7 — Current add two former Red Stars

Morgan Gautrat and Vanessa DiBernardo, both of whom had said they would not return to Chicago, have found their landing spot: Kansas City.

Each midfielder signed a two-year deal with the Current, making them the team’s first free agent signings under the new CBA.

“Morgan and Vanessa are two of the world’s best soccer players and we couldn’t be happier they chose the Kansas City Current,” general manager Camille Levin Ashton said.

Dec. 1 — Kristen Edmonds becomes latest Gotham addition

The defender from New Jersey is headed home. She signed a two-year contract with Gotham FC after spending the last two seasons with the Kansas City Current.

“I’ve worked really hard for a long time and I’ve fought for this dream with a lot of passion all over the world and this country,” the 35-year-old said. “It all started in New Jersey, and to come full circle with my family in the stands for all of our home games is something super special to me.”

Edmonds started 44 games across the last two seasons for the Current, including all three playoff matches on the team’s run to the NWSL championship match in 2022.

Dec. 1 — Morgan Gautrat, two more will not re-sign with Chicago

Free agents Morgan Gautrat, Danielle Colaprico and Rachel Hill have told the Chicago Red Stars that they do not plan to re-sign with the club.

Gautrat won the World Cup as part of the USWNT in 2015 and 2019. The 29-year-old midfielder joined the Red Stars via trade from the Houston Dash in 2017.

Colaprico has played with the club for her entire NWSL career since being selected by Chicago in the 2015 NWSL draft. Hill started her career with the Orlando Pride but was dealt to Chicago in 2020.

Nov. 28 — Gotham FC brings in goalkeeper Abby Smith

Gotham FC signed the former Thorns goalkeeper to a three-year contract. The move comes after Ashlyn Harris announced her retirement from soccer earlier this month, which left the club with an opening in net.

“I feel so fortunate to be amongst the first class of athletes in the NWSL to benefit from the new CBA’s free agency policy,” Smith said in a news release. “Gotham FC made their feelings known immediately and I was so impressed by their support and professionalism throughout the entire process.”

The 29-year-old has played for the Boston Breakers, the Utah Royals, the Kansas City Current and the Portland Thorns. She played in just one match as the backup goalkeeper for the NWSL title-winning Thorns in the 2022 season.

Smith joins Michelle Betos and 2022 draft pick Hensley Hancuff as the goalkeepers on Gotham FC’s roster.

Nov. 18 — San Diego exercises 2023 option for Makenzy Doniak

Doniak and the Wave exercised a mutual option that will keep the forward in San Diego for the 2023 season.

In the 2022 season, Doniak played in 18 matches and contributed three goals and two assists for the expansion club.

Nov. 17 — Wave re-sign Kaleigh Riehl to two-year deal

The 26-year-old defender will stay with San Diego through the 2024 season after signing a new two-year contract. She started 19 of 22 regular-season games for the club this season.

“Kaleigh Riehl has been an outstanding player for us this year, stepped in in incredible circumstances and performed really well and is very, very worthy of a new contract,” coach Casey Stoney said.

Nov. 15 — Kelley O’Hara signs with Gotham FC

Nov. 15 marked the first day that free agents were eligible to sign with new teams rather than their current teams, and Kelley O’Hara kicked off the era with a splash as she joined Gotham FC on a multi-year deal, she announced at an event hosted by the “Men in Blazers” podcast in New York City.

While the club proceeded to post about O’Hara’s announcement on its social media accounts, it had not issued a formal announcement of O’Hara’s signing as of Nov. 22.

O’Hara played with the Washington Spirit in the 2021 and 2022 seasons and won the NWSL title with the club in 2021.

Nov. 15 — Ally Watt re-signs with Orlando Pride

The forward signed a two-year contract extension that will keep her in Orlando through the 2024 season, the team announced Tuesday. She joined the club via trade from the OL Reign in August.

Nov. 15 — Cece Kizer inks new deal with hometown Current

The Current re-signed Kizer to a two-year deal through the 2024 season.

The 25-year-old from outside Kansas City joined the club via trade in June 2022. She started in 14 of 15 matches through the rest of the season, setting a club record with seven non-penalty goals in that span, and helped the team to a runner-up finish in hte NWSL playoffs.

“She was a big part of this club’s success after coming over in June and we look forward to her helping to lead this team in the future,” general manager Camille Levin Ashton said.

Nov. 15 — Morgan Weaver stays with Thorns through 2024

The 25-year-old forward signed a two-year contract with Portland, which includes an an option for the 2025 season.

She had seven goals in 20 appearances for the Thorns in the 2022 regular season, and she helped the team to its third NWSL title.

Nov. 15 — Red Stars re-sign Yuki Nagasato, Arin Wright

The Chicago club brought back Nagasato on a one-year contract with a one-year option. She played for the team from 2017-20, then spent one season with Racing Louisville in 2021 before returning to the Red Stars.

The team also re-signed Wright to a two-year contract. The defender has played for Chicago since she was drafted in 2015.

Nov. 10 — Sam Coffey signs extension with Portland

The Rookie of the Year finalist has signed a contract extension with the reigning NWSL champions through the 2025 season.

The 23-year-old midfielder, who also plays with the USWNT, made 18 starts for the Thorns in 2022. She led the league with 70 successful long passes and tied for fifth with 35 chances created.

“Her ability to lead from the back, to always be available, to manipulate the opposition and create spaces for her herself and her teammates is impressive to see from someone so new to the professional game,” Thorns coach Rhian Wilkinson said.

Two days earlier, Portland re-signed midfielder Rocky Rodriguez through the 2025 season.

Rodriguez will be entering her eighth season in the league in 2023 and her fourth with the Thorns. She recorded her first career postseason goal in the team’s NWSL semifinal win against the San Diego Wave to help propel Portland to the title.

Nov. 8 — OL Reign re-signs defender Sam Hiatt

The 24-year-old defender has signed a two-year deal with the Seattle-based club. She joined the team as the No. 33 overall pick in the 2020 NWSL draft.

Since she was drafted, she has started in all 28 of OL Reign’s regular-season games, and she has recorded 29 blocks and 117 clearances.

Nov. 3 — Mandy Freeman commits to Gotham FC through 2024

The 27-year-old defender signed a two-year contract extension with the New York City-area club.

She has spent her entire career with the franchise since being selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft. In that time, she has made 80 appearances and recorded 258 clearances, 56 blocks, and 109 interceptions.

“In my six seasons with this club, I have seen the growth and believe in the potential for us to be great,” Freeman said in a news release.

Nov. 2 — Christine Sinclair returns to Thorns for 2023

Sinclair is returning to the NWSL champion Portland Thorns on a one-year contract, making 2023 her 11th season in the league, all with the Thorns.

She made the announcement during the Thorns’ championship parade. She wants “to win a fourth one of those,” she said, pointing to the NWSL trophy.

Oct. 28 — Quinn re-signs with OL Reign through 2024

The 27-year-old midfielder will stick with the Seattle club for two more seasons. They first joined OL Reign during the 2019 season.

Quinn has started in 26 of the 35 games they have played for the club in the regular season. They had 17 appearances in the 2022 season.

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to continue playing for OL Reign,” they said. “We have a really good culture and team environment here at this club, so I’m excited to keep it going.”

Oct. 26 — Haley Hanson re-signs with Orlando Pride

The defender will remain with the Pride through the 2024 season.

She joined the Pride via trade from the Houston Dash during the 2022 campaign. She made four starts and six appearances for the Pride after the trade.

“We are thrilled to be able to extend Haley’s time in Orlando,” Pride general manager Ian Fleming said in a statement. “Haley has embedded herself quickly and seamlessly into a new group of teammates and tactical system of play, and did so while exhibiting a work ethic and professional attitude that we want to be the standard at our club.”

Oct. 25 — Ifeoma Onumonu inks three-year deal with Gotham FC

The 28-year-old forward elected to stay with Gotham FC, signing a new three-year contract that will keep her with the the club through the 2025 season.

Onumonu was traded to the New York area franchise ahead of 2020 season, and she has appeared in 61 matches for the team since then, with 14 goals and nine assists in that span.

“It’s been a journey already with this club and I’m looking forward to many more years competing to be the best team in the NWSL,” she said in the news release announcing her signing.

Gotham FC finished in last place in the NWSL in the 2022 season, but the club already has been aggressive in its roster moves as it embarks on another rebuild.

Before joining Gotham FC, Onumonu played for the Boston Breakers, the Portland Thorns and OL Reign. The American-born player also plays for the Nigeria women’s national team.

The club also re-signed Taylor Smith to a three-year contract. Smith made 14 appearances (and 13 starts) for Gotham in 2022 after she was acquired off waivers in June.

Oct. 20 — Allysha Chapman, Sophie Schmidt extend contracts with Houston Dash

Schmidt, a midfielder, signed a two-year extension, while Chapman, a defender, signed a one-year extension. Both contracts also include option years, per the club news release announcing the signings.

Both players also have been mainstays for the Canada women’s national team.

Sam Coffey was sitting in front of a blank, white wall in the little house she had moved into in Portland last month after leaving the Thorns’ team housing. She was reflecting back on January, when she had no idea what to expect for her rookie NWSL season with the club.

The 2021 No. 12 overall draft pick admits that if she had been told at the beginning of 2022 that the next 11 months would go the way they did — including an NWSL championship, a league Best XI honor, her first cap with the U.S. women’s national team and a Concacaf W title that secured the USWNT’s spot in the 2023 World Cup — she would have laughed.

Coffey had arguably the most exciting year of any professional soccer player in the United States. One of the biggest reasons for that is a picture that hangs on her mirror.

Hardly anything is organized yet in her new house, she says, besides a photo of a young, grinning Sam with shin pads that were as big as her love was for soccer. A small kid from Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., Coffey used to spend her spare time practicing volleys in school yards or going down to her basement to work on first touches.

Nowadays, Coffey peeks at that picture before she heads off to practices and games.

“Looking at that photo of myself, I’m like, you’re the same kid,” she says. “You have the same love for it, you have the same joy for it. Don’t lose that … I think a lot of people lose that love as they go higher and higher in levels of soccer with more pressure.

“I can’t ever let that become a reason that I don’t love it or don’t do it every day.”

Before arriving at Thorns preseason in February, Coffey made a commitment that she would bring a fun spirit and the best of herself to training every day, taking in each moment as an exciting adventure. The way she’s preserved her joy for the game is what her father, Wayne Coffey, says he and Sam’s mother are most grateful for.

“It’s so easy to lose that, and she never has,” he says. “She loves the game more today at age 23 than she did when she was in first grade.”

Besides her personal goal, Coffey went into the first preseason of her pro career with no expectations. The former Boston College and Penn State midfielder was joining one of the best women’s soccer teams in the world and wasn’t anticipating much playing time at all. The club was stacked with legends, like World Cup champions Becky Sauerbrunn, Meghan Klingenberg and Crystal Dunn, and Olympic gold medalist Christine Sinclair.

True to her word, Coffey kept showing up, soaking up every little bit of knowledge and applying it to her game. The team captain noticed. After one of the Thorns’ preseason scrimmages, Sinclair, the world’s all-time leading goal scorer, walked up to Coffey and told her, “You’re f–king good.”

At the time, Coffey wasn’t even playing a position she was comfortable with. Right after Coffey’s fifth college season ended with the Nittany Lions, one in which she thrived as an attacking midfielder, then-Thorns head coach Rhian Wilkinson called her to tell her she was going to play at the six or the eight in the NWSL.

Coffey had stepped in at the six before, when a college teammate was injured, but she preferred to be in a position where she could create and attack opposing defenses. Defensive midfield felt like dirty work.

She wasn’t about to express that to her first pro coach, though. In fact, she didn’t hesitate at all. Whatever the team needed, she was ready to embrace. Coffey would have inflated balls and set up cones if that’s what they’d asked her to do.

It was the same when she was asked to play defensive midfield at Penn State. She went into her coach’s office with a notepad, seeking game film that would help her prepare. She knows every teammate and coach in her path has something to offer, and so she wants to learn it.

Penn State coach Erica Dambach instills that growth mindset into her players, and especially those who have the potential to continue their soccer careers beyond college.

“Those players that come in wanting to learn, wanting to get better, knowing that you never stop learning — you just saw them continue to grow and invest in themselves and build their own house,” she says.

Watching those game clips, Coffey found ways to have fun even when she messed up. She’d notice a mistake, laugh at herself and say, “What am I doing? Why am I doing that?” But she could also acknowledge when she did something well.

Coffey’s passion for learning has carried into her pro career, where she adjusted to the quick pace of the NWSL and started to make plays in two touches instead of trying to dribble around her opponents, just as her college coaches had warned her.

By the second month of her first NWSL regular season, Coffey’s contributions at the six earned her the league’s June Rookie of the Month honor. That same month, she received her first call-up to the USWNT, where she also played as a defensive midfielder.

It was shocking to her when she realized how much she had grown to love the position. She didn’t know if it was because she was getting more acclimated to it or because she enjoyed a new challenge. All Coffey knew was that she was fully coming into her own as a player. Wilkinson said all season that she wanted Coffey to get a doctorate in the six, and Coffey fully embraced the challenge. (Wilkinson resigned as Thorns coach on Dec. 2 following an investigation into personal communications with a player.)

“I felt like I could help be the quarterback of the team,” Coffey says. “I could help instill rhythm into the team. I could slow the game down if that’s what we needed. I could speed it up if that’s what we needed.”

By the end of the year, she had four caps with the national team and was an NWSL Rookie of the Year finalist, averaging an 82.4 passing success rate and 20 starts in 21 games played for the Thorns.

“It was like she was meant to play that position,” Wayne says.

After her banner rookie year, which included a contract extension with the Thorns through 2025, the bar is much higher entering 2023. Coffey still plans to start the new year the same way she did 2022: no expectations, no complacency.

“[Last year] was wonderful,” she says, sitting in front of that blank, white wall. “But this is a new year, a new adventure. Success is earned, not given. I’m not riding the high of past successes. Those were great things and I’m so grateful for them, but they’re done now.”

Coffey’s new home is primed to be decorated and furnished, just like the rest of her soccer career. “Build your own house,” as Dambach says.

“You’d better invest in yourself,” she tells her players. “You’d better recognize that it’s way more than just playing matches if you’re going to achieve your goals.”

Coffey knows the root of success will always come from inside herself.

Outside her window is a school yard, like the ones she used to practice her volleys on at home in New York, wearing a wide grin and oversized shin pads.

“Watching these kids outside play, like I love watching little kids’ soccer games,” Coffey says, pointing to the window. “This is it, this is the reason you play. That was you. That was literally you.

“I don’t want to lose sight of the joy, I don’t want to lose sight of the fun. I don’t want to not bring the best of myself. … I want to do that fully and authentically and even better than I did last year.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

NWSL rookies Sam Coffey and Savannah DeMelo continue to impress, earning call-ups to the U.S. women’s national team Thursday for the upcoming friendlies against England and Spain.

USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski pointed to their play in the domestic league this season as one of the main reasons that they have each earned looks this year.

Coffey received her first call-up in June for the team’s friendlies against Colombia. Then she was called in as an injury replacement for Ashley Hatch at the Concacaf W Championship. She made her first appearance during the team’s friendlies against Nigeria in September.

Calling Coffey’s performances in the NWSL this season “tremendous,” Andonovski offered up high praise for the Portland Thorns midfielder.

“In my opinion, she’s an [NWSL] MVP candidate,” Andonovski said. “Sam has a lot of impact on and sometimes dictates the performance of the team, which is incredible for a rookie.”

DeMelo, meanwhile, earns her first direct call-up ahead of the European trip after being selected for the September friendlies as a replacement for Trinity Rodman. The rookie has three goals and one assist through 17 regular season starts for Racing Louisville.

“Savannah has done a very good job. She has special qualities that we’re very, very happy with,” Andonovski said. “Her abilities to penetrate on the dribble are tremendous. She’s able to limit a player in the middle of the field and create opportunities for her teammates. And on top of that she’s scored some amazing goals too.

“We’re very happy with how she’s progressed this season and we’re hoping that we can help her with the development and allow her to continue her development.”

When she was a little girl, Sam Coffey, like many young soccer players, dreamed of playing for the United States women’s national team. Her daily inspiration was a picture of Alex Morgan that hung on the wall of her bedroom in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., one that’s remained there to this day.

On Tuesday, Coffey earned her first cap with the USWNT in a 2-1 friendly win over Nigeria. And her childhood hero was in the starting lineup with her.

“It might be time to remove that [picture],” Coffey said last Thursday with a laugh. “But yeah, I mean, it is so full circle in terms of it just being this dream I had worked for.”

Coffey’s path to playing for the greatest team in the world, as she refers to it, was not linear. It was Morgan who reassured her that it didn’t have to be.

Coffey, 23, made scattered appearances with youth national teams during her teenage years, but she never played in a junior World Cup and was never heralded as a child prodigy like U.S. teammate Mallory Pugh, who made her senior national team debut at 16. Morgan’s journey was similar, with the California native earning just 10 caps at the youth level while playing for the U.S. U-20 team in 2008.

Now, Morgan is fifth all-time on the USWNT scorers’ list, with 119 goals in 198 caps with the senior team. Coffey, in her third camp, has been trying to absorb every single piece of feedback from veterans like Morgan.

“I think it definitely can be intimidating when you look around you and you’re like, Becky is to my left and Alex is to my right and Crystal is in front of me, and, I mean, I can obviously go on and on of players that I watched growing up,” Coffey said. “But I think my goal is just not shrinking back to the challenge and being confident in what I bring to the team too, because I’m here for a reason.”

Coffey’s first big play in Tuesday’s game was a lobbed ball into the box that went around a defender and right to the feet of Morgan, who narrowly missed the goal with her shot.

Playing the full 90 minutes at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., Coffey took risks and stayed creative on and off the ball, pulling opponents away and dribbling through multiple defenders at once. Her ability to break lines was apparent as she continually sent passes to midfielders and forwards in high attacking areas.

A rookie in the NWSL this year, Coffey has adjusted to the No. 6 position with the Portland Thorns after playing as an attacking midfielder at Penn State. She held down the defensive midfield with the USWNT on Tuesday night, doing everything she could to fit the mold of head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s “modern-day six” — a player who can manage the position both offensively and defensively while also distributing the ball and winning tackles.

“I thought that she was very calm on the ball, very composed,” Andonovski said after the game. “For somebody who’s playing their first cap in front of a full stadium in a tight game, I thought she did a very good job,” said Andonovski, adding that there’s still room for Coffey to grow defensively.

On Thursday, as she remembered the picture of Morgan on the wall of her childhood bedroom, Coffey joked that she struggles to defend the USWNT legend in practice.

None of that wide-eyed wonder, however, has stopped her from embracing the challenge in front of her.

“Here you’re competing with the best players in the world, and if you told me last year I’d be doing that, I don’t think I would have believed you,” Coffey said. “I try not to let go of how amazing it is and what an honor it is here and how much all of this is going to continue to really positively impact my growth.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Portland Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey will make her first international appearance with the U.S. Women’s National Team in the squad’s friendly against Nigeria Tuesday.

Coffey is among three personnel changes from the USWNT’s Saturday matchup against the Super Falcons, with the 23-year-old replacing Andi Sullivan at the defensive midfield position.

Earning her first call-up to the Senior USWNT in June, Coffey becomes the 250th woman to notch a cap for the National Team and the sixth player to earn an inaugural cap this year. She is the 16th player to record a first cap under head coach Vlatko Andonovski.

“It’s easy to get distracted by that want and desire of that first cap,” Coffey told reporters during the USWNT September camp. “I’ll be ready when it comes. My focus is just being the best that I can be for this team…”

"It's easy to get distracted by that want and desire of that first cap. I'll be ready when it comes. My focus is just being the best that I can be for this team..."

🎥 Sam Coffey discusses what it would be like to earn her first cap with the @USWNT

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) September 6, 2022

Coffey has been stellar for the Thorns this NWSL season, logging one assist and 22 chances created in 14 starts.

The midfielder joins a USWNT starting lineup with an average of 51 caps per player, with Alex Morgan and Lindsay Horan the only starters holding over 100 caps.

Portland Thorns rookie midfielder Sam Coffey brings balance to the USWNT roster for the knockout stage of the Concacaf W Championship, coach Vlatko Andonovski said Wednesday.

Coffey has joined the USWNT roster to replace an injured Ashley Hatch, who strained a muscle in her left leg against Jamaica on July 7.

The decision to bring in Coffey, a defensive mid, to replace Hatch, who plays at the No. 9, adds midfield depth to what had been a forward-heavy roster.

“We did go a little bit unbalance,” said Andonovski, adding that it was all part of a “plan in mind” that the coaching staff had for the Concacaf W Championship. “When Ashley got injured, we felt it was a good moment to balance the team again.”

The team also wanted to stick to the players who were present at the pre-tournament camp. The camp roster included the 23 players on the initial Concacaf roster, plus three additional players: Coffey, midfielder Jaelin Howell and defender Carson Pickett.

As for the chemistry among the midfield group, Andi Sullivan said Wednesday she feels as though any combination of players would work well together on the pitch.

“I think the midfielders all feel really confident together,” she said. “It’s really cool how all the midfielders work really well together. That’s really special. All of us combine really well together, we communicate really well together. That’s definitely a huge strength of ours.”

The USWNT next will face Costa Rica in the semifinals of the W Championship on at 7 p.m. ET Thursday.

Rookie midfielder Sam Coffey scored the lone goal in the Portland Thorns’ 1-0 preseason win over the Chicago Red Stars on Friday night.

Coffey broke a 0-0 deadlock in the game’s 73^rd minute, curling in a deflected shot from outside the box to put the Thorns up 1-0.

Providence Park, meet Sam Coffey! 😤 #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/HaxwsNucxx

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) March 12, 2022

Selected in the second round of the 2021 NWSL draft, Coffey signed a two-year contract with Portland in January after a successful collegiate career at Penn State.

The Thorns end their preseason tournament with a 2-0-1 record, with Sophia Smith taking home the title as the Thorns’ leading goal scorer.

Portland will kick-off their Challenge Cup campaign on Friday, taking on OL Reign at Lumen Field.