NWSL: 2025 Preseason Rosters, Part 6 — Bay FC, Chicago Stars, Houston Dash, North Carolina Courage, and Portland Thorns

Five additional clubs — Bay FC, the Chicago Stars, the Houston Dash, the North Carolina Courage, and the Portland Thorns — have released their initial preseason roster for the 2025 National Women’s Soccer League season, leaving just Gotham FC as the only team to not officially publish their roster list.

The most curious nugget from those five clubs’ press releases is a note that Chicago Stars and United States Women’s National Team forward Mallory Swanson will not be with the Stars “for the start of training camp” due to unspecified “personal reasons”. Chicago’s roster release also included a quote from Swanson. At this point in time, this situation is just something to note and is only a slightly significant story.

All five clubs have at least one non-roster invitee:

  • Bay FC has just one unsigned player, forward Catherine Paulson, who signed a short-term contract with the club in October 2024 after previously being a National Team Replacement Player.
  • The Chicago Stars have seven invitees, including two Jamaican internationals: goalkeeper Sydney Schneider, who was with the Stars in 2024, and Ohio State midfielder Peyton McNamara.
  • The Houston Dash have five non-roster players, including UVA midfielder Alexis Theoret, who was called into a U-23 USWYNT camp back in February 2023.
  • The North Carolina Courage have invited six recent collegiate players. Among them is defender Emerson Elgin, who won a 2024 NCAA Division I title with the North Carolina Tar Heels last December.
  • Of the six non-roster players invited by the Portland Thorns, two are goalkeepers: Morgan Messner, who was with the San Diego Wave during the 2024 NWSL season, and Stanford’s Haley Craig.

The below rosters are presented in a similar format to December’s end-of-season roster lists.

Quick Links:

The lists for each club are organized as follows:

  • Currently Signed: All players signed to a contract (for at least part of 2025) but not presently loaned to another club.
  • Out on Loan: Signed players that have current loan agreements.
  • Non-Roster Invitees: Players invited to train with the club, but are not formally signed with the club.

For invitees, links to their NCAA player profiles, if applicable, are provided. For those invitees that are still in high school, if their official or verbal commit is known, that is provided, along with a source link.

Parenthetical Key:

  • INT = The player occupies an International Spot
  • LOAN = The player is on loan from another club
  • SEI = The player is currently designated by the club as being on its Season-Ending Injury/Illness List
  • SEI2024 = In cases where a team’s press release did not specify SEI players, this denotes players who were on the SEI List at the end of the 2024 season (primary source)
  • U18 = The player was signed under the U18 Entry Mechanism and will not turn 18 before the start of the 2025 season (Friday, March 14th).

Bay FC

Bay FC only have one invitee on their roster, forward Catherine Paulson, who was a National Team Replacement Player for the club in 2024 and was signed to a short-term contract for the remainder of the 2024 season in October.

Signed:

  • Goalkeepers (4): Emmie Allen, Melissa Lowder (SEI2024), Katelyn Rowland, Jordan Silkowitz 
  • Defenders (8): Jordan Brewster, Abby Dahlkemper, Caprice Dydasco, Savy King, Alyssa Malonson, Emily Menges, Maddie Moreau, Kiki Pickett 
  • Midfielders (5): Joelle Anderson, Dorian Bailey, Caroline Conti, Taylor Huff, Jamie Shepherd 
  • Forwards (7): Tess Boade, Penelope Hocking, Rachel Hill, Racheal Kundananji (INT), Karlie Lema, Asisat Oshoala (INT), Princess (INT) 

Out On Loan:

  • Goalkeepers (0): n/a
  • Defenders (0): n/a
  • Midfielders (0): n/a
  • Forwards (0): n/a

Non-Roster Invitees:

  • Goalkeepers (0): n/a
  • Defenders (0): n/a
  • Midfielders (0): n/a
  • Forwards (1): Catherine Paulson (Bay FC)

Source: “Bay FC announces 2025 preseason roster” (27-Jan-2025)

Chicago Stars

One notable “Not Yet Reported” is USWNT forward Mallory Swanson, who will not be with the team “for the start of training camp” due to unspecified “personal reasons”. At this time, given that there is a public explanation for Swanson’s absence, as well as an apparent intent to attend training camp, just not the “start” of the camp, Swanson’s absence is mostly a non-story. Should she remain absent for more than two weeks, especially if she is not named to the USA’s SheBelieves Cup roster, then it would be a significant story.

Forward, Mallory Swanson, informed the club that, due to personal reasons, she will not be joining the team for the start of training camp. Club leadership has been in contact with Swanson and are fully supportive of her decision.  

“I’d like to thank the club and the fans for their understanding during this time. I appreciate the kindness and encouragement from my teammates and all the Stars staff and hope to be back with the team and playing in front of our fans as soon as I can,” said Swanson. 

As always, the Chicago Stars organization stands ready to provide Mallory whatever support she needs, both on and off the pitch, and we will be ready to welcome her back with open arms whenever she is ready to return. 

Non-Roster Invitee Notes:

  • Goalkeeper Sydney Schneider was acquired by Chicago in January 2024 (press release) and signed to a one-year contract with an unspecified option, which has not been exercised. She was on two gameday rosters during the regular season and played in one Summer Cup match (NWSL game log).
  • Midfielder Peyton McNamara is a member of the Jamaica WNT and was named to the Reggae Girlz’s squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Signed:

  • Goalkeepers (3): Halle Mackiewicz, Alyssa Naeher, Mackenzie Wood 
  • Defenders (5): Hannah Anderson, Camryn Biegalski, Natalia Kuikka (INT), Taylor Malham, Sam Staab (SEI)
  • Midfielders (8): Chardonnay Curran, Bea Franklin, Shea Groom, Julia Grosso, Manaka Hayashi (INT), Maitane (INT), Leilanni Nesbeth, Cari Roccaro 
  • Forwards (9): Jenna Bike, Ava Cook (SEI), Nádia Gomes (INT), Sarah Griffith, Micayla Johnson, Jameese Joseph, Ludmila (INT), Ally Schlegel, Mallory Swanson*

*Swanson is officially a “Not Yet Reported” as explained in the above excerpt from the press release.

Out On Loan:

  • Goalkeepers (0): n/a
  • Defenders (0): n/a
  • Midfielders (0): n/a
  • Forwards (0): n/a

Non-Roster Invitees:

Source: “Chicago Stars FC Release Preseason Roster” (27-Jan-2025)

Houston Dash

The acquisition of forward Messiah Bright from Angel City was announced on Monday (Dash press release).

Katie Lind (née Naughton) is officially listed as still being on maternity leave, although she returned to training with the Dash in October (Instagram), if not earlier. Lind is in the last year of a three-year contract (August 2022 press release).

Signed:

  • Goalkeepers (3): Jane Campbell, Heather Hinz, Abby Smith
  • Defenders (9):  Allysha Chapman, Jyllissa Harris, Natalie Jacobs, Tarciane (INT), Katie Lind (maternity leave), Zoe Matthews, Paige Nielsen, Avery Patterson, Christen Westphal
  • Midfielders (8): Belle Briede, Danielle Colaprico, Maggie Graham, Barbara Olivieri, Sarah Puntigam (INT), Sophie Schmidt, Delanie Sheehan, Kiki Van Zanten (SEI)
  • Forwards (8): Michelle Alozie, Ramona Bachmann (INT), Messiah Bright, Ryan Garies, Yuki Nagasato (INT), Diana Ordóñez (SEI), Yazmeen Ryan, Amanda West (INT)

Out On Loan:

  • Goalkeepers (0): n/a
  • Defenders (0): n/a
  • Midfielders (0): n/a
  • Forwards (0): n/a

Non-Roster Invitees:

Source: “Houston Dash announce 2025 preseason roster” (27-Jan-2025)

North Carolina Courage

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, 36-year-old defender Estelle Johnson, whose contract expired while she was on maternity leave, was guaranteed an invite as a non-roster player. According to the Courage’s roster press release, Johnson “has waived her right” to that invite. Johnson joined the Courage as a free agent via a two-year contract ahead of the 2023 NWSL season (December 2022 press release).

Signed:

  • Goalkeepers (3):  Marisa Bova, Hensley Hancuff, Casey Murphy 
  • Defenders (9):  Maycee Bell, Malia Berkely, Sydney Collins (SEI), Brooklyn Courtnall, Kaleigh Kurtz, Charlotte McLean (INT), Felicitas Rauch (INT), Natalia Staude, Ryan Williams 
  • Midfielders (9):  Riley Jackson, Shinomi Koyama (INT), Denise O’Sullivan, Victoria Pickett, Brianna Pinto, Ashley Sanchez, Jaedyn Shaw, Meredith Speck, Dani Weatherholt 
  • Forwards (8): Hannah Betfort, Aline Gomes (INT), Haley Hopkins, Tyler Lussi, Manaka Matsukubo (INT), Bianca St-Georges, Cortnee Vine (INT), Olivia Wingate

Out On Loan:

  • Goalkeepers (0): n/a
  • Defenders (0): n/a
  • Midfielders (0): n/a
  • Forwards (0): n/a

Non-Roster Invitees:

Source: “NC Courage announces preseason roster” (27-Jan-2025)

Portland Thorns

Signed:

  • Goalkeepers (2): Mackenzie Arnold (INT), Bella Bixby
  • Defenders (8): Daiane (INT), Sam Hiatt, Mallie McKenzie, Marie Müller (INT), Nicole Payne, Jayden Perry, Isabella Obaze (INT), Reyna Reyes
  • Midfielders (6): Sam Coffey, Jessie Fleming (INT), Sophie Hirst, Olivia Moultrie, Hina Sugita (INT), Olivia Wade-Katoa
  • Forwards (7): Deyna Castellanos (INT),  Payton Linnehan, Sophia Smith, Alexa Spaanstra, Pietra Tordin, Reilyn Turner, Morgan Weaver

Out On Loan:

  • Goalkeepers (0): n/a
  • Defenders (0): n/a
  • Midfielders (0): n/a
  • Forwards (0): n/a

Non-Roster Invitees:

Source: “Thorns Announce 2025 NWSL Preseason Roster” (27-Jan-2025)

Earlier Roster Releases

For additional preseason rosters, see