NWSL News of Note, Internal Moves: Courage trade Haley Hopkins to Current, Yazmeen Ryan inks new deal with Dash, Kelli Hubly joins Bay FC

Leading the intra-NWSL notables for the end of January is the trade of forward Haley Hopkins from the North Carolina Courage to the Kansas City Current.

Meanwhile, United States Women’s National Team forward Yazmeen Ryan has signed a new contract that should keep her with the Houston Dash through the 2027 NWSL season.

In free agency news, center-back Kelli Hubly, who had spent the previous eight years with the Portland Thorns, is staying on the West Coast after signing a two-year deal with Bay FC.

Additionally, the San Diego Wave and Gotham FC both announced the hiring of assistant coaches.

For more recent transactions see…

Trade: North Carolina Courage sends forward Haley Hopkins to the Kansas City Current

Last Thursday, the Courage and the Current announced that Haley Hopkins, who spent her first pro seasons in North Carolina, is moving to Kansas City for the 2025 NWSL season. In exchange, the Current sent $50,000 in intra-league transfer funds to the Courage. (Current press release, Courage press release)

In 2024, the 5’10” Hopkins (NWSL profile) saw 1471 minutes of action across 23 regular season matches and one playoff match, more than tripling her playing time from her rookie season (453 minutes; 13 regular season matches, 1 playoff match).

During the 2024 regular season, Hopkins netted 3 goals and had one assists.

Hopkins’s existing NWSL contract expires at the end of this season (March 2023 press release).

Before turning pro, Hopkins played 5 full seasons of collegiate soccer, first at Vanderbilt (player profile) and then at Virginia (player profile). Across 104 matches, she tallied 56 goals and registered 26 assists.

In 2019, Hopkins was called into the U-23 USWYNT for the Thorns Preseason Tournament.

Houston Dash: Yazmeen Ryan signs new contract, extends through 2027

Last Friday, the Houston Dash announced that United States Women’s National Team forward Yazmeen Ryan has a new contract that should keep her in H-Town through the 2027 NWSL season.

Ryan joined the Dash in December 2024 via a record intra-NWSL transfer from Gotham FC. Her existing contract was through the 2025 season and had an unspecified option for 2026 (February 2023 press release).

Friday’s press release described the deal as “a three-year contract extension”, which should mean the 2028 season, but the press release specified the “2027 NWSL season”. The likely interpretation is that the contract is for three years and has new terms (e.g. a higher salary for 2025) that supersede the previous contract.

Free Agency: Kelli Hubly joins Bay FC via two-year contract

After eight years in Portland, center-back Kelli Hubly is set to play the next two in the Bay Area. Last Friday, Bay FC announced that Hubly had been signed through the 2026 NWSL season (press release).

The trade reunites the 5’9″ Hubly with center-back Emily Menges, who was a long-time Portland Thorns player until her trade to Bay FC in December 2023 (press release).

In 2024, Hubly appeared in 20 regular season matches, starting all but one and registering two assists. (NWSL profile)

Hubly joined the Thorns in 2017, initially as a National Team Replacement Player. For the 2018 and 2022 seasons, she earned Iron Woman status, playing every minute of every regular season match for the Thorns. Hubly also played the full 90 in both of Portland’s playoff matches in 2022, helping the Thorns to their most recent NWSL Championship.

Before turning pro, Hubly played NCAA soccer at Kentucky for two seasons and DePaul for one season. (Kentucky profile, DePaul profile)

Hubly had at least five United States youth national team call-ups across the U-18 and U-15 levels.

Quick Notes

San Diego Wave — On Friday (press release), the club announced a trio of appointments to Jonas Eidevall’s coaching staff:

  • Becki Tweed, assistant coach: Tweed was Angel City’s head coach prior to her dismissal after the 2024 NWSL season. She was seen in an Instagram video posted by the Wave on January 22nd.
  • Jack Jensen, assistant coach: Jensen was head coach of FC Rosengård prior to Jonas Eidevall’s second tenure with that club.
  • Kenneth Mattsson, head goalkeeper coach: At FC Rosengård, Mattsson served under both Eidevall and Jensen.

Gotham FC: The recently retired Michelle Betos was named assistant goalkeepers coach. Gotham’s press release also noted that Betos “will be playing a role in the culture and mental performance side of the club.”

Gotham FC: On Sunday, March 2nd, Gotham will play a preseason friendly against the Tampa Bay Sun of the USL Super League. (Tampa press release)

San Diego Wave: Last week, the San Diego Union-Tribune published an article discussing Snapdragon Stadium’s grass turf situation.

  • A Latitude 36 sod field was laid down last week. Latitude 36 is used by BMO Stadium, the home of Angel City FC.
  • Although new Major League Soccer club San Diego FC will now be adding 19 home matches, the San Diego Legion rugby team has moved to Torero Stadium, resulting in a net increase of 11 matches.
  • Grow lights have been purchased and are expected to arrive in March.
  • Drainage issues were not discussed in the article.