NWSL Players – Page 3 – Women's Soccer Express

NWSL News of Note: Christen Press re-ups with Angel City, Dash acquire Abby Smith from Gotham, Courage signs Hannah Betfort, Racing signs Nebraska’s Sarah Weber, Pride trades international spot to Spirit

Leading the notables for Friday, January 17th, is the news that forward Christen Press will return to the NWSL and Angel City for at least one more season.

In other player news…

Gotham FC trades goalkeeper Abby Smith to the Houston Dash for $20,000 in intra-league transfer funds.
The North Carolina Courage signs free agent forward Hannah Betfort through 2026 with a mutual option for 2027.
Racing Louisville signs senior Nebraska forward Sarah Weber via a two-year contract.

Additionally, the Washington Spirit have room for another international signing after acquiring an international slot from the Orlando Pride.

NWSL News of Note: Wave signs UNC’s Trinity Armstrong, Racing adds Duke’s Ella Hase, Pride loans out Mariana Larroquette, Gotham revamps website

Leading the notables for Thursday is the signing of 17-year-old center-back Trinity Armstrong by the San Diego Wave. Armstrong was a stalwart defender in her one season for the University of North Carolina and for the USA’s squad at 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.

Also on Thursday, Racing Louisville announced the signing of another rookie: Outside-back Ella Hase, who had a breakout season at Duke after four years at Northwestern, where she also played forward.

In other player news, the Orlando Pride have loaned Argentine midfielder Mariana Larroquette to Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina.

Additionally, Gotham FC has updated its website, which has greatly improved access to its news archive.

NWSL News of Note: Angel City hires Mark Parsons, Chicago signs Manaka Hayashi, Wave acquires Gia Corley, Courage confirm Kerolin free agency, Brecken Mozingo extended by Utah

Leading the notables for the first day of the 2025 preseason window is an Angel City front office signing: Mark Parsons, who has over nine years of head coaching experience in the NWSL, has been named the club’s new general manager.

In player news…

The Chicago Stars signed Santa Clara midfielder and Japanese youth international Manaka Hayashi through 2027.
The San Diego Wave acquired midfielder Gia Corley from TSG Hoffenheim on a two-year contract.
On social media, the North Carolina Courage confirmed that Brazilian forward Kerolin is pursuing free agency.
In its preseason roster announcement, the Utah Royals revealed that the 2026 option on Brecken Mozingo’s contract has been exercised.

NWSL: 2025 Preseason Rosters, Part 1 — Kansas City Current, Seattle Reign, and Utah Royals

With the 2025 preseason window now underway, three National Women’s Soccer League clubs published their initial preseason rosters: The Kansas City Current, the Seattle Reign, and the Utah Royals.

Each of the three clubs has invited at least a few non-rostered players. Among the Currents invitees is goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, who won the Golden Glove at the 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup and is an official 2025 commit for Florida State.

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

NWSL News of Note: Jaedyn Shaw traded to Courage; Lauren Barnes re-signs with Reign; Chicago drops “Red”, keeps Sarah Griffith; Pride sends Sofia Manner to Toronto

Leading Tuesday’s notables is a big one: United States Women’s National Team attacker Jaedyn Shaw has been traded from the San Diego Wave to the North Carolina Courage.

In other player news…

With the re-signing of defender Lauren Barnes, the Seattle Reign have retained a second NWSL original for the 2025 season.
Forward Sarah Griffith has signed a half-season contract with the Chicago Stars.
The Orlando Pride have traded backup goalkeeper Sofia Manner to AFC Toronto of the Northern Super League.

Also, the Chicago Stars transitioned to its new name on Tuesday, with updates to its social media branding and its website, which is now at chicagostars.com.

NWSL News of Note: Orlando signs Wake Forest’s Zara Chavoshi, Spirit acquire Brazilian Tamara Bolt, Wave acquire Nigerian Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, Reign re-sign Maddie Mercado

With the Utah Royals getting their own NWSL News of Note special edition, here are the other notables from elsewhere in the league:

Wake Forest defender Zara Chavoshi, who appeared in the 2022 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup for Canada, has been signed to a one-year deal by the Orlando Pride.
The Washington Spirit have acquired relative unknown Tamara Bolt via a transfer from Brazilian club SC Internacional.
19-year-old Nigerian striker Chiamaka Okwuchukwu was signed by the San Diego Wave via a transfer.
The Seattle Reign have retained midfielder Maddie Mercado, who was a free agent after her 2024 rookie season.

NWSL News of Note, Utah Royals Edition: Tatumn Milazzo and Aisha Solórzano signed, Ana María Guzmán joins on loan, Michele Vasconcelos and Agnes Nyberg released

On Monday, the Utah Royals announced the signing of two players, free agent Tatumn Milazzo, most recently of the Chicago Red Stars, and, via a transfer, Club Tijuana forward Aisha Solórzano, who is a Guatemalan international with five years of NAIA soccer experience.

Also on Monday, the club announced the departures of veteran forward Michelle Vasconcelos and Swedish midfielder Agnes Nyberg.

Last Friday, the Royals revealed the signing of 19-year-old Colombian international outside-back Ana María Guzmán on a one season loan from Bayern Munich.

NWSL News of Note: 11 Rookie signings during first full week of 2025

Last week, six teams announced the signing of 11 rookies for the 2025 NWSL season. All of these announced rookies played NCAA Division I soccer during the 2024 season.

Among the signings are four players who will be attending U.S. Soccer’s upcoming Futures Camp, which is a hybrid U-23 camp: Maddie Dahlien (Seattle Reign), Taylor Huff (Bay FC), Emily Mason (Seattle Reign), and Pietra Tordin (Portland Thorns). The speedy Dahlien and the deft Tordin were both key members of the USA’s squad at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup that finished third.

Other freshly-signed rookies with significant United States youth national team experience are forward Mary Long and defender Katie Scott who are now Kansas City Current players. Both Long and Scott were members of the USA’s 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup squad which finished third as well.

Kansas City signed also signed goalkeeper Claire Gagne who won a national title with the North Carolina Tar Heels last year after three undergraduate seasons at Brown.

Pitt’s Deborah Abiodun, who was signed by the Washington Spirit, has already been capped by the senior Nigeria Women’s National Team and played in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Spirit also signed San Diego State forward Emma Gaines-Ramos.

Additionally, Gotham FC signed University of Minnesota forward Khyah Harper and UCLA/Stanford goalkeeper Ryan Campbell.

NWSL News of Note, Extensions Edition: Marta, Tara McKeown, Mandy McGlynn, Paige Monaghan, Manaka Matsukubo, Marisa Bova, and Jordyn Bloomer all extend

During the first full week of 2025, several NWSL players signed new contracts with their respective clubs.

Leading the signings is Brazilian legend Marta, who inked a new two-year deal that should keep her with the Orlando Pride through the 2026 season.

The Washington Spirit’s converted center-back Tara McKeown has been mutually optioned for the 2028 season. Meanwhile, Utah Royals goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn is now under contract through the 2029 NWSL season.

McGlynn’s Royals teammate, forward Paige Monaghan, re-signed through the 2027 season.

Japanese forward/midfielder Manaka Matsukubo signed a new contract with the North Carolina Courage that should keeper in the NWSL through the 2026 season.

Additionally, backup goalkeepers Marisa Bova of the North Carolina Courage and Jordyn Bloomer of Racing Louisville signed extensions through 2027 and 2026, respectively.

NWSL News of Note: Gotham signs UCLA’s Lilly Reale, Dash hire Fabrice Gautrat as head coach, Arin Wright re-ups with Racing, Emily Van Egmond departs Wave, Denver “secures NWSL team” per Sportico

Leading the notables for the first days of 2025 is Gotham’s signing of UCLA center-back Lilly Reale, who is the current Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year.

In other player news, Arin Wright is set to stay with Racing Louisville for at least two more seasons. Meanwhile, Australian international Emily van Egmond leaves the San Diego Wave a year early via a “mutual” departure.

In coaching news, the Houston Dash finally have a permanent head coach: Fabrice Gautrat, who was an assistant coach with the North Carolina Courage and, before that, the Chicago Red Stars.

Additionally, on Thursday, Sportico reported that the Denver bid group for the second 2026 expansion team had “secured” an NWSL franchise and made its first expansion fee payment.