NWSL Players – Page 5 – Women's Soccer Express

NWSL News of Note: Becki Tweed out as Angel City head coach, Dash hire Angela Hucles Mangano, Red Stars sign Halle Mackiewicz, Bay FC re-signs three rookies

Leading the notables from Monday, December 9th are the news that Becki Tweed is no longer Angel City’s head coach and former Angel City general manager Angela Hucles Mangano is now the President of Women’s Soccer for the Houston Dash.

In player news, the Chicago Red Stars have signed former Clemson goalkeeper Halle Mackiewicz. She returns to the States after playing her rookie pro season in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan.

Also, Bay FC re-signed three first-year professionals: Goalkeeper Emmie Allen plus midfielders Caroline Conti and Jamie Shepherd.

NWSL News of Note: Nichelle Prince extends with KC, Dash re-sign Avery Patterson and Kiki Van Zanten, Elin Rubensson departs Dash

In this end-of-the-week edition of NWSL News of Note…

The Kansas City Current have signed forward Nichelle Prince to a new two-year contract that should keep the Canadian international in teal through at least the 2026 NWSL season.
The Houston Dash, which is currently without both a head coach and a non-interim general manager, have retained two rookie players via new contracts: Defender/midfielder Avery Patterson and midfielder Kiki Van Zanten.
However, the Dash will not have the services of Swedish international midfielder Elin Rubensson, who departs Houston after one season.

NWSL News of Note: Free Agency Moves — Delanie Sheehan to Dash, Madison Curry to Reign, Maitane López to Red Stars, Sam Hiatt to Portland, Madison Ayson signs with Canberra

Leading the free agency moves for the first week of December is midfielder Delanie Sheehan signing with the Houston Dash after being a regular starter for Gotham FC since May 2023. Gotham also lost a second midfielder this week, Maitane López, who switched over to the Chicago Red Stars, as well as a defender, Sam Hiatt, who is now a Portland Thorns player.

Defender Madison Curry, a regular starter for Angel City this year as a rookie, has signed a three-year contract with the Seattle Reign.

Additionally, rookie defender Madison Ayson, who was on the Houston Dash roster this season, but only saw limited minutes, signed with Canberra United at the end of November.

NWSL News of Note, Players Edition: Claire Emslie, Penelope Hocking, Maddie Moreau, Hanna Glas, and Hannah Stambaugh all extend; Carrie Lawrence retires; Ouleye Sarr on SEI List

In November, Scottish forward Claire Emslie extended with Angel City for two more season, while Bay FC re-signed forward Penelope Hocking and rookie defender Maddie Moreau. Meanwhile, the Seattle Reign have secured Swedish defender Hanna Glas for at least another year.

Also, earlier this week, Angel City signed goalkeeper Hannah Stambaugh to a new one-year contract.

Just before Thanksgiving, the Washington Spirit placed French forward Ouleye Sarr on the season-ending injury list for a back injury suffered in September.

Additionally, based on an Instagram message by Annaïg Butel, it appears that the French defender will not return to the Washington Spirit for the 2025 season.

Note: Free agency moves will be covered in a separate post that should be published sometime this weekend.

NWSL News of Note: Angel City’s new training facility, Current upgrade Caitlin Carducci to GM, Courage’s Cortnee Vine on mental health break

This week, Angel City announced that they will move “next door” into a training facility recently vacated by the Los Angeles Rams. The to-be-renovated facility is expected to be ready ahead of the 2025 NWSL preseason.

Also, the Kansas City Current’s interim general manager Caitlin Carducci is “interim” no more after a title upgrade on Wednesday.

Finally, Australian international Cortnee Vine is “taking some time off” to prioritize her mental health.

NWSL News of Note: Trinity Byars signed by Wave, Jess Fishlock and Ryan Williams extend, Celia Jiménez Delgado to retire, Rafaelle on SEI List

Leading the notables from the past week is the San Diego Wave’s signing of Texas forward Trinity Byars, who was a standout player for both the Longhorns and the USA’s U-20 WYNT.

Meanwhile, two key players for their teams, midfielder Jess Fishlock of the Seattle Reign and defender Ryan Williams of the North Carolina Courage, are extending their stays in the NWSL. Also, the Orlando Pride’s Celia Jiménez Delgado has announced that she will retire after the conclusion of the playoffs.

Additionally, the Brazilian international Rafaelle was placed on the season-ending injury list by the Orlando Pride due to a “partial tear” of a tendon in her right thigh, and Houston Dash back-up goalkeeper Heather Hinz has been loaned to Fort Lauderdale United of the USL Super League for the NWSL off-season.

Finally, some good news: Brazilian midfielder Luana, whose first season in the NWSL was cut short by a cancer diagnosis, completed a series of chemotherapy treatments for Hodgkin’s lymphoma in October and has had follow-up tests which show no evidence of the disease.

NWSL News of Note: Chicago Red Stars rebrand; Leroux, DiBernardo, McNabb, and Brown extend; Lacasse and Ordóñez on SEI List; Montefusco retires

Among the notables that happened during the international break…

The Chicago Red Stars drop “Red” from the club’s name and introduced a new crest.
Four players signed new contracts: Sydney Leroux of Angel City, Vanessa DiBernardo of the Kansas City Current, Kristen McNabb of the San Diego Wave, and Ryanne Brown of the Seattle Reign.
Also, Megan Montefusco (née Oyster) of the Orlando Pride officially announced her retirement. Montefusco was twice capped by the senior USWNT.
Two players, Cloé Lacasse (ACL/meniscus) of the Utah Royals and the Houston Dash’s Diana Ordóñez (shoulder surgery) were moved to the Season-Ending Injury List.
In coaching news, Utah Royals interim head coach Jimmy Coenraets is no longer “interim” after signing a two-year contract.
The NWSL Disciplinary Committee announced additional match suspensions for Chicago Red Stars forward Ludmila and Washington Spirit forward Rosemonde Kouassi.

Additionally, the league announced that Grammy-winner Melissa Etheridge will be performing the National Anthem at the 2024 NWSL Championship in Kansas City, Missouri.

NWSL News of Note: Merritt Mathias and Desiree Scott announces retirement, Alexa Spaanstra and Shae Holmes extend, Wave sale completed, Expansion update

This week, two long-time NWSL players, who both played in the NWSL’s inaugural season, Angel City defender Merritt Mathias and Kansas City Current midfielder Desiree Scott, announced their retirements.

Meanwhile, three players —Portland Thorns forward Alexa Spaanstra, Seattle Reign center-back Shae Holmes, and Orlando Pride forward Summer Yates — are set to stay in the NWSL through the 2026 season.

Also, Racing Louisville back-up goalkeeper Olivia Sekany has been loaned to the Brisbane Roar of the A-League until early March 2025.

In team news, the sale of the San Diego Wave from Ron Burkle to the family of Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine has been completed.

Regarding expansion, an article from Sports Business Journal has added Nashville and Philadelphia to the list of known bids in the hunt for the second 2026 expansion franchise.

Finally, the Red Stars are not the only professional soccer team in Chicago looking to build a new soccer-specific stadium.

NWSL News of Note: Dash sign U-18 midfielder Zoe Matthews, Olivia Wade-Katoa on SEI List, Bay FC sign midfielder Catherine Paulson

Friday’s notables all involve midfielders:

The Houston Dash signed 6’2″ midfielder Zoe Matthews under the U18 Entry Mechanism. Matthews is eligible to play for both Jamaica and the USA.
The Portland Thorns placed rookie midfielder Olivia Wade-Katoa is out for the rest of the season and will undergo knee surgery.
Bay FC signed Catherine Paulson for the remainder of the season. Paulson had been a National Team Replacement Player during Savy King’s absence.

NWSL News of Note: Andi Sullivan out with torn ACL, Frankie Tagliaferri leaves Royals, New role for Karina LeBlanc, Cleveland rumors

This week, the Washington Spirit placed midfielder Andi Sullivan on the season-ending injury list after she suffered a torn ACL in the Spirit’s match last Sunday against the Orlando Pride. In other player news, midfielder Frankie Tagliaferri is no longer with the Utah Royals.

Also, Portland Thorns general manager Karina LeBlanc will transition to a new position with RAJ Sports, which owns both the Portland Thorns as well as Portland’s new WNBA franchise.

Additionally, on Wednesday, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman visited Cleveland, meeting with the Cleveland Pro Soccer organization and local leaders.