Tag: NWSL

Pay Increases Good Sign for Growth of NWSL

Posted on by RJ Allen

In a week full of breakthroughs in the fight for equality in women’s sports around the globe, news that included the US Women’s Hockey team succesfully negotiating a new contract, the Irish Women’s National Soccer team taking a stand for better treatment, and brand new CBA for the USWNT, the National Women’s Soccer League released some good news of their own. The premiere league for women’s soccer, often considered the best professional league in the world, has once again stepped up their game when it comes to paying the players that make the league so fun to watch. Jeff Kassouf of Four Four Two reported that the minimum salary has been raised to a $15,000, a number that marks a significant increase when considering the historical minimums.

While still a very low number for a professional athlete, the increase from $7,200 should not be discounted. This shows that the NWSL has taken the concerns about the lower range of their pay scale seriously, albeit in small steps. Most importantly, it is a significantly larger increase from 2016 to 2017 than any other year to date. From 2013 to 2016 the minimum salary rose a total of $1,200, compared to the $7,800 increase this season. This is great news for the rank and file of the NWSL, who should all see their compensation raised this year.

Meanwhile, the maximum pay rate was also raised, but at a much lower rate than the minimum. While many may argue that the big names should get a comparable pay raise to the lower players, the reasoning for the smaller increase can be found in the salary cap for this year.

The NWSL has always been about keeping the overhead for the league low enough to be sustainable, something that has undoubtedly contributed to its survival into the fifth season where all other professional leagues in the USA have failed. The conservative salary cap increase reinforces this philosophy. It also means that for the minimum pay to receive such a significant bump, the money had to come from somewhere.

Despite the continuing trends of conservatism in salaries, this news is very exciting for a couple of reasons. One, and I can’t stress this enough, it is nearly impossible to live for a year on $7,200. When these numbers came out last year, the general feeling was that the increase wasn’t nothing, but it also wasn’t sufficient. This increase in the minimum salary – while still not exactly a living wage for a full year – is much, much closer to being workable. If this trend of increasing the minimum salary so drastically continues, the lower players in the league could be looking at very respectable salaries within a few years.

Second, this means the league is growing and there is more money to go around. In light of the Lifetime deal, and the promise of better marketing and media league wide, fans can only expect much more growth in the next few years. The NWSL is on its way and I, for one, am very excited to see where it goes next.

Winning the Preseason: A How-To From Portland

Posted on by RJ Allen

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Tillamook Preseason Invitational hosted by the Portland Thorns. I will admit that I was going because, as a Houston Dash fan who lives in California, my opportunities to see my favorite team play in person are usually non-existent. And, I have to say, the tournament that Portland has put together was very enjoyable.

 

How It Usually Works

Preseason in the NWSL is usually a pretty chill affair. The teams get together for camps, post a lot of Snapchat and Instagram stories about all their training sessions, and play a few matches against college teams that often end in uneven score lines. There is excitement, there are promos galore, and there are chances to see all those new players the teams picked up … or are there?

Most of the teams travel to the colleges where they have scheduled matches. Besides making it difficult for a lot of fans to travel to see them, there is almost no marketing done around the games. There are no broadcasts, audio or visual, and at best, there are updates from the team’s intern on Twitter. Even highlights posted by the teams after the fact often look like they were taken on a cell phone.

Also, there is the issue of level of play. No offense to the NCAA game, because of course we rely on those teams to develop our league and National Team pool, but sometimes the scores of the games resemble the USWNT playing one of their smaller CONCACAF neighbors. For the league to grow, they need to start playing NWSL competition during the preseason. While it might be nice for the forwards of the NWSL teams to get a taste for goal, it doesn’t actually do that much to showcase what the teams will look like throughout the season.

 

Enter Portland’s Tournament

In 2016, Portland announced that it was doing something new with their preseason routine: they were going to hold a full tournament at Providence Park with four teams. Two of their opponents were NWSL teams (the Reign and the Dash), and one was a college team.

This caused a huge stir because up until then, playing NWSL competition in the preseason wasn’t considered an option. Who would come? But Portland, as Portland often does, pulled something off that would seem impossible to other teams. They held the tournament. They streamed the matches (at least the ones they played in). People came and watched.

After the tournament, the NWSL teams who participated gave rave reviews. The Thorns started the season without a loss until July. The Dash credited the tournament for a quick start, even though they later slowed up a bit. Even with the one match against the college team, the NWSL teams had a chance to play some of their real competition, and it benefited everyone involved.

 

Tillamook Spring Invitational, 2017

This year, Portland held their tournament again and in a way that only Portland can manage, it was even better. Instead of a college team, they got the United States U-23 team to sign up, bringing a whole other level to the competition. Now not only would fans get to see the three NWSL teams – this year the Dash and the Red Stars joined in – but they would also get to see up and coming players for the United States, getting a glimpse into the possible future of the National Team.

The level of play in the tournament was astounding. While it was clear that the three NWSL teams were trying out lineups throughout, all the matches remained competitive. When it came to finding a fourth, non-NWSL side to round out the tournament, the U-23s were a perfect pick. They provided an opponent that was the match, or more than the match of the NWSL teams. The only team to hold them scoreless were the Red Stars in Saturday’s 0-0 draw. Both the Dash and the Thorns conceded goals to the U-23s talented forwards, with the Dash coming back to win 2-1 in the last seconds of stoppage time on Sunday, and the Thorns losing 2-1 off of two scrappy late-match goals from Michelle Xiao and Sophia Smith on Wednesday. It was clear that the U-23s were not there to be out-played by professional teams, they were they to sharpen them. It was incredibly fun to watch, and it gave many the chance to see some of the bright young talent coming up through the Youth National Team system.

The games between the NWSL teams were equally competitive. The Dash and the Red Stars both had their spectacular moments and somewhat painful preseason mistakes through the week, but the games they played against the U-23s and each other felt like regular season play. The intensity was there and the focus was there. This went double for the Thorns, boosted by their home crowd. All of their matches were intense, but the last match of the tournament, against the Dash felt as intense as any playoff match (especially compared to your average preseason match). The Thorns played high-energy soccer every minute of the tournament, and it was clear that Mark Parson’s side is ready to pick up where they left off with their regular season dominance… after they fix some of the defensive miscues that led to their own mixed record. In fact, the record of every team at the tournament was 1-1-1, showing how evenly matched each of the sides were.

Then there was the crowd. Say what you will about the Thorns and their team, but no one can deny that their fans are dedicated. People showed up for these matches, even the one on Wednesday. The Thorns used the schedule to their advantage, as was their right, playing the second match of every double-header. The crowd for the non-Thorns matches was light – to the point where I listened to the video highlights from the first Dash match and picked my cheering out of the background. But for the Thorns matches, it was electric. Not sellouts like the regular season, but still more people than most NWSL teams have seating capacity for.

The announced numbers were around 6,000 for the first two matches, and 8,000 for the final one which was on a Saturday night. At each Thorns match, I could have sworn there were a few thousand more from sound alone. The Rose City Riveters, for one, made no distinction between preseason and regular season.

 

Takeaways

When it comes to making the most of your preseason, I fully believe that the Thorns have found a winning solution. Not only was the level of play far above what you get in your average match against a college side – allowing for more organic looks at players battling for roster spots – but the side-benefits are significant. Portland got the chance to promote their team on their home turf well before the season started, which from the conversations I heard around me, included a lot of people who were new to the league and the game. They also got the chance to sell extra merchandise. They got a chance to show why they consistently pull attendance numbers in the regular season that screw with the curve.

If this tournament was expanded, or similar tournaments held throughout the league, it could turn into a step towards being a more professional league. As more teams join in the next few years and the variety of competition and level of play continues to rise, they will need to find a better preseason solution that playing the local colleges.

The marketing benefits are not to be overlooked as well. I’ve written before about how the NWSL as a whole, and especially specific teams, need to step up their marketing game; this is a very useful strategy to do that. There are plenty of teams that could benefit from an extra opportunity to reach out to their local fan-base and sell the experience. If the matches are streamed to increase accessibility, this also helps. It gives media plenty to write about, it gives fans a glimpse of new rosters and a chance to get excited.

Even as a visitor to the city, the stadium, and a loud fan of one of the opposing teams, I could see how Portland is one of the premier soccer cities. It was the highlight of my year so far, and not just because I finally got to see the Dash from the stands instead of a screen. The whole experience was a treat. It’s far past time for other NWSL teams to start working up to that level.

U.S. Soccer Announces NWSL Allocations for 2017

Posted on by RJ Allen

After yesterday’s exciting news that a new 5-year CBA agreement had been reached, the USSF followed today with the names of those players to be allocated in the NWSL this season. 22 players across nine teams in the league will have their salary paid for by US Soccer, an arrangement that benefits both sides as players are able to continue playing competitively outside of their National Team duties and teams are able to feature players they might otherwise be unable to afford in a league where the minimum salary is still below $20,000.

Boston Breakers

After the loss of Whitney Engen, their sole US player from last year, fans weren’t sure who would be allocated to the team in 2017. But when Rose Lavelle was selected first overall in the 2017 NWSL College Draft earlier this year, it was a pretty sure bet that the rookie, who already has two caps at the senior level, would find her name on the list.

 

Chicago Red Stars

It’s no surprise to us here at Backline Soccer to see defender Casey Short’s name on this list. The newly allocated player has earned several caps on the senior team during the off-season. Her performance on Chicago’s backline in the 2016 season earned her a well-deserved call-up to the USWNT and she’s continued to put in her Chicago-style work ethic to the test on the international stage.

Other allocated players (no surprises here) are defender Julie Ertz (nee Johnston), goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and forward Christen Press.

https://twitter.com/chicagoredstars/status/850003520153681920

 

FC Kansas City

FCKC’s three allocated players include recently returned Amy Rodriguez and Sydney Leroux in addition to one of our favorites, Becky Sauerbrunn. Leroux and Rodriguez took a year off from the USWNT to give birth to their sons and once back in form, we expect them to slip right back into the US’s attack.

 

Houston Dash

Carli Lloyd and Morgan Brian make up the US allocations for the Houston Dash, and with good reason. The two make up key pieces of the USWNT’s midfield, and Lloyd is a formidable element in the attack. Even with Lloyd over helping the FAWSL’s Manchester City in their quest to win this year’s UEFA Champion’s League and Brian recovering from a minor injury that’ll keep her from the Russian friendlies this month, the Houston Dash look to make their name in the table this season, and these two will be big contributors in that drive.

 

NC Courage

In the Courage’s inaugural season, midfielder Samantha Mewis and forward, and last year’s NWSL Golden Boot winner, Lynn Williams, have been allocated. Mewis has been a steady contributor to the team since her first cap at the 2014 Algarve Cup, and was one of Western New York Flash’s allocations for the 2016 season. Williams is newly allocated after her stellar 2016 season earned her a call-up to the USWNT, where she’s notched two goals in seven appearances.

 

Orlando Pride

In their second season, the Pride have been allocated some of the USWNT’s best defensive and offensive players. Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris and defender Ali Krieger have a long and successful history on the backline together, playing at the international and league level, and Orlando’s backline will be a tough one to crack with those two directing the defense. And Alex Morgan may be away in France on a temporary loan to Olympique Lyonnais, but the long-time USWNT forward scored four goals in fifteen appearances for the Pride last season and will be in prime shape to net even more in 2017.

 

Portland Thorns

The Portland Thorns once again lead the list with five allocated players. Between defenders Emily Sonnett and Meghan Klingenberg, and midfielders Tobin Heath, Allie Long, and Lindsey Horan, Mark Parsons’ powerhouse should be a contender for the Shield again this season, especially considering that the allocated players won’t be absent for large chunks of the season due to National Team duties.  If they can all stay healthy, the Thorns should be right up there at the end of the season, making a play for the Championship.

 

Seattle Reign

For the first time in their history, the Seattle Reign have only one allocated player from the US. But considering that player is Megan Rapinoe, they’re probably just fine with that. Back to full-strength this season after an injury suffered on National Team duty, and then the trip to Rio, kept her off the Memorial Stadium pitch for most of 2016, the Reign will be eager get Rapinoe back in their mix and work their way back up the table after last year’s disappointing absence from the post-season.

 

Sky Blue FC

Kelley O’Hara is this year’s lone allocation from the USWNT in the Sky Blue kit. The forward-turned-defender has been converted back to the attack this season by coach Christy Holly, and so it might almost seem there are two O’Haras in the world of WOSO at the moment–the USWNT’s #5 defender and Sky Blue’s #19 forward. But no matter who she’s playing for or in what position, it’s always exciting to watch O’Hara on the pitch.

 

Washington Spirit

Maybe you’ve noticed that the Washington Spirit didn’t tweet out any allocation news this morning? For the first time in their NWSL history, the Spirit don’t have any players allocated to their roster. They lost one in 2015 when Ashlyn Harris was traded to the Orlando Pride in the Expansion Draft, and then two just this past off-season, when owner Bill Lynch and coach Jim Gabarra traded Ali Krieger to Orlando in exchange for a higher position in the distribution ranking order, and forward Crystal Dunn announced she’d signed with the FAWSL’s Chelsea Ladies. After their franchise-history making season, and a heart-breaking loss at the Championship match in Houston, the Spirit are putting all their eggs in new talent acquired through the 2017 Draft or off-season trades. And, it could pay off. At the very least, their season will give us all a look at some potential future USWNT call-ups if their performance on the pitch grabs our attention.

Around the World of WoSo: NWSL TV details, Mittag to Sweden

Posted on by RJ Allen

Mittag on the move:

German international Anja Mittag has announced she will be returning to Sweden’s FC Rosengard this season. The-31 year-old striker is familiar with the club, having played for them from 2012-2015. She will leave Wolfsburg behind after just one season, and played her final game for the German powerhouse in the Champions League last week, losing to Lyon in the quarterfinals round.

Mittag appeared 68 times for FC Rosengard during her last tenure there, scoring a remarkable 61 times. After leaving Sweden in 2015, Mittag went on to play for Paris Saint-Germain for one year, playing in 18 games and contributing 10 goals, before returning to Germany to join Wolfsburg.

Mittag joins a squad that is filled with international playmakers, including Ali Riley (New Zealand), Erin McLeod (Canada), Lotta Schelin (Sweden), Lieke Martens (Netherlands), and Sofie Junge Pedersen (Denmark).

 

Reign sign Katie Johnson:

The Seattle Reign have officially welcomed Katie Johnson to the family. The dynamic forward was selected in the second round of the 2017 College Draft, eager to acquire the kind of player who always seems to find a way to score goals. Johnson is explosive in open spaces, and her finishing skill alone is appealing for the average soccer fan. In her last match as a senior she scored two goals for USC, going on to win the National Championship against West Virginia. Across her total collegiate career, she netted 24 goals and six assists.

The Reign lost two key pieces of the scoring puzzle in Kim Little and Manon Melis in the off-season, so bringing in a young talent like Johnson was a no-brainer. Even with a roster that has Bev Yanez, Nahomi Kawasumi, Megan Rapinoe, and Larissa Crummer, I still think Johnson has a shot at earning quality minutes this season.

 

USWNT trio out with injuries:

The United States Women’s National team will be without three midfielders for the two matches with Russia on April 6th and 9th later this week. Tobin Heath is ruled out with a back injury, Morgan Brian has a minor knee injury, and Lindsey Horan is dealing with a hip-flexor strain.

Heath is one of the key veterans on the team, appearing 131 times and has 18 goals. Two things the 28 year-old veteran loves to do is to create plays and distribute the ball, giving her teammates as many opportunities as possible. Brian has slowly become an important piece as well, already appearing 66 times and has six goals. Horan arrived on the scene first in 2013, and has appeared 33 times while scoring three goals.

 

Shim and Daly go the distance:

Over the weekend, the Portland Thorns held a pre-season tournament at Providence Park, consisting of the Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash and the United States U-23 team.

In the finale between Portland and Houston, two players were equally responsible for securing their respective teams point in the 1-1 draw on Saturday. The first strike ordered was by Thorns midfielder Mana Shim in the 17th minute. She had a small window of space on the left of the 18-yard box and Shim just let it fly, ripping a left-footed shot that flew past Dash keeper Lydia Williams for the opening goal. While Williams did manage to get a slight hand on it, there was just no saving this ball. It was a spectacular effort and finish.

Next up was Rachel Daly’s turn. The England international and Dash forward got a hold of the ball in the 76th minute to run at the back four of Portland. She started on the left but drifted towards the middle and from just over 20 yards out, Daly unleashed a shot. Thorns’ keeper Britt Eckerstrom had no chance to save this shot either. It was the kind of goal you can watch over and over again and not get tired of, that’s how special it was. Not too shabby for a preseason game.

 

Lotzen goes down:

Bayern Munich forward Lena Lotzen tore her ACL during the Paris Saint-Germain Champions League match. Lotzen is unfortunately no stranger to injuries in her career, in 2014 she tore her ACL and then in 2015 tore her meniscus in the same knee. The 23-year-old has played for Bayern since 2010 and has made 70 appearances while scoring 23 goals. At the National team level, Lotzen has played in 25 games and netted nine goals for Germany.

Each time, Lotzen managed to make a comeback and is still young and has been playing at a very high level since she was 16. I hope she can continue to prolong her career and make another strong comeback.

 

NWSL releases TV schedule:

After patiently waiting and wondering, the people have gotten what they want. The National Women’s Soccer League has finally released the TV schedule, two weeks before the fifth season kicks off. The details regarding who will be calling the action were also included in the same release.

The schedule has 22 regular season matches every Saturday as well as playoff and championship coverage in the fall. The first televised game on Lifetime will be the Portland Thorns hosting the Orlando Pride at Providence Park at 4 pm. The reigning champions NC Courage will play their first televised game against FC Kansas City on June 3rd at Sahlen’s Stadium (formerly WakeMed Soccer Park) in Cary, NC.

Details of the four members of the broadcast team have also been announced. Brought on to call the play-by-play is Jenn Hildreth. Fans might remember her from her coverage of the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada and or the NCAA DI Women’s National Championship as well. Former USWNT star Aly Wagner has been added as an Analyst. Wagner was also a member of the 2015 WWC reporting team and calls USWNT matches.

The last members of the team are Dalen Cuff, who will serve as a pre-game host and sideline reporter and Kate Markgraf, who will join him on the pre-game coverage and also contribute as an analyst. Cuff covered the 2016 Rio Olympics when he represented NBC Sports Network while Markgraf is known for her work during the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games for NBC.

We’ve Been Waiting a Lifetime for the Details: NWSL Releases Broadcast Details

Posted on by RJ Allen

Nearly two months after the initial announcement, the NWSL and Lifetime have finally released the details of their TV deal. 

During the 22-match regular season, Lifetime will broadcast one game a week on Saturday afternoons as well as the post-season–two semifinal matches and the championship. This deal exceeds the NWSL’s previous arrangement with Fox Sports in 2016, where six games in the last weeks of the regular season and the three post-season matchups were broadcast on their channels. 

The big news included in today’s release isn’t the number of matches being broadcast or the inclusion of the post-season but information regarding the talent who will be calling the Game of the Week matches. Lifetime has brought on Jenn Hildreth for the play-by-plays while former USWNT midfielder Aly Wagner will serve as analyst. Dalen Cuff will host the pregame show and be on the sidelines and Kate Markgraf will be available for select appearances. 

For those wondering about the streaming availability of the Saturday Game of the Week, Lifetime and the NWSL stated that:

“The NWSL Game of the Week on Lifetime will also be available for live and on-demand streaming via the Lifetime iOS and Android apps and online at MyLifetime.com. In addition, international fans outside of the United States can watch live and on-demand streaming of the Game of the Week via NWSLsoccer.com.”

One of the biggest worries coming out of the news for this deal was international fans ability to see games. This information seems as though it will help to relive that worry. However, no information about the streaming of any non-Game of the Week matches has been released yet.

The breakdown of which matches will be broadcast are, not surprisingly, almost exclusively taking place at stadiums that also host MLS or NASL teams. This is likely a cost-saving measure, as those stadiums are likely already equipped with the telecommunications infrastructure to produce and air broadcast-ready game content and media packages.  It will be interesting to see what effect this has on the non-affiliated teams in the league, whether it will inspire the upgrade of those stadiums not featured in the Lifetime coverage this season.

Home Team Games at Home
Seattle Reign FC 1
Sky Blue FC 1
Chicago Red Stars 3
Houston Dash 3
North Carolina Courage 4
Orlando Pride 5
Portland Thorns FC 5

As for who will be on TV as the home or away team? It’s a pretty lopsided split. 

Team

Total Game of the Week Appearances

Boston Breakers

1

FC Kansas City

1

Washington Spirit

3

Seattle Reign FC

4

Sky Blue FC

4

North Carolina Courage

5

Chicago Red Stars

6

Portland Thorns FC

6

Orlando Pride

7

Houston Dash

7

Below is the full schedule.

2017 NWSL Broadcast Schedule: (All times ET) 

Date Pregame Kickoff Home Team Visiting Team
Saturday, April 15, 2017 2:30 PM 3:00 PM Portland Thorns FC Orlando Pride
Saturday, April 22, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Orlando Pride Washington Spirit
Saturday, April 29, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Portland Thorns FC Chicago Red Stars
Saturday, May 06, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Chicago Red Stars Houston Dash
Saturday, May 13, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Houston Dash Sky Blue FC
Saturday, May 20, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Sky Blue FC Houston Dash
Saturday, May 27, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Houston Dash Seattle Reign FC
Saturday, June 03, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM North Carolina Courage FC Kansas City
Saturday, June 17, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Chicago Red Stars Washington Spirit
Saturday, June 24, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Orlando Pride Houston Dash
Saturday, July 01, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM North Carolina Courage Sky Blue FC
Saturday, July 08, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM North Carolina Courage Seattle Reign FC
Saturday, July 15, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Portland Thorns FC North Carolina Courage
Saturday, July 22, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Chicago Red Stars Orlando Pride
Saturday, August 05, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Portland Thorns FC Houston Dash
Saturday, August 12, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Orlando Pride Sky Blue FC
Saturday, August 19, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM North Carolina Courage Washington Spirit
Saturday, August 26, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Seattle Reign FC Portland Thorns FC
Saturday, September 02, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Orlando Pride Boston Breakers
Saturday, September 09, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Orlando Pride Seattle Reign FC
Saturday, September 23, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Houston Dash Chicago Red Stars
Saturday, September 30, 2017 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Portland Thorns FC Chicago Red Stars

 

 

Down to 25: NWSL Preseason Rosters Updated

Posted on by RJ Allen

Teams across the league released updated preseason rosters, cutting down from their 30+ player lists to just 25. Just an FYI if, like us, you find yourself counting names, a few teams will have more than 25 players listed, due to listing selected players as “Out of Market” or NYR (not-yet-returned) at the moment–these are players who have not reported for one reason or another. For example, Julie Ertz, nee Johnston, who is currently on her honeymoon, and Natasha Kai, who is recovering from a late-season injury.  Also, most teams still contain a number of players listed as NRI, or non-rostered invitee.

The date for final season rosters is still several weeks away, but already it’s clear how some teams are shaping up their squad in anticipation of the fifth season.

By April 10 the rosters must be between 18 and 20.

Boston Breakers

Did not release updated roster, currently at or under 25 players:

Goalkeepers (3): Sammy Jo Prudhomme, Abby Smith, Libby Stout

Defenders (7): Allysha Chapman (FP-CAN), Brooke Elby, Amanda Frisbie, Julie King, Megan Oyster, Kylie Strom, Christen Westphal

Midfielders (6): Morgan Andrews (Draft Pick), Amanda DaCosta, Rose Lavelle (Draft Pick), Angela Salem, Tiffany Weimer, Rosie White

Forwards (6): Hayley Dowd (Draft Pick), Natasha Dowie, Emilie Haavi, Adriana Leon (FP-CAN), Ifeoma Onumonu (Draft Pick), Margaret Purce (Draft Pick)

 

Chicago Red Stars

Goalkeepers (2): Michele Dalton, Alyssa Naeher (FP-USA)

Defenders (6): Arin Gilliland, Sarah Gorden, Samantha Johnson, Julie Ertz (FP-USA, Out-of-Market), Katie Naughton, Casey Short

Midfielders (11): Jackie Altschuld (NRI), Danielle Colaprico, Taylor Comeau, Vanessa DiBernardo, Sofia Huerta, Lauren Kaskie (Draft Pick), Mary Luba, Alyssa Mautz, Morgan Proffitt (Draft Pick), Courtney Raetzman, Brittany Ratcliffe (NRI)

Forwards (7): Jannelle Flaws (NRI), Summer Green, Jen Hoy, Simone Kolander (NRI), Stephanie McCaffrey, Christen Press (FP-USA), Cara Walls

 

Houston Dash

Did not release updated roster, currently at or under 25 players:

Goalkeepers (3): Jane Campbell (Draft Pick), Bianca Henniger, Lydia Williams

Defenders (9): Bruna Benites, Megan Crosson (NRI) Claire Falknor, Jaylyn Odermann (NRI), Stephanie Ochs, Cami Privett, Poliana, Cari Roccaro, Erin Smith (Draft Pick), Janine Van Wyk

Midfielders (7): Andressa, Morgan Brian (FP-USA), Amber Brooks, Anna Maria Gilbertson, Caity Heap, Carli Lloyd (FP-USA), Denise O’Sullivan

Forwards (6): Janine Beckie (FP-CAN), Rachel Daly, Melissa Henderson, Amber Munnerlyn (NRI), Kealia Ohai, Nichelle Prince (FP-CAN)

 

FC Kansas City

Goalkeepers (4): Nicole Barnhart, Kaela Little (NRI), Cat Parkhill, Danielle Rice (NRI)

Defenders (9): Alex Arlitt, Yael Averbuch, Rashida Beal (Draft Pick), Katie Bowen, Becca Moros, Toriana Patterson (NRI), Brianne Reed, Becky Sauerbrunn (FP-USA), Brittany Taylor

Midfielders (9): Christina Gibbons (Draft Pick), Maegan Kelly (NRI), Lo’eau LaBonta, Mandy Laddish, Sydney Miramontez (NRI), Alexa Newfield, Desiree Scott (FP-CAN), Josie Steiver (NRI), Erika Tymrak

Forwards (3): Shea Groom, Sydney Leroux (FP-USA), Amy Rodriguez (FP-USA)

 

NC Courage

Goalkeepers (2): Katelyn Rowland, Sabrina D’Angelo (FP-CAN)

Defenders (9): Elizabeth Eddy, Abby Erceg, Taylor Smith, Abby Dahlkemper, Jaelene Hinkle, Courtney Niemiec, Meredith Speck, Claire Wagner (Draft Pick), Tina Iordanou (NRI)

Midfielders (8): Michaela Hahn, Samantha Mewis (FP-USA), McCall Zerboni, Samantha Witteman, Rosana, Debinha, Maria Lubrano-Lavadera (NRI), Megan Lindsay (NRI)

Forwards (6): Makenzy Doniak, Lynn Williams, Jessica McDonald, Kristen Hamilton, Ashley Hatch (Draft Pick), Darian Jenkins (Draft Pick)

 

Orlando Pride

Goalkeepers (3): Aubrey Bledsoe, Ashlyn Harris (FP-USA), Hannah Seabert (NRI)

Defenders (8): Laura Alleway, Steph Catley, Monica Hickmann Alves, Alanna Kennedy, Ali Krieger (FP-USA), Cami Levin, Camila Martins Pereira, Toni Pressley

Midfielders (5): Jocelyn Blankenship (NRI), Nickolette Driesse (Draft Pick), Kristen Edmonds, Maddy Evans, Dani Weatherholt

Forwards (9): Christina Burkenroad, Danica Evans (Draft Pick), Jamia Fields, Sarah Hagen, Rachel Hill (NRI), Carol Rodrigues (NRI), Jasmyne Spencer, Tabitha Tindell (NRI), Chioma Ubogagu

 

Portland Thorns

Did not release updated roster, currently at or under 25 players:

Goalkeepers (3): Emily Armstrong (NRI), Britt Eckerstrom, Adrianna Franch

Defenders (9): Ellie Boon (NRI), Meghan Cox (NRI), Caroline Flynn (Draft Pick), Kelli Hubly (NRI), Kendall Johnson, Meghan Klingenberg (FP-USA), Emily Menges, Katherine Reynolds, Emily Sonnett (FP-USA)

Midfielders (7): Celeste Boureille, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Amandine Henry, Lindsey Horan (FP-USA), Allie Long (FP-USA), Mana Shim, Mallory Weber

Forwards (6): Tobin Heath (FP-USA), Ashley Herndon (NRI), Nadia Nadim, Christine Sinclair (FP-CAN), Meg Morris, Hayley Raso

 

Seattle Reign

Goalkeepers (3): Haley Kopmeyer, Maddie Schiffel, Brianna Smallridge (NRI)

Defenders (10): Elli Reed, Merritt Mathias, Lauren Barnes, Rachel Corsie, Carson Pickett, Anjel Brown (NRI), Maddie Bauer (Draft Pick, Out-of-Market), Kristen McNabb (Draft Pick), Rumi Utsugi, Rebekah Stott

Midfielders (9): Veronica Perez (NRI), Christine Nairn, Jordan Jesolva (NRI), Haley Rosen (NRI), Mimi Rangel (NRI), Lindsay Elston, Paige Nielsen (NRI), Jessica Fishlock, Diana Matheson (FP-CAN, Out-of-Market)

Forwards (6): Beverly Yanez, Kiersten Dallstream, Megan Rapinoe (FP-USA), Nahomi Kawasumi, Katie Johnson (Draft Pick), Larissa Crummer (Out-of-Market)

 

Sky Blue FC 

Goalkeepers (3): Caroline Casey, Kristyn Shea (NRI), Kailen Sheridan (FP-CAN, Draft Pick)

Defenders (6): Mandy Freeman (Draft Pick), Kayla Mills (Draft Pick), Christie Rampone, Domi Richardson, Erin Simon, Erica Skroski

Midfielders (8): Catrina Atanda (Draft Pick), Kelly Conheeney, Daphne Corboz, Sarah Killion, Taylor Lytle, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Stanton, Madison Tiernan (Draft Pick)

Forwards (8): Kim DeCesare, Leah Galton, Maya Hayes, Sam Kerr, McKenzie Meehan (Draft Pick), Kelley O’Hara (FP-USA), Danielle Schulmann, Catherine Zimmerman

 

Washington Spirit 

Goalkeepers (4): Kori Butterfield (NRI), Didi Haracic, Stephanie Labbé (FP-CAN), Kelsey Wys (Out-of-Market)

Defenders (6): Whitney Church, Caprice Dydasco, Estelle Johnson, Kassey Kallman, Alyssa Kleiner, Shelina Zadorsky (FP-CAN)

Midfielders (7): Cameron Castleberry (Draft Pick), Meggie Dougherty Howard (Draft Pick), Tori Huster, Lauren Lazo (NRI), Joanna Lohman, Kristie Mewis, Line Sigvardsen Jensen

Forwards (9): Lindsay Agnew (Draft Pick), Gloria Douglas (NRI), Cali Farquharson (Out-of-Market), Francisca Ordega, Arielle Ship (Draft Pick), Havana Solaun, Katie Stengel, Crystal Thomas (NRI), Cheyna Williams

 

Around the World of WoSo: The Book of Ellis, Lloyd Makes City Debut

Posted on by RJ Allen

Panico to make history:

Patrizia Panico is set to make history in the realm of Italian soccer. The 42-year-old former striker for the Italian Women’s National Team is the assistant coach to the U-16 level and will coach two games this week. Head coach Daniele Zoratto will be out due to commitment to the U-19 squad.

This will be the first time a woman is on the sidelines in the existence of Italy’s soccer program. It’s exciting, and a great opportunity for women in sports. Having just Panico in charge for a pair of games could open the door for not only her but other women wishing to coach at any level in Italy.

 

Simon says … surgery:

Matildas and Boston Breakers star Kyah Simon has announced she will have double shoulder surgery in an effort to rid her of pain in her shoulders that she has been suffering for quite some time. Simon also stated in an Instagram post that she has been dealing with dislocations for over nine years.

The 25-year-old has been a consistent playmaker for not only the Australian national team and Sydney FC but also the Boston Breakers of the National Women’s Soccer League here in the States. Simon has been a Breaker since 2015, appearing in 23 games and scoring three goals. She has informed the Breakers and fans that she will not be returning to the team for the 2017 season. Instead she will remain home in Australia to get the surgery and train individually when able.

This is a small bit of bad news for the Breakers considering what Simon brings to the club (goals and energy), but Boston have made some exciting additions in the off-season. Two of those include draftees Rose Lavelle and Morgan Andrews.

 

City win in Lloyd’s debut:

Manchester City Women played Reading in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday, winning 1-0 on a Lucy Bronze goal in the 84th minute. But perhaps another story worth buzzing about was that U.S. midfielder, Carli Lloyd, made her much-anticipated debut for The Blues.

Lloyd didn’t get on the scoresheet, but she did make her presence felt around the goal, almost finding the back of the net on two occasions. Her best chance for serious contribution was in the 12th minute, when Lloyd found Georgia Stanway, but Reading goalkeeper Mary Earps was more than up for the challenge. Lloyd got stronger as the game went on—perhaps a good sign for times to come?

Lloyd signed a short contract to play for Manchester for three months and is expected back sometime in June for NWSL play with the Houston Dash.

 

Morgan heating up:

Alex Morgan found success once again with Olympique Lyonnais over the weekend. The 27-year-old striker appeared in her fifth game for Lyon, coming on for Caroline Seger in the second half against Albi. Morgan found her goal-scoring form last weekend when she netted a hat-trick to lead Lyon to another lopsided victory at Rodez.

This time, Morgan only needed two minutes to bag two goals for the French powerhouse. She finished off the scoring for the day after her teammates put away three goals in the first half by way of Saki Kumagai, Ada Hegerberg, and Camille Abily.

Morgan and Lyon next play in the first leg of the Champions League in Wolfsburg March 23rd.

 

Kranich goes to Princeton:

Former Boston Breaker Jami Kranich has announced she will be an assistant coach on the Princeton Women’s Soccer staff for the 2017 season. Kranich played two seasons with Boston from 2014-2015 before being let go near the start of the 2016 season. Although competing with Alyssa Naeher for the number one spot would be tough to ask of a rookie, Kranich held her own. While in Boston, she appeared in 17 games, grabbing eight starts and earning a record of two wins, four losses, and two draws.

Kranich has respectable experience working as a coach since graduating from the University of Villanova in 2014. She has been an assistant coach at Stars of Massachusetts Football Club and Keeper Institute Goalkeeper Summit. Kranich will be a fine addition to a team that has been successful in recent years, going 31-14-7 in the Ivy League and looking to become even more competitive in 2017.

 

The Book of Ellis:

Over the last 6 months the USWNT has been using a three-back system for friendlies, an experiment implemented by head coach Jill Ellis. With the United States finishing in last place in the #SheBelievesCup in March, the criticism of the losses has been centered on the new formation. Some of it has been fair (questions of using players full potential in this system) while some of it maybe is a bit premature (asking for Ellis to be let go). Either way, the “Thesis of a Three-Back” seems to have crept into the NWSL mailboxes as required reading material this off-season.

Over the weekend, two teams in particular were using similar formations to that of Ellis and the National team—the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit. The Pride went with Laura Alleway, Ali Krieger and Dani Weatherholt as the chosen three, while the Spirit opted for Shelina Zadorsky, Whitney Church and Estelle Johnson.

Washington played Penn State University and earned a 3-0 victory. Orlando hosted Stetson and showed no mercy, producing a nine-goal shutout. Neither PSU nor Stetson were a serious test of the defenses, but could this formation become a trend in the NWSL? While I don’t have a clear answer, I do think if more teams toy with it and it somehow works, it could be intriguing to watch.

Nevertheless, after the embarrassment that was the #SheBelievesCup, I’m not yet sold on the idea of the National Team committing to it.

Around the World of WoSo: Morgan Hat-Trick, Sweden Gains a Kiwi

Posted on by RJ Allen

Wilkinson to Sweden:

After five years at the University of Tennessee, New Zealand International Hannah Wilkinson has signed her first professional contract. The 24-year-old striker is now in Sweden to play for Vittsjo GIK, a respected club in the Damallsvenskan league.

Wilkinson had a well-rounded career at Tennessee, from 2012-2016 she played in 68 games while scoring 33 goals and adding 19 assists. On the National Team for New Zealand, Wilkinson has been capped 78 times and already played in two World Cups, two Olympic games, and has scored 24 goals. She has so much experience, it’s no wonder a top club wanted her.

If Wilkinson can remain healthy, I would expect her to get on the score sheet plenty once she suits up.

Stout Out For Boston:

The Boston Breakers of the National Women’s Soccer League have announced that goalkeeper Libby Stout has sprained her ankle and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks. In 2016 Stout started in nine of the ten games she appeared in, accumulating 42 saves in that time.

Boston drafted Sammy Jo Prudhomme out of University of Southern California, who won the 2016 NCAA DI College Cup. She and Abby Smith are expected to battle for the number one spot. Preseason has begun for all teams as they prepare for the fifth NWSL season which opens April 15th.

Boston has revamped their roster, adding defenders Megan Oyster, Allysha Chapman, Amanda Frisbie; midfielders Amanda DaCosta, Rosie White, Rose Lavelle; and forwards Tiffany Weimer, Emilie Haavi. I think this could be the year they climb out of the bottom of the table and compete in the middle of the table.

Sky Blue Release Stanley:

Sky Blue FC has announced they have released goalkeeper Caroline Stanley. The 23-year-old got 11 starts in 2016, racking up 33 saves in 940 minutes. She earned two wins, four losses, and four draws in her time in New Jersey.

Sky Blue now turns their attention to Caroline Casey and the rookie from Clemson, Kailen Sheridan. Both are worthy of the number one spot, with Casey earning 10 starts in 2016 and Sheridan playing 21 games her final season at Clemson, earning a .77 goals against average.

With Stanley being a Kansas City native, could we see her land as the backup for Nicole Barnhart in the near future? I think that would be a great opportunity for both FCKC and Stanley.

Moros Back to KC:

A key piece of the 2015 NWSL championship team for Kansas City has returned. After being sent to Houston for the 2016 season, Becca Moros is finding her way back to the Blues. FCKC acquired the defender from Houston for their highest third round pick in the 2018 College Draft.

Moros has played for Portland, Houston, and Kansas City, playing in 58 games since 2014. KC finished in sixth in 2016, and for the first time in two years didn’t qualify for the playoffs. Bringing back Moros is certainly good news; she has always been a solid defender in the NWSL. It’s safe to say the defense in KC just got better, as they also have Becky Sauerbrunn and Katie Bowen, who are stars in their own right. With a few other familiar pieces added (Amy Rodriguez, Sydney Leroux Dwyer), could FCKC return to the top of the league?

New Look Spirit:

The Washington Spirit have signed six players to a new contract: Estelle Johnson, Jo Lohman, Cheyna Williams, Cali Farquharson, Kristie Mewis, and Alyssa Kleiner. They also signed two picks from the 2017 College Draft, Meggie Dougherty Howard (University of Florida) and Lindsay Agnew  (Ohio State).

These are all surely a relief for the Spirit organization, who had a busy off-season. Big time players left including Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Christine Nairn (Seattle Reign), Diana Matheson (Seattle Reign), Crystal Dunn (Chelsea Ladies FC), and Estefania Banini (Valencia Feminas FC).

Even with the changes, the Spirit have a reputation for winning, and 2017 is no different. Fans expect them to make the playoffs every year. In 2016 they finished the regular season in second and lost to Western New York Flash in the NWSL final. It will be interesting to watch this team come together and answer the question: Just how long will it take to find that right amount of chemistry?

Only time will tell.

Morgan Finds Her Goals:

Orlando Pride and USWNT star Alex Morgan has finally found her stride for Olympique Lyonnais in the D1 Feminine. In three previous starts, the 27-year-old striker hit the post a few times and came close, but never quite connected the right way. On Sunday she played in her fourth game and managed to score three goals for Lyon.

Was it inevitable, Morgan scoring for Lyon? Of course it was, even with the stacked roster that includes Wendie Renard, Eugenie Le Sommer, Elodie Thomis, Ada Hegerberg, Dzsenifer Marozsan, and many more. Morgan was going to find playing time and with world-class support behind her on the field and on the bench, she was eventually going to find goals.

Morgan got the start and netted her first goal in the 38th minute after finding a slotted pass from Thomis inside the eighteen-yard box. With Lyon leading by just a pair of goals at halftime, Morgan and company turned it on in the second half, showing no mercy. Morgan grabbed her second goal in the 63rd minute, and finished her clinic in the 79th minute to secure the win.

Lyon was competing in the French Cup Quarter-finals against Rodez. With the hat-trick by Morgan leading the way to a 6-0 win, they advance to the semi-finals.

2017 NWSL Preseason Rosters

Posted on by RJ Allen

Today, the preseason rosters dropped for the 5th season of the NWSL. Below are the 10 rosters, featuring over 285 players competing for 200 final roster spots.

287 players were called up, comprised of:

34 goalkeepers,

88 defenders,

86 midfielders,

79 forwards.

With 20-person final rosters, each team will likely carry 2 goalkeepers, 6-10 defenders, and 8-12 attacking players.

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Around the World of WoSo: USSF Adds Policy, Plush Steps Down

Posted on by RJ Allen

Plush Steps Down:

Jeff Plush has announced he is formally steppeing down as the National Women’s Soccer League Commissioner. Plush has been in the role since January of 2015. In his tenure, he saw the league grown to 10 teams when the Orlando Pride entered in 2016. Plush also oversaw the sale of Western New York Flash and their re-brand to become the North Carolina Courage at the start of 2017.

Plush wasn’t as recognizable to many fans because he wasn’t in attendance as often as someone like myself might like. A few other commissioners around sports such as Adam Silver (NBA), and Lisa Borders (WNBA) are well-known for making a serious effort to not only attend playoffs and championship games, but regular season games as well.

Plush was in attendance at the 2016 NWSL Championship and helped complete the recent TV deal with Lifetime and A+E. This latest deal could be what many will remember him for, a historic TV partnership that will bring the NWSL into American homes every Saturday.

The search for a new commissioner has begun and I hope we find out soon who will lead the way for the NWSL’s fifth season – which begins April 15th.

 

USSF New Anthem Policy:

The United States Soccer Federation has introduced a new policy to that will apply to the National teams. This new policy states that:

“All persons representing a Federation national team shall stand respectfully during the playing of national anthems at any event in which the Federation is represented.”

In my personal opinion, this policy is completely unnecessary and undermines the player’s constitutional right to protest. This new policy seems to be a very dramatic and ridiculous reaction to USWNT midfielder Megan Rapinoe kneeling during the National anthem in a friendly September 15th of 2016. Rapinoe has said she did it to support Black Lives Matter, the movement that rose over the past few years to fight against racial inequality in America.

While U.S. Soccer made it clear that they didn’t agree with Rapinoe’s action when it happened, this addition to the bylaws seems to be sending a very strong statement to players thinking about wanting to protest in any slight way during the anthem. I do feel confused by this, because without protests how will the players, as citizens, express their desire for positive change and for the government to do the right thing by ALL citizens of this beautiful country?

ESPN The Magazine Senior writer Mina Kimes perhaps summed up my feelings perfectly when she tweeted out her opinions of the new policy:

Kimes, along with myself and many others, don’t agree with this new policy. Also, could this decision signal the end of Rapinoe’s national team career? Rapinoe has not been selected for National team duty since September 18th of last year. Time and future actions will certainly tell if the fate of Rapinoe with the USWNT is over for simply standing by what she believes in.

 

Rampone Honored:

One of the best players to ever grace the game of soccer in the history of the sport has officially retired from international play. 41-year-old USWNT legend Christie Rampone was honored Saturday before the game versus England in front of the crowd of 26,500 in Harrison, New Jersey at Red Bull Arena. In attendance to honor the trailblazer were familiar and former stars of the USWNT, Abby Wambach, Heather O’Reilly, and Nicole Barnhart.

To many women’s soccer fans–or soccer fans in general–Rampone is simply known as Captain America. The defender made her USWNT debut in 1997 and played her last minutes in 2015. And Rampone expressed the desire to make a bid for the 2016 Olympics had injury not hampered her fitness. The two-time World Cup Champion (1999, 2015) and three-time Olympic gold-medalist (2004, 2008, 2012) has certainly left her mark on the game. Rampone played in five FIFA World Cups, four Olympics, appeared 311 times for her country to become the second-most-capped player in US history, and managed to score four goals during her time.

I don’t think enough can be said about the last 99er. Rampone was composed, positive, regarded as a complete team leader and someone who embodied the national team spirit. She was one of the most incredible athletes I’ve ever seen compete at the highest level for that length of time. I’m absolutely honored to say I had the privilege of watching her play in person years ago and I will forever be proud to call her our Captain.

 

Lavelle Earns 1st Cap:

21-year-old Rose Lavelle has finally earned her first cap for the USWNT this past weekend in the #SheBelieves Cup. Starting against England, a team ranked fifth, Lavelle held her own. Even though the United States lost to England, she played well enough to also earn her first Player of the Match award.

The Cincinnati, Ohio native played all four years of college ball at the University of Wisconsin. She was selected number one overall in the 2017 NWSL College Draft by the Boston Breakers. Lavelle has shown plenty of promise and to see a small sample of what she is capable of on the National team is rewarding as a supporter.

 

Chastain and MacMillan HOF Confirmed:

Two more USWNT legends are being inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on March 24th. The two women earning this honor are Brandi Chastain and Shannon MacMillan, who each spent 12 years on the National team.

Chastain made her debut in 1988 and concluded her career in 2004. She won two World Cups (1991, 1999) and two Olympic medals (1996, 2004), appearing in 192 games for the U.S. She is known for her left foot penalty shot that secured the USWNT’s second Women’s World Cup in 1999 and then taking off her shirt to celebrate. I witnessed that moment when I was eight and for me, it’s easily one of the most iconic moments in sports. Chastain now coaches at the University of Santa Clara.

MacMillan got her start in 1993 and ended her career in 2005 after appearing in 176 games and scoring 60 goals, good enough for ninth place in program history. MacMillan won the ’99 World Cup and Gold at the 1996 Olympic games. She was named U.S. Soccer’s Female Player of the Year in 2002. MacMillan is now in San Diego, where she is the director of club operations for the Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks soccer club.

 

Sweden Women Aim To Inspire:

The Sweden Women’s National team is sporting a different look these days. The Swedish Football Association have initiated for the team to replace the names of players to instead have messages of empowerment. These messages are meant to be positive and to inspire all generation of women.

The Swedish players picked quotes from Swedish women, to show the power they hold, and to bring to light the National team at the same time. Some of the messages include: “To try is to be successful” (journalist Frida Soderlund); “Women want different things”(comedian Karin Adelskold); “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss” (author Nina Akestam); and “Never look down on someone unless it is to help her up” (politician Gudrun Schyman).

The latter message was chosen by Sweden’s captain Lotta Schelin, who expressed this in a statement recently: “It is great we can join forces with other strong women and together we can show that everything is possible.” She went on to say that “There is always a need to show young women it is possible to succeed, and that no one should feel limited in what they can achieve and particularly not because of their sex.”

I absolutely love this from the Swedish Federation and the team itself. I fully support this idea. I think everything Schelin mentioned is very important in a world where the glass ceiling does still exist. These kits have been worn during the Algarve Cup that takes place March 1st through March 8th.