2021-22 NWSL track season: Sam Mewis arrives in Kansas City; Chicago deals Julie Ertz and Sarah Gordon

The national women’s soccer league closed its 2021 season last month, with Washington Spirit taking the title. The 2021-22 season is underway and the league has seen a number of new signings and deals. The 2021 season featured some transformational moments, with NWSL players in the midst of ongoing CBA negotiations and joining protests to protest an abusive training environment to campaign for change that could system.

A historic, 10-month long season has now come to an end and the league is now heading towards the 2022 Open Draft on December 16 and the 2022 NWSL Draft on December 18. Some moves beyond The season has come as the two upcoming events draw closer, and several head coach positions remain vacant even though the two clubs have announced that they have filled the roles.

Let’s take a look at some of the professions and players who have decided to pursue football elsewhere this season on a team-by-team basis.

Angel City FC

The Open Club has been making waves since its introduction. Angel City has been built through a predominantly female-led ownership group with several other powerful female investors spanning a number of industries. The club built up the office staff before developing their squad, hiring Eni Aluko as sporting director and Freya Coombe as head coach. The duo will lead the club through its first draft expansion after the franchise signed its first player, Christen Press.

Signed:

• Christen Press – Forward – Player rights traded from Racing Louisville FC

Trade:

• The Chicago Red Stars have traded defender Sarah Gordon and quarterback Julie Ertz and an international for Angel City in exchange for squad protection in the upcoming draft expansion.

Chicago Red Stars

The team made it to another NWSL final but fell short again. Following the loss, the Red Stars accepted the resignation of 11-year-old head coach Rory Dames – announced in a release near midnight, preceded by a report from the Washington Post detailing the allegations of speech. abuse and harassment from the coach who is now a former coach and one-time acting general manager. The club are currently in the process of finding a head coach while starting their season by trading six players to three clubs.

Transfer:

• Kayla Sharples, Defender – Adelaide United (On loan until March 2022) – Australia

Trade:

• The Chicago Red Stars have traded defenders Sarah Gordon and quarterback Julie Ertz and an international for Angel City in exchange for squad protection in the upcoming draft expansion.
• Trade Nikki Stanton to OL Reign to be selected in the third round of the upcoming NWSL draft.

Houston Dash

Dash nearly missed the 2021 NWSL playoffs by losing a draw, losing the last game and ending the season early. The team is led by head coach James Clarkson, the only coach remaining in his original position from the 2021 season.

Signed:

• Nichelle Prince – Striker – Contract extended until 2024
• Jane Campbell – Goalkeeper – Contract extended until 2024

Current Kansas City

The Current finished their season last in the table, but had a late-season surge, buying Kirsten Hamilton, Hallie Mace and Adrianna Franch in a mid-season trade. The Current continued to cheat against the teams in the playoff hunt while maintaining a seven-game unbeaten streak at home. The franchise quickly looked ahead to 2022 and announced its new team name and badge.

At the end of the 2021 season, the club switched roles for coach Huw Williams, who has transitioned to office administration and is currently conducting a long-term head coach search. The organization made waves to kick off the season with the purchase of USWNT midfielder Samantha Mewis.

Transaction:

• Traded Sam Mewis to Kansas City Current for Kiki Pickett and a first round draft pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft

NJ / NY Gotham FC

The team had an impressive 2021 that included mid-season administrative changes. Gotham FC introduced a new general manager with former NWSL player Yael Averbuch West, and a change of coaching in the final third of the season after Freya Coombe left Angel City – marking the arrival of coaching new member Scott Parkinson. In 10 long months, the players reached the final of the Challenge Cup 2021 and the quarterfinals of the NWSL, where they were eliminated after a 0-1 loss to the Chicago Red Stars.

Transfer:

• Elizabeth Eddy – Newcastle United Jets (On loan until March 2022) – Australia
• Gaëtane Thiney – Paris Saint-Germain – Complete loan to Gotham FC for the 2021 season
• Sodam Lee – Korean player – On loan to Gotham FC for the 2021 season

Denied player options:

Rumor:

• Ashlyn Harris and Ali Kreiger via Orlando Pride

North Carolina Courage

A season-ending report details troubling allegations of sexual misconduct and coercion against former head coach Paul Riley during his head coach days with Portland Thorns FC. in 2015. The scandal resulted in his contract termination with the club and despite the turmoil off the pitch, the Courage players ended their season with a spot. playoffs in the NWSL quarterfinals. The team made a number of moves already during the season, including a three-way trade with Houston Dash and San Diego Wave FC. They also brought star player Sam Mewis to Kansas City ahead of the open draft in exchange for Kiki Pickett and a first-round pick.

Transaction:

• Traded Sam Mewis to Kansas City Present for Kiki Pickett and first-round draft selection into the 2022 NWSL Draft
• Received $190,000 in allocations and San Diego’s natural first-round draft selection in the 2023 NWSL Draft for player rights to Abby Dahlkemper after conditions in a mid-season trade with Houston Dash is met.

Orlando Pride

The Pride got off to a hot start into 2021, going seven games unbeaten, only having to change managers mid-season after former Pride manager Marc Skinner left the Manchester United post. The Pride fell out of the playoffs before the end of the season and made off-season trades. Orlando is also currently said to be looking to hire longtime UCLA coach Amanda Cromwell as head coach.

Transaction:

• Traded Jodie Taylor to San Diego Wave FC in exchange for a 2023 NWSL Draft natural second-round pick, third-round natural pick or Allotment, meeting pending conditions

CV Reign

The Reign ended their season with a semi-final as they were eliminated by Washington Spirit. Head coach Laura Harvey joined the club midway through the season and will stay at the club until 2023. There is no official word on the official status of Sarah Bouhaddi, Dzenifer Maroszan or Eugeine Le Sommer and future. their future with Reign, despite the three’s initial loan terms Olympique Lyonnais players live through December 2021.

Transaction:

• Buy midfielder Nikki Stanton from the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for a third-round pick in the upcoming NWSL draft

Portland Thorns FC

The Thorns completed their season with three titles (Challenge Cup, WICC and NWSL Shield) and are just short of the NWSL championship after being eliminated in the semifinals. The end of their season also meant the departure of former head coach Mark Parsons, who left the club to pursue a head coach position with the Dutch women’s national team.

Amid ongoing investigations into the club dating back to Paul Riley’s time in 2015, the franchise has hired a new general manager of former Thorns player Karina LeBlanc and introduced coaching. their new chief, Riahn Wilkinson. Both Canadian internationals spent time with the club as players in their early years.

Racing Louisville FC

The expansion team in 2021 finished in ninth place, while the franchise terminated then-head coach Christy Holly for mid-season reasons. Racing Louisville announced they will not keep interim head coach Mario Sanchez in the lead role and will begin the search for a new head coach during the season.

Transaction:

• Acquire player rights to Christen Press in the 2020 draft expansion and then trade Press with Angel City in exchange for squad protection and receive Angel City’s first pick in the 2022 College Draft and $75,000 in allocations

Washington Spirit

The 2021 NWSL Championship team is currently in discussions to keep interim head coach Kris Ward as permanent head coach following the mid-season takeover. Former head coach Richie Burke has been terminated due to an investigation into emotional and verbal abuse in a team environment. The team also made early moves ahead of the dual expansion draft to protect their current championship-winning roster.

Transaction:

• Defender traded Tegan McGrady, a 2022 first-round college draft pick and a spot on the international roster for the 2022 season in exchange for roster protection in the expanded draft.