Looking for National Women’s Soccer League news on who signed where or who got traded? Check back for updates here on all the transactions. Trades and major signings are on top but scroll down past the break for a team-by-team rundown of comings and goings. For our 2020-21 NWSL Transaction Tracker, click here.
HEADLINE MOVES AND ANALYSIS
November 30, 2021
Sam Mewis traded to Kansas City Current; North Carolina receive Kiki Pickett, discovery rights to Malia Berkley; both teams swap first-round picks.
| Dash Analysis: Kansas City made a big move, bringing in U.S. women’s national team and three-time NWSL champion Sam Mewis to the Current. In exchange, both teams swapped first-round picks in the upcoming 2022 NWSL Draft. North Carolina also received Kiki Pickett and the discovery rights to Malia Berkley, who is currently playing for FC Girondins de Bordeaux in France. Berkley formerly attended and featured for the Florida State Seminoles. Mewis is not the only player in the last year to make the move to Kansas City, as she’ll reunite with former Courage teammates Katelyn Rowland, Hailie Mace and Kristen Hamilton. — Rachael Kriger |
November 18, 2021
Houston Dash re-sign Jane Campbell and Nichelle Prince
| Dash Analysis: On Nov. 16, the Houston Dash re-signed goalkeeper Jane Campbell to a contract through the 2024 season. Two days later, they re-signed Canadian international Nichelle Prince through 2024 as well. Prince, a gold-medalist this past summer in the Tokyo Olympics, scored two goals and provided three assists this season. Campbell, who also went to the Olympics and won bronze with the U.S., made 18 appearances in goal for Houston in 2021. — Rachael Kriger |
EVERY NWSL TEAM MOVES
Angel City FC moves
Christen Press signs as Angel City FC’s first player in a trade with Racing Louisville.
Angel City acquires the rights to Julie Ertz and Sarah Gorden in a trade with the Chicago Red Stars.
| Analysis: Angel City’s deal with Chicago was particularly impressive. They landed Julie Ertz and Sarah Gorden, two defensive-minded starters, plus allocation money simply to give up roster protection to Chicago. Combined with Press’ arrival previously, they are off to a good start. |
Chicago Red Stars moves
Julie Ertz and Sarah Gorden traded to Angel City
Makenzy Doniak and Katie Johnson traded to San Diego Wave
Nikki Stanton traded to OL Reign
Kayla Sharples loaned to Adelaide United in the Australian W-League Women through March 28, 2022.
| Analysis: A dozen days after the NWSL Championship, the Red Stars traded five players away with only one third-round pick coming back. Sure they got total expansion draft protection, but trading both Ertz and Gorden to be exempt from Angel City seems bizarre considering Angel City could only take one player off the Red Stars roster. Also of concern was that the announcement of these trades indicated that Gorden, Doniak, Johnson, and Stanton all requested to be moved. On Sharples: The Australian loan has paid off handsomely for many players over the years and if Sharples stays a Red Star she will be returning to a very different roster, likely with more opportunities to get on the field. This could be a pivotal offseason for Sharples and Australia seems a solid place to go. -DL |
Houston Dash moves
Jane Campbell re-signs through the 2024 NWSL season.
Nichelle Prince re-signs through the 2024 NWSL season.
| Analysis: Campbell has effectively been the Dash’s only keeper since her rookie year, 2017, and this extension means it will likely stay that way for the next three years. Campbell can be maddeningly inconsistent and could be ready to plummet down the national team depth chart but clearly wants to be in orange and if the Dash fail to make the playoffs again in 2022, it will not likely be because of her. -DL |
Kansas City Current moves
Sam Mewis acquired in trade with North Carolina
| Analysis: When healthy, Mewis is in the conversation about who is the best player in the world. She was overseas and injured for a good part of 2021 and the Courage’s performance was reflective of Mewis’ participation in matches. Parting with promising outside back KiKi Pickett–who the Current swapped major allocation money to draft earlier this year–and the no. 3 pick is no small haul, but Mewis is the type of player that can transform an organization. -DL |
NJ/NY Gotham FC moves
Elizabeth Eddy loaned to Newcastle Jets of the Australian A-League Women through March 28, 2022.
| Analysis: Eddy, 30, will be making her maiden trip to the A League Women. The addition of two expansion teams figures to open up enough space for Eddy to be a more permanent rotation player whether with Gotham or elsewhere and a stint Down Under could be the springboard she needs to a solid 2022. -DL |
North Carolina Courage moves
North Carolina Courage receive $190K in allocation money and San Diego’s 2023 first-round NWSL Draft pick; traded defender Abby Dahlkemper.
Kiki Pickett and the discovery rights to Malia Berkely acquired in a trade with Kansas City.
| Analysis: Dahlkemper seemed to be done with the Courage who managed to get assets back for her from the Wave after grabbing $25,000 in allocation money from the Dash for the short term loan, er trade, over the summer. The Courage would probably be better off with Dahlkemper but long-term they made themselves an okay trade. -DL |
OL Reign moves
Nikki Stanton acquired in trade with Chicago Red Stars.
| Analysis: Stanton in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft is a pretty good move. Stanton will add a some depth and bite to a Reign midfield expected to undergo significant changes this offfseason. -DL |
Orlando Pride moves
Jodie Taylor traded for San Diego’s 2023 second-round NWSL Draft pick, and San Diego’s 2023 third-round NWSL Draft pick or allocation money.
| Analysis: Taylor continues to be well-traveled around the NWSL yet teams continue to reap assets for her servivces. The Pride are the latest, adding a second rounder and more for the English international. -DL |
Portland Thorns FC moves
Racing Louisville moves
Racing Louisville acquires Angel City FC’s first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, $75K in allocation money and full roster protection from Angel City in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft; traded Christen Press’ rights to ACFC.
| Analysis: This deal happened in August, and was a pretty good return for Louisville, particularly in light of some other negotiations going on. |
San Diego Wave FC moves
Abby Dahlkemper traded to San Diego from North Carolina Courage.
Katie Johnson, Makenzy Doniak and Kelsey Turnbow acquired in trade with Chicago Red Stars.
Jodie Taylor acquired in a trade with the Orlando Pride.
Tegan McGrady acquired in a trade with the Washington Spirit.
| Analysis: Tegan McGrady joins Abby Dahlkemper as a starter on the back line, and the Wave also got a first-round pick and an international spot from Washington for McGrady, in exchange for roster protection. That seems like a pretty good deal for both teams, although the Spirit still have to worry about who to protect from Angel City. Kelsey Turnbow is the most exciting offensive acquisition so far. She is wrapping up her college career with Santa Clara and has a lot of potential. |
Washington Spirit moves
Tegan McGrady traded to San Diego.
| Analysis: The Spirit also sent first-round pick (originally OL Reign’s) and allocation money to the Wave in exchange for being exempt from losing anyone to the Wave in the expansion draft. That seems like a lot to give up especially with Angel City still looming to pluck a player. But compared to what the Red Stars sent Angel City a day later, it’s a relative pittance. It does allow the Spirit to at least partially control the narrative on the expansion draft. -DL |
