Kaylyn Kyle is now a member of Portland Thorns FC, her fourth team in three seasons. (Photo: Canada Soccer)
The National Women’s Soccer League announced 42 allocated players for the 2015 season, including 25 Americans, 13 Canadians and four Mexicans.
Chicago Red Stars defender Julie Johnston has been newly added as a player whose NWSL salary is subsidized by U.S. Soccer. Seattle Reign FC defender Stephanie Cox has been dropped from the subsidization system, but her rights remain in Seattle and the Reign expect her back in 2015.
The biggest movement of players came from the announcement that Canada midfielder Sophie Schmidt will not play in the NWSL this season. She is focusing on the World Cup, Sky Blue FC coach Jim Gabarra tells The Equalizer. Schmidt played for Sky Blue FC in 2013 and 2014.
Sky Blue FC retains her rights for a year. Schmidt looked for a trade away from Sky Blue FC over a year ago, according to several sources, but Sky Blue refused to move her without proper compensation in return. By not playing in 2015, Schmidt still gets valuable training and games in residency and at the World Cup, but can wait until her rights to Sky Blue expire and sign elsewhere for 2016.
Canadians are expected to “participate in the first three to four NWSL matches before the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” according to the Canadian Soccer Association. It was expected that Canadians would sit out all games prior to the World Cup, which starts June 6.
Canadians Kaylyn Kyle and Rhian Wilkinson have been allocated to Portland Thorns FC. Kyle played with the Houston Dash for most of last season after being traded by the Boston Breakers. She played with Seattle Reign FC in 2013. Wilkinson did not play in the NWSL in 2014 after playing with the Breakers in 2013. Carmelina Moscato has been dropped as a Canadian allocation and will pursue opportunities outside of the NWSL.
Also dropped from the allocation system were Jackie Acevedo (Mexico/Portland), Renae Cuellar (Mexico/Washington), Teresa Noyola (Mexico/Houston) and Chelsea Stewart (Canada/Boston). American Yael Averbuch had already been dropped from the allocation process and signed with FC Kansas City in November.
Mexico’s Bianca Sierra and Canada’s Allysha Chapman and Nkem Ezurike are now subsidized.
Mexico waffled this offseason on whether or not it would continue to fund players, but ultimately chose to financially support the four players who clubs want.
Club-by-club allocations
Boston BreakersÂ
Kristie Mewis (USA)
Alyssa Naeher (USA)
Nkem Ezurike (CAN)*
Bianca Sierra (MEX)*
Chicago Red StarsÂ
Shannon Boxx (USA)
Julie Johnston (USA)*
Christen Press (USA)
Karina LeBlanc (CAN)
Adriana Leon (CAN)
Melissa Tancredi (CAN)
Rachel Quon (CAN)
Houston Dash
Meghan Klingenberg (USA)
Carli Lloyd (USA)
Allysha Chapman (CAN)*
Erin McLeod (CAN)
Lauren Sesselmann (CAN)
FC Kansas City
Nicole Barnhart (USA)
Lauren Holiday (USA)
Heather O’Reilly (USA)
Becky Sauerbrunn (USA)
Amy Shilling (nee Rodriguez) (USA)
Portland Thorns FC
Tobin Heath (USA)
Alex Morgan (USA)
Rachel Van Hollebeke (USA)
Christine Sinclair (CAN)
Kaylyn Kyle (CAN)
Rhian Wilkinson (CAN)*
Seattle Reign FC
Sydney Leroux (USA)
Megan Rapinoe (USA)
Hope Solo (USA)
Sky Blue FC
Kelley O’Hara (USA)
Christie Rampone (USA)
Jonelle Filigno (CAN)
Monica Ocampo (MEX)
Washington Spirit
Crystal Dunn (USA)
Ashlyn Harris (USA)
Ali Krieger (USA)
Diana Matheson (CAN)
Veronica Perez (MEX)
Arianna Romero (MEX)
Western New York Flash
Whitney Engen (USA)
Abby Wambach (USA)
* = Newly Allocated Player in 2015
