NWSL clubs are down to the final few decisions before breaking camp and opening the season next month.
NWSL clubs were required to reduce rosters to 25 players on Tuesday. Some are still carrying more than 25 as players not in camp do not count against the total. With the United States national team players having departed for their friendlies against Colombia next month, several spots have opened for extra players.
Following are rosters as released by each individual club.
Boston Breakers
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jami Kranich, *Abby Smith, Libby Stout
DEFENDERS (8): Brooke Elby, ***Whitney Engen, Kassey Kallman, Julie King, Mollie Pathman, **Kylie Strom, *Christen Westphal, Rachel Wood
MIDFIELDERS (7): Sinead Farrelly, Lauren Lazo, Kristie Mewis, *Brittany Ratcliffe, Angela Salem, Louise Schillgard, McCall Zerboni
FORWARDS (6): **Elise Krieghoff, Morgan Marlborough, Stephanie McCaffrey, Katie Schoepfer, Kyah Simon, Stephanie Verdoia
*2016 NWSL College Draft picks
**Non-roster invitees
***Not in camp, with USWNT
note: The Breakers continue to carry three goalkeepers with former Liverpool shotstopper Libby Stout the favorite to land the number one role over rookie Abby Smith. But last year’s backup Jami Kranich lurks.
Chicago Red Stars
GOALKEEPERS (3): Michele Dalton, Alyssa Naeher***, Brianna Smallidge*
DEFENDERS (11): Kassidy Brown*, Arin Gilliland, Sarah Gorden**, Samantha Johnson, Julie Johnston***, Adrienne Jordan**, Madison Krauser*, Alyssa Mautz, Katie Naughton**, Casey Short, Cara Walls
MIDFIELDERS (9): Danielle Colaprico, Taylor Comeau*, Amanda Da Costa, Vanessa DiBernardo, Rosie Malone-Povolny*, Olivia Pappalardo**, Courtney Raetzman**, Rebekah Roller*, Mary Luba
FORWARDS (5): Janelle Flaws**, Jennifer Hoy, Sofia Huerta, Giuleana Lopez*, Christen Press***
*Non-roster invitee
**2016 Draft Pick
***Out-of-Market Contracted Players
note: The Red Stars let go of Zakiya Bywaters, who they made the No. 1 pick in the first NWSL draft in 2013. Bywaters missed the 2015 with a hip injury and her career has been more notable for injuries than on-field contributions.
FC Kansas City
GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart, Katelyn Rowland
DEFENDERS (12): Desiree Scott, Brittany Taylor, Amanda Frisbie, Lauren Sesselmann***, Brianne Reed**, Alex Arlitt**, Molly
Menchel***, McKenzie Karas***, Tessa Andujar***, Lauren Silver***, Becky Sauerbrunn*, Katie Bowen*
MIDFIELDERS (8): Jen Buczkowski, Mandy Laddish, Yael Averbuch, Erika Tymrak, Frances Silva, Alexa Newfield**, Lo Labonta***, Heather O’Reilly*
FORWARDS (3): Shea Groom, Caroline Kastor, Tiffany McCarty
*Out-of-market contracted player **2016 NWSL College Draft Pick ***Non-roster invitee
note: Second round pick Katie Bowen has returned to North Carolina to finish the Spring semester. She is expected to rejoin the Blues after finishing her coursework.
Houston Dash
Goalkeepers (3): Bianca Henninger, Kate Scheele**, Lydia Williams
Defenders (9): Monica Alvarado**, Ellie Brush, Allysha Chapman, Jen LaPonte, Rebecca Moros, Stephanie Ochs, Poliana, Cari Roccaro*, Caroline Van Slambrouck**
Midfielders (8): Andressa, Morgan Brian***, Amber Brooks, Tessa Gavilsky-Florio**, Caity Heap**, Carli Lloyd***, Cami Privett, Chestley Strother**
Forwards (7): Janine Beckie*, Bianca Brinson**, Rachel Daly*, Melissa Henderson, Kealia Ohai, Denise O’Sullivan****, Chioma Ubogagu
*2016 NWSL College Draft pick
**Non-roster invitee
***Currently with US Women’s National Team
****Pending ITC and P1-Visa
note: The Dash made a trade Tuesday, acquiring defender Rebecca Moros from the Flash for a second round pick in 2017. Moros started every game for the NWSL champion FC Kansas City last season and played for the Thorns in 2013. Moros played for the Freedom, magicJack, and Flash in WPS and spent time in Japan between the leagues.
Orlando Pride
Goalkeepers (3): Aubrey Bledsoe, Ashlyn Harris^, Julia Kantor^**
Defenders (9): Laura Alleway, Monica Hickmann Alves, Steph Catley, Kristen Edmonds, Maddy Evans, Cami Levin, Toni Pressley, Jackie Simpson**, Samantha Witteman*
Midfielders (7): Becky Edwards, Leah Fortune**, Kaylyn Kyle, Sierra Lelii**, Lianne Sanderson, Lauren Smith**, Dani Weatherholt*
Forwards (7): Josée Bélanger, Christina Burkenroad*, Jamia Fields, Sarah Hagen, Alex Morgan^, Jasmyne Spencer, Allie Wisner**
*2016 NWSL Draft Pick
**Trialist
^Not Currently in Camp
note: The Australians, Alleway and Catley, have arrived to fortify the backline which is always an important area of development for an expansion side.
Portland Thorns FC
Goalkeepers (3): Michelle Betos, Adrianna Franch, Emily Kruger*
Defenders (8): McKenzie Berryhill#, Kendall Johnson, Meghan Klingenberg, Sam Lofton*, Emily Menges, Katherine Reynolds, Emily Sonnett#, Kat Williamson
Midfielders (6): Celeste Boureille*, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Allie Long, Sarah Zadrazil*
Forwards (4): Nadia Nadim, Christine Sinclair, Shade Pratt*, Mana Shim
* – Non-roster invitee
# – 2016 NWSL College Draft pick
note: The Thorns are almost down to their final roster. If you figure they won’t carry a third goalkeeper that leaves 20 pending the arrival of Amandine Henry midseason.
Seattle Reign FC
Goalkeepers (4): Hope Solo (out of market), Haley Kopmeyer, Lindsey Luke (draft pick), Andi Tostanoski (NRI)
Defenders (8): Lauren Barnes, Rachel Corsie, Elli Reed, Kendall Fletcher, Carson Pickett (draft pick), Michelle Cruz, Paige Nielsen (draft pick), Kelly Beck (NRI)
Midfielders (7) Kim Little, Jessica Fishlock, Keelin Winters, Havana Solaun, Kathryn Bennett (NRI), Lindsay Elston (NRI), Erica Shelton (NRI)
Forwards (6) Merritt Mathias, Manon Melis, Beverly Yanez, Kiersten Dallstream, Rebecca Candler (NRI), Dani Foxhoven (NRI)
Non-Roster Invitee (NRI)
note: The Reign and Antonia Goransson mutually agreed to a release earlier this week and they have invited Dani Foxhoven back as a trialist. Foxhoven had left the Reign after last season to pursue other opportunities.
Sky Blue FC
GOALKEEPERS (3): Caroline Casey (Draft, William and Mary), Caroline Stanley (Southern California)
DEFENDERS (9): Caitlin Foord (Australia)*, CoCo Goodson (UC-Irvine), Kristin Grubka (Florida State), Maya Hayes (Penn State), Meg Morris (NR, North Carolina), Kelley O’Hara (Stanford)*, Christie Rampone (Monmouth), Erin Simon (NR, Syracuse), Erica Skroski (Draft, Rutgers)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Rachel Breton (NR, Rutgers), Kelly Conheeney (NR, Virginia Tech), Theresa Diederich (Alabama), Shawna Gordon (Long Beach State), Sarah Killion (UCLA), Taylor Lytle (Texas Tech), Ashley Nick (USC) Raquel Rodriguez (Draft, Penn State)*, Domi Richardson (Missouri), Nikki Stanton (Fairfield)
FORWARDS (7): Kim DeCesare (Duke), Krystyna Freda (NR, Winthrop), Leah Galton (Draft, Hofstra), Kelsey Haycook (NR, La Salle), Tasha Kai (Hawaii), Sam Kerr (Australia)*, Danielle Schulmann (NR, UConn)
*Currently Not in Camp
Draft – Selected in 2016 NWSL College Draft
NR – Non-Roster Invitees
note: Sky Blue signed Ashley Nick on Tuesday for her second stint in New Jersey. Nick spent the tail end of 2013 at Sky Blue as well as all of 2014. She was with the Dash and Flash in 2015 and had been out of contract.
Washington Spirit
Goalkeepers (3): Stephanie Labbé, Kelsey Wys, DiDi Haracic*
Defenders (7): Ali Krieger**, Megan Oyster, Whitney Church, Estelle Johnson, Shelina Zadorsky, Alyssa Kleiner, Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz*(**)
Midfielders (9): Diana Matheson, Joanna Lohman, Christine Nairn, Tori Huster, Caprice Dydasco, Alli Murphy* (Draft pick), Kara Wilson* (Draft pick), Yanara Aedo*, Haley Rosen*
Forwards (10): Crystal Dunn**, Estefania Banini, Tiffany Weimer, Laura del Rio, Katie Stengel, Francisca Ordega**, Hayley Raso, Cheyna Williams* (Draft pick), Cali Farquharson* (Draft pick), Melissa Downey*
*Non-roster invitees
**Currently not in camp
note: Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz, a longshot to make the final roster, is not in camp due to personal reasons. Francisca Ordega is with Nigeria.
Western New York Flash
GOALKEEPERS (2): Sabrina D’Angelo, Britt Eckerstrom
DEFENDERS (5): Abby Dahlkemper, Abby Erceg, Jaelene Hinkle, Alanna Kennedy, Laura Liedle, Courtney Niemiec
MIDFIELDERS (7): Lady Andrade, Carolina Arias, Halimatu Ayinde, Elizabeth Eddy, Jeon Ga-Eul, Michaela Hahn, Samantha Mewis, Meredith Speck
FORWARDS (11): Makenzy Doniak, Kristen Hamilton, Adriana Leon, Jessica McDonald, Taylor Smith, Mallory Weber, Lynn Williams, Catherine Zimmerman
note: Australian Alanna Kennedy arrived in the team on Tuesday, the same day Rebecca Moros was traded to the Dash. The return was a second round pick in 2017. The Flash now own five of the first 20 picks in next year’s draft.
