Lynn Williams, Rose Lavelle added to list of Federation Players

A day after the USWNT Players Association and US Soccer announced a new collective bargaining agreement, US Soccer and NWSL announced a list of 22 players who will play this season as Federation Players. Reigning MVP Lynn Williams and No. 1 overall pick Rose Lavelle were added to the list as was Casey Short. Allie Long is also marked as a new federation player although it is believed Long won a contract sometime in 2016. An NWSL spokesperson said Long is marked as new because she was not part of the initial list in 2016.

Sidney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez, both of whom missed 2016 after getting pregnant, are both on the list as federation players.

Dropping off this year’s list are Whitney Engen, Jaelene Hinkle, Heather O’Reilly, Christie Rampone, and Hope Solo. Engen and Hinkle were dropped from the team and Solo was suspended and had her contract terminated last summer. The suspension is over but Solo also had reconstructive shoulder surgery and told 60 Minutes on Sports she would probably not be ready to play again until the end of the year. O’Reilly and Rampone have retired from the national team thus giving up their place as Federation Players.

The Thorns have the most Federation Players with five. Long is joined by Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Meghan Klingenberg, and Emily Sonnett. The Spirit are the only team with none.

The full list for 2017 is:
Boston Breakers: Rose Lavelle*
Chicago Red Stars: Julie (Johnston) Ertz, Alyssa Naeher, Christen Press and Casey Short*
Houston Dash: Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd
FC Kansas City: Sydney Leroux, Amy Rodriguez and Becky Sauerbrunn
North Carolina Courage: Samantha Mewis and Lynn Williams*
Orlando Pride: Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger and Alex Morgan
Portland Thorns FC: Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Meghan Klingenberg, Allie Long* and Emily Sonnett
Seattle Reign FC: Megan Rapinoe
Sky Blue FC: Kelley O’Hara
Washington Spirit: None