Angel City FC kicked off the 2023 NWSL Draft by selecting 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson with the No. 1 overall pick on Thursday night in Philadelphia. The move came as no surprise after Angel City acquired the top pick from NJ/NY Gotham FC a week prior in exchange for Yazmeen Ryan and a quarter-million dollars in allocation money.
Thompson, an LA native, debuted for the U.S. in October and had previously committed to Stanford, but declared for the NWSL Draft on Jan. 6. When she made the roster to face England and Spain, Thompson became the youngest player called up for a full national team camp since 16-year-old Sophia Smith.
Round 1
Pick 1, Angel City FC: Alyssa Thompson, Prep School
Pick 2, Kansas City Current (via Gotham FC): Michelle Cooper, Duke University
The Kansas City Current traded veteran forward Lynn Williams to Gotham FC for the second overall pick.
“I knew I wanted to be in the NWSL someday, but Kansas City is just a great fit and I’m super excited for that,” Cooper told The Equalizer.
Pick 3, Orlando Pride: Emily Madril, Florida State
Pick 4, NJ/NY Gotham FC: Jenna Nighswonger, Florida State
Pick 5, Portland Thorns FC: Reyna Reyes, Alabama
Pick 6, North Carolina Courage: Olivia Wingate, Notre Dame
“It’s been incredible, obviously, that we have this league here and that we’re building something so special and so powerful for women in sports. I’m just very, very grateful to have to be a part of that,” Wingate told The Equalizer.
Pick 7, Chicago Red Stars: Penelope Hocking, Penn State
Pick 8, North Carolina Courage: Sydney Collins, University of California, Berkeley
Pick 9, North Carolina Courage: Clara Robbins, Florida State
Pick 10, Kansas City Current: Alexa Spaanstra, Virginia
Pick 11, North Carolina Courage: Haley Hopkins, Virginia
“Being able to play soccer at the highest possible level, to be physically able to and mentally and emotionally, is definitely challenging. It makes this moment so much sweeter and me that much more appreciative of what I’ve been through to get to this moment. I speak for everyone who dreamed about when we were kids. This is very surreal,” Hopkins told The Equalizer.
Pick 12, Portland Thorns FC: Isabella (Izzy) D’Aquila, Santa Clara
Round 2
Pick 13, San Diego Wave FC: Sierra Enge, Stanford
Pick 14, Chicago Red Stars: Grace Yochum, Oklahoma State
Pick 15, Kansas City Current: Gabrielle Robinson, West Virginia
Pick 16, Racing Louisville FC: Kayla Fischer, The Ohio State
Pick 17, Racing Louisville FC: Brianna Martinez, Notre Dame
Pick 18, Kansas City Current: Jordan Silkowitz, Iowa State
Pick 19, OL Reign: Shae Holmes, Washington
Pick 20, Houston Dash: Sophie Hirst, Harvard
Pick 21, Orlando Pride: Messiah Bright, Texas Christian University
Pick 22, Houston Dash: Jyllissa Harris, South Carolina
Pick 23, Chicago Red Stars: Ally Schlegel, Penn State
Pick 24, Portland Thorns FC: Lauren DeBeau, Michigan State
Round 3
Pick 25, Orlando Pride: Tori Hansen, North Carolina
“It’s definitely been a goal growing up with the courage so close to me. I’ve been to so many of their games and their head coach used to be my club coach. So I’ve been very familiar with the NWSL for a long time. It’s a dream come true that I’m finally in it, in the league,” Hansen told The Equalizer.
Pick 26, Washington Spirit: Nicole Douglas, Arizona State
Pick 27, Angel City FC: Angelina Anderson, University of California, Berkeley
Pick 28, Washington Spirit (via Racing Louisville FC): Lyza Bosselmann, Gonzaga
The Washington Spirit traded $30,000 in allocation money to Racing Louisville FC for the No. 28. Racing Louisville received the No. 29 pick.
Pick 29, Racing Louisville FC (via Washington Spirit): Jadyn Edwards, New Mexico
Pick 30, Washington Spirit: Riley Tanner, Alabama
Pick 31, Racing Louisville FC: Riley Mattingly Parker, Alabama
Pick 32, Portland Thorns FC (via Houston Dash): Lauren Kozal, Michigan State
Portland traded $20,000 and the No. 36 pick to Houston for the No. 32 pick.
Pick 33, San Diego Wave FC: Lauren Brzykcy, UCLA
Pick 34, Washington Spirit: Lena Silano, Long Beach State
Pick 35, Kansas City Current: Mykiaa Minniss, Washington State
Pick 36, Houston Dash: Lindsi Jennings, Louisiana State
Round 4
Pick 37, Washington Spirit: Civana Kuhlmann, Colorado
Pick 38, Kansas City Current: Ella Shamburger, Vanderbilt
Pick 39, Orlando Pride: Summer Yates, Washington
Pick 40, Washington Spirit: Delaney Graham, Duke
Pick 41, Orlando Pride: Kristen Scott, Central Florida
Pick 42, Kansas City Current: Rylan Childers, Kansas
Pick 43, Chicago Red Stars: Sophie Jones, Duke
Pick 44, NJ/NY Gotham FC: Iliana Hocking, Arizona
Pick 45, San Diego Wave FC: Giovanna DeMarco, Wake Forest
Pick 46, OL Reign: Natalie Viggiano, Wisconsin
Pick 47, Kansas City Current: Ashley Orkus, Mississippi
Pick 48, Houston Dash (via Portland Thorns FC): Madelyn Desiano, UCLA
Houston traded a natural third-round pick in 2024 and $10,000 in allocation money to Portland.)
As the 2023 NWSL Draft continues, stay tuned to this page for highlights. Also, make sure you are following Equalizer Soccer on Twitter for real-time updates from our staff on the ground at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Here is a final list of registered players from the NWSL
