CHICAGO – The National Women’s Soccer League today announced the list of players protected by NWSL clubs participating in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft presented by Ally. Teams are permitted to protect a total of nine players, which may include one U.S. federation player, from the 2021 NWSL season. All remaining U.S. allocated players must be left unprotected. Individuals on the discovery list of any team are not eligible to be selected in the Expansion Draft.
Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC may select one player from each NWSL team, and no more than one U.S. allocated player in total from all teams.
The following transactions have given several clubs protection from one or both expansion sides:
- Chicago Red Stars received full expansion protection from Angel City and Wave FC. In exchange for protection, Chicago sent the rights to Julie Ertz and Sarah Gorden, and international slots to Angel City, and traded Katie Johnson as well as the rights to Makenzy Doniak and college forward Kelsey Turnbow, and $25,000 in allocation money to Wave FC.
- Kansas City has received full expansion protection as part of an agreement made when the club was formed.
- NJ/NY Gotham FC have received expansion protection from both Angel City and Wave FC. Gotham traded the rights to Kailen Sheridan in exchange for protection and $130,000 in allocation money from Wave FC. Angel City received the rights to DiDi Haracic in exchange for $50,000 in allocation money and expansion protection.
- North Carolina Courage have sent the rights to Cari Roccaro to Angel City and the rights to Angharad James to San Diego in exchanged for full expansion protection.
- OL Reign traded the No. 36 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft in exchange for $25,000 in allocation money and protection of the team’s forward position group from Angel City. The group includes strikers Bethany Balcer, Tziarra King, Leah Pruitt, Megan Rapinoe and Ally Watt.
- Portland Thorns FC has received expansion protection from Angel City in exchange for the rights to Simone Charley and Tyler Lussi, $100,000 in allocation money and a natural second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.
- Racing Louisville FC received expansion protection, a natural first-round pick in the 2022 Draft and $75,000 in allocation money from Angel City in exchange for the rights to Christen Press.
- The Washington Spirit traded the rights to midfielder MA Vignola to Angel City in exchange for $30,000 in funded allocation money and protection of its U.S. allocated players. The Spirit also received full protection from Wave FC in exchange for the rights to Teagan McGrady, the natural first-round pick the Spirit received from OL Reign and an international slot for the 2022 season.
For the full 2022 Expansion Draft process and procedures, click here.
In addition, Stephanie Cox, Amanda Dennis, Schuyler DeBree, Zoe Goralski, Carli Lloyd and Sydney Miramontez have announced their retirement and their playing rights currently remain with their most recent NWSL club.
Selections by Angel City and Wave FC will be revealed at the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft presented by Ally on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 7 p.m. ET. The Expansion Draft will air on CBS Sports Network and stream live on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ, the free 24/7 streaming sports news network. The draft will also stream live on the CBS Sports HQ Twitch channel and on the CBS Sports HQ and NWSL YouTube channels.
PORTLAND THORNS FC
Protected Players
Bella Bixby
Crystal Dunn
Lindsey Horan
Natalia Kuikka (International - FIN)
Emily Menges
Olivia Moultrie
Raquel Rodriguez (International – CRC)
Sophia Smith (U.S. Federation Player)
Morgan Weaver
Unprotected Players
Ali Amirah (College Protected Player)
Nadine Angerer (Playing Rights)
Hannah Betfort
Celeste Boureille
Samantha Coffey (College Protected Player)
Marian Dougherty (Playing Rights)
Britt Eckerstrom (Playing Rights)
Marissa Everett
Shelby Hogan
Kelli Hubly
Meghan Klingenberg
Andressa Machry (Playing Rights)
Nikki Marshall (Playing Rights)
Meagan Morris (Playing Rights)
Meaghan Nally
Madison Pogarch
Hayley Raso (Playing Rights)
Katherine Reynolds (Playing Rights)
Yazmeen Ryan
Angela Salem
Becky Sauerbrunn
Christine Sinclair
Abby Smith
Katarina Tarr (Playing Rights)
Rachel Van Hollebeke (Playing Rights)
Christen Westphal
Sandra Yu (Playing Rights)
