PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC today announced that the club has acquired midfielder Crystal Dunn from OL Reign in exchange for allocation money, an international roster spot for the 2021 season and Portland’s natural first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL College Draft.
OL Reign will receive $150,000 in allocation money upon execution of the trade, $50,000 on January 1, 2021 and additional allocation money conditioned upon Dunn’s future playing status in the NWSL.
“We are delighted to add a world-class player to an already talented group,” said Gavin Wilkinson, Thorns FC general manager and president of soccer. “Crystal has proven herself on the international level and been a dominant player in the NWSL for many years. Her professionalism and presence will reinforce and add to the strong culture we have in this club.”
The 2021 season will mark Dunn’s seventh season in the NWSL. Dunn, 28, began her career with the Washington Spirit (2014-16) and played the last three seasons (2018-2020) with the North Carolina Courage while playing one season (2017) with Chelsea in the FA Women’s Super League. Individually, Dunn won the NWSL MVP in 2015 along with the Golden Boot, scoring a league-best 15 goals, earned NWSL Best XI accolades in 2015 and 2018, and NWSL Second XI honors in 2016 and 2019. During her NWSL career, Dunn has appeared in 89 games (81 starts), recording 32 goals and 20 assists.
“Crystal is a game-changer, and with her intelligence, dribbling, passing and finishing ability, she can unlock a game in a split second, while her defensive qualities and work rate make her as impactful off the ball as she is on it,” said Thorns FC head coach Mark Parsons. “She has a winning mentality, a contagious personality full of positivity and the desire to be the best and make people around her the best.”
With North Carolina, Dunn won back-to-back NWSL Shields and NWSL Championships in 2018 and 2019. In three seasons with the Courage, Dunn appeared 35 regular-season matches (32 starts), recording 15 goals and nine assists. In 2020, Dunn appeared in five games (four starts) during the NWSL Challenge Cup, tallying one goal.
The No.1 pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft out of the University of North Carolina, Dunn began her NWSL career with the Washington Spirit. In her MVP season in 2015, Dunn tallied 15 goals and three assists in 20 games, making 19 starts. She helped lead Washington to the 2016 NWSL Championship game, scoring two goals in the match. In three seasons with the Spirit, Dunn played in 54 games (49 starts), recording 17 goals and 11 assists.
A member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Dunn has made 104 appearances, tallying 24 goals and 17 assists. She was part of the team that won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, starting and playing 90 minutes of six of the team’s seven matches. Notably, Dunn also won the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2012.
Crystal Dunn
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-1
Born: July 3, 1992
Hometown: Rockville Centre, NY
Previous Club: North Carolina Courage
College: University of North Carolina
