We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.
No ad available

2024 NWSL Draft: Every pick, first round grades as Utah Royals, Bay FC earn A+; Washington Spirit trade up

How did the other teams do with their first rounders?

The 2024 NWSL Draft class has been finalized. After several hours and 56 selections made, several players took their first steps as professional footballers. The winners and losers of the NWSL Draft is up for debate as different team needs determined who got drafted. Expansion franchises Utah Royals FC and Bay FC held the No. 1 and No. 2 picks respectively and put the evening in motion with a selection of teenagers out of the University of North Carolina. 

Utah opened the draft by selecting UNC midfielder Ally Sentnor. The 19-year-old is a top prospect and has experience at the United States women's youth national team level. Bay FC selected 18-year-old Savy King at No. 2. The freshman defender led UNC in total minutes and was a nominee for the 2023 U.S. Soccer Best Female Youth Player of the Year alongside UNC teammate Sentnor.

The draft also saw plenty of trade action between clubs as Washington Spirit traded defender Sam Staab to the Chicago Red Stars and midfielder Ashley Sanchez to the North Carolina Courage for higher picks in the first round. 

Take a look at our first round draft grades and see who teams drafted:

Round 1

1. Utah Royals FC: MID/FWD Ally Sentnor, North Carolina
A versatile player who can also play as a forward and is a good finisher in front of goal. A great pick for an expansion side looking to build.
Grade: A+

2. Bay FC: DEF Savy King, North Carolina
A top prospect who can play along the backline. Her breakout freshman season just looked like an audition to go pro, and now she is with the Bay Area expansion side.
Grade: A+

3. Washington Spirit: MID Croix Bethune, Georgia (acquired via trade with Chicago for defender Sam Staab)
Possibly the most creative talent in the draft, the Spirit traded up to get their preferred player. Will be an asset in the attack with Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman.
Grade: A+

4. Utah Royals FC: MID/FWD Brecken Mozingo, BYU
The MAC Hermann finalist stays in her home state after a career-defining senior season. A strong, connective player and technical on the ball. 
Grade: A-

5. Washington Spirit: DEF/MID Hal Hershfelt, Clemson (acquired via trade with North Carolina for forward Ashley Sanchez and $250,000 in allocation money)
Another player the Spirit jumped to grab and could be one that helps solidify their spine. Pure defensive midfielder among the draft class.
Grade: B+

6. Racing Louisville FC: FWD Reilyn Turner, UCLA
One of the best forwards available among the draft class and head coach Bev Yanez has a chance to develop a star attacker for the club for the first time in its short history.
Grade: A-

7. Washington Spirit: DEF Kate Wiesner, Penn State
The club opts to select a defensive player after trading Sam Staab. Wisner is an outside back, so what might that mean for recently signed free agent Casey Krueger?
Grade: B

8. Bay FC: MID Maya Doms, Stanford
A proven winner at the collegiate level and a strong leader. Will play a role in the middle third for an expansion side that needed to build out its midfield.
Grade: A

9. Orlando Pride: MID Ally Lemos, UCLA
A passing midfielder who can also provide attacking plays. Could be depth for a team looking to finally punch their ticket to the postseason.
Grade: B+

10. Chicago Red Stars: MID Leilanni Nesbeth, FSU (acquired via trade with North Carolina for $175,000 in allocation money)
They need ball winners in the midfield and they got one in this pick. Could be a game changer if she continues to develop with Lorne Donaldson.
Grade: B+

11. Portland Thorns FC: FWD Peyton Linnehan, Penn State
A selection with an eye on the future perhaps. Sophia Smith is under contract through 2024, and how Lennehan contributes could shape things moving forward.
Grade: B+

12. San Diego Wave FC: DEF Kennedy Wesley, Stanford
A steal late in the first round due to her interchangeability on the backline. A versitle pick up for the Wave.
Grade: A

13. Washington Spirit: DEF/MID/FWD Makenna Morris, Clemson
The definitive versatile player in the draft and racked up goals as a defender in her final collegiate season. Where will she feature on the backline?
Grade: A

14. NJ/NY Gotham FC: DEF Maycee Bell, North Carolina
Could be a longer term answer alongside Tierna Davidson or can slot in during her absence. A steal for the NWSL champions to close out the round.
Grade: A-

Round 2

15. Chicago Red Stars: FWD Jameese Joseph, North Carolina State (acquired via trade with Louisville for Arin Wright and 125K allocation money)
16. Utah Royals FC: DEF/FWD Lauren Flynn, FSU
17. Seattle Reign FC: MID Sam Meza, North Carolina (acquired via trade with Chicago for $125,000 in allocation money)
18. Kansas City Current: DEF/MID/FWD Ellie Wheeler, Penn State
19. Houston Dash: DEF/MID/FWD Avery Patterson, North Carolina
20. Utah Royals FC: DEF Olivia Smith-Griffiths, BYU
21. Houston Dash: Kiki Van Zanten (acquired via trade with Utah for $120,000 in allocation money)
22. Orlando Pride: DEF/MID Cori Dyke, Penn State
23. Portland Thorns FC: DEF/MID/FWD Olivia Wade-Katoa, BYU
24. North Carolina Courage: DEF Natalia Staude, Virginia
25. Portland Thorns FC: DEF Keslea Kaufusi, Utah State
26. Utah Royals FC: MID/FWD Emma Jaskaniec, Wisconsin
27. Seattle Reign FC: MID/FWD Maddie Mercado, Notre Dame
28. Racing Louisville FC: MDI/FWD Emma Sears, Ohio State

Round 3

29. Utah Royals FC: DEF/MID Zoe Burns, USC
30. Bay FC: DEF/MID Jamie Shepard, Utah Valley
31. Chicago Red Stars: DEF Hannah Anderson, Texas Tech
32. Kansas City Current: GK Hailie Mackiewicz, Clemson
33. Utah Royals FC: GK Cristina Roque, FSU
34. Bay FC: MID/FWD Caroline Conti, Clemson
35. Washington Spirit: MID/FWD Anna Podojil, Arkansas
36. Houston Dash: FWD Amanda West, Pittsburgh
37. Angel City FC: MID Felicia Knox, Alabama
38. Houston Dash: GK Heather Hinz, South Carolina (acquired via trade with North Carolina in exchange for No. 40 pick and $10,000)
39. Portland Thorns FC: GK Kat Asman, Penn State
40. North Carolina Couarge: DEF Julia Dorsey, North Carolina (acquired via trade with Houston in exchange for No. 38 pick)
41. Chicago Red Stars: DEF/MID/FWD Bea Franklin, Arkansas
42. San Diego Wave FC: MID/FWD Mya Jones, Memphis (acquired via trade with Louisville in exchange for $40,000 and No. 54 pick)

Round 4

43. Seattle Reign FC: DEF/MID/FWD Makena Carr, Saint Mary's College of California
44. Angel City FC: MID/FWD Jessica Garziano, St. John's (acquired via trade with Utah in exchange for $15,000 in allocation money)
45. Chicago Red Stars: DEF/MID Celia Gaynor, Michigan State
46. Kansas City Current: GK Hope Hisey, Arizona
47. Houston Dash: DEF/MID Alyssa Bourgeois, Santa Clara
48. Racing Louisville FC: DEF Sam Cary, Iowa
49. Washington Spirit: MID Courtney Brown, Utah
50. Orlando Pride: MID/FWD Alex Kerr, Texas Tech
51. Angel City FC: DEF Madi Curry, Princeton
52. North Carolina Courage: MID/FWD Landy Mertz, Pittsburgh
53. Portland Thorns FC: MID Katie Duong, Stanford
54. Racing Louisville FC: GK Madison White, Texas Tech (acquired via trade with San Diego in exchange for No. 42 pick)
55. Bay FC: DEF Laveni Vaka, BYU
56. Orlando Pride: MID Talia Gabarra, University of Central Florida

Want more coverage of women's soccer? Listen below and make sure to watch Attacking Third on Golazo Network Monday and Friday for all your USWNT, NWSL and WSL women's soccer coverage.

No ad available
Live updates
 
Pinned

First round picks

Here's an updating list of picks from the first round of the draft.

  1. Utah Royals FC: MID Ally Sentnor, North Carolina
  2. Bay FC: DEF Savy King, North Carolina
  3. Washington Spirit: MID Croix Bethune, Georgia (acquired via trade with Chicago for defender Sam Staab)
  4. Utah Royals FC: FWD/MID Brecken Mozingo, BYU
  5.  Washington Spirit: DEF/MID Hal Hershfelt, Clemson (acquired via trade with North Carolina for forward Ashley Sanchez and $250,000 in allocation money)
  6. Racing Louisville FC: FWD Reilyn Turner, UCAL
  7. Washington Spirit: DEF Kate Wiesner, Penn State
  8. Bay FC: MID Maya Doms, Stanford
  9. Orlando Pride: MID Ally Lemos, UCLA
  10. Chicago Red Stars: MID Leilanni Nesbeth, FSU (acquired via trade with North Carolina for $175,000 in allocation money)
  11. Portland Thorns FC: FWD Peyton Linnehan, Penn State
  12. San Diego Wave FC: DEF Kennedy Wesley, Stanford
  13. Washington Spirit: DEF/MID/FWD Makenna Morris, Clemson
  14. NJ/NY Gotham FC: DEF Maycell Bell, North Carolina
 
@NWSL via Twitter
 

Flynn to the Royals as No. 16

FSU defender/forward Lauren Flynn is the latest player off to expansion team Utah Royals, adding some versatility and depth to a growing roster.

 

Red Stars open second round with Joseph

NC State forward Jameese Joseph is off to the Red Stars as the No. 15 pick, and adds to a forward line led by Mallory Swanson. The attack might be built around the USWNT star, who is set to return from an ACL tear she sustained last year.

 

Bell to Gotham as No. 14 pick

UNC defender Maycee Bell is the last pick of the first round and will head to reigning champions Gotham. The team was defensively solid in their successful run to the title last year, and Bell will provide nice depth at center back after Ali Krieger's retirement.

 

Another timeout

Before Gotham (or someone else?) make the last pick of the first round, the reigning NWSL champions are taking a timeout.

 

Morris the latest to join Spirit at No. 13

With their fourth pick of the first round, the Spirit picked Clemson's leading scorer Makenna Morris who's versatile enough to be listed as a defender, midfielder and forward on the official league-issued list. She's another draft pick that could help the Spirit replace Sanchez, who they sent to the Courage for the No. 5 pick.

 

Wave pick Wesley at No. 12

Stanford defender Kennedy Wesley is off to reigning NWSL Shield winners San Diego Wave, and adds some useful depth in the back line. Wesley's a versatile player who can play in the center and on the wing, and fills a need after Madison Pogarch went to the Utah Royals in free agency.

 

Linnehan to Thorns as No. 11

Penn State forward Peyton Linnehan is heading to Portland, which feels like a nice continuation of the Thorns' attack-minded identity that the team has always had in their NWSL days.

 

Nesbeth to Red Stars as No. 10 pick

FSU midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth is off to the Red Stars in a big rebuild year for the Chicago team under new ownership and a new coach Lorne Donaldson. She's also the first member of the team that won the 2023 College Cup to be selected in this year's draft.

 

Pride picks Lemos as No. 9

Ally Lemos is the second UCLA player to go in tonight's draft, and offers consistency in midfield as a No. 6 for the Orlando Pride.

 

Doms to Bay as No. 8

Stanford miidfielder Maya Doms is staying local by heading to Bay FC, and could be a useful option in midfield as a No. 8 on the field. It's an area of the squad the expansion team needs to flesh out -- before tonight's draft, they had just 11 players on their squad.

 

Bay FC are in a timeout

We officially have our first timeout of the 2024 NWSL draft courtesy of the expansion team, so we'll see if more shenanigans are in the cards or if we will resume business as usual shortly!

 

Wiesner off to Spirit as No. 7 pick

Penn State defender Kate Wiesner is the Spirit's third pick of the draft so far, and is a promising attack-minded fullback. The Spirit have been busy, considering Wiesner isn't even their first fullback acquired this week -- they just signed USWNT defender Casey Krueger as a free agent.

 

Turner to Louisville as No. 6

UCLA forward Reilyn Turner heads to Racing Louisville, and answers a pressing need for first-year head coach Bev Yanez. The team lost forward Thembi Kgetlana in a transfer to Mexico's Tigres, while free agents Jessica McDonald and Nadia Nadim will not return to the club.

 

No. 5 is officially Spirit's

The trade sending Sanchez and $250,000 in allocation money to the Courage in exchange for the No. 5 pick is confirmed, and the Washington, D.C. based club picks Clemson defender/midfielder Hal Hershfelt. The draft pick could help address the hole left in the back line after the Spirit traded away mainstay Sam Staab to the Red Stars in exchange for the No. 3 pick.

 

Mozingo to the Royals as No. 4

Forward Brecken Mozingo is staying home as the No. 4 pick -- she went to Brigham Young University and is a native of Sandy, Utah, home of the Royals. The expansion team has prioritized attack with their first picks tonight, which has been an exciting question many have asked with former USWNT forward Amy Rodriguez coaching the team.

 

Spirit select Bethune at No. 3

Georgia midfielder Croix Bethune is off to the nation's capital with Spirit's first pick in the first round since 2021. It's going to be a big day for the Spirit - they scored this early pick in a trade with the Red Stars earlier today, and are reportedly set to acquire the No. 5 pick from the Courage in exchange for Ashley Sanchez. Bethune might jsut be a direct replacement for Sanchez, too.

 

King goes to Bay as No. 2 pick

Another UNC player has been picked, this time promising defender Savy King after completing her freshman soccer season. Bay seems to be a defense-first team in terms of squad-building, and have added to their ranks with one of the most promising players in the draft.

 

Sentnor goes as No. 1 pick

The Utah Royals select UNC midfielder/forward Ally Sentnor, who is a nice prospect for the expansion team that could use some depth going forward.
 

New ball unveiled for 2024 season

She's a beaut, Clark! A new ball for revealed for the upcoming 2024 NWSL season.
 

Another trade is in

This time, it's just an exchange of money for a draft pick: the Red Stars scored the No. 10 from the North Carolina Courage in exchange for $175,000 in allocation money, and now have five picks tonight.

 

Draft day chaos officially underway

It's not NWSL Draft day without some major trades, and a handful of NWSL teams are embracing that. One deal that just got over the line is Racing Louisville's acquisition of Kentucky native Arin Wright from the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for the No. 15 pick and $125,000 in allocation money.

It might not be the wildest trade in the books today, though -- longtime Washington Spirit attacker Ashley Sanchez is reportedly on her way to the North Carolina Courage.

It's also already been a busy day in the NWSL. Here's a quick recap on the other deals that took place today.

  • Angel City acquire midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard from the San Diego Wave in exchange for $40,000 in allocation money
  • Free agent Yuki Nagasato joins the Houston Dash on a two-year deal
  • Chicago Red Stars acquire defender Sam Staab from the Washington Spirit in exchange for the No. 3 pick in today's draft
 

Chicago Red Stars first to trade out of first round.

The Red Stars sent their No. 3 pick to Washgiinton Spirit for defender Sam Staab. It's a massive move for Chicago, a team in desperate need of defenders after losing three pieces of their backline in free agency. Tierna Davidson, Casey Krueger, and Bianca St. Georges all have moved on, and the Red Stars get a massive defensive piece in Stabb, a three-time iron woman in the league. 
 

What to know about the NWSL Draft

The 2024 NWSL Draft is the first league draft that will have 56 total selections with 14 clubs participating. The NWSL is set to expand to 14 clubs this season, welcoming in Utah Royals FC and Bay FC. There are over 200 draft-eligible players and Utah holds the No. 1 pick followed by Bay FC at No. 2. 

The Royals have the most selections tonight with nine total picks, with two in the first round, all eyes are on them waiting to see how they will navigate the first round. 

 

Welcome to the 2024 NWSL Draft

Hello and welcome to our live blog of the 2024 NWSL Draft. I'm Sandra Herrera and with Pardeep Cattry we will keep you updated on tonight's selections and provide analysis on any draft day moves. Stay tuned for more!

2 of 2
No ad available