The NWSL Expansion Draft is in the books as Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC expanded their rosters Thursday ahead of their inaugural seasons in 2022. Angel City selected Dani Weatherholt from OL Reign with their first pick while San Diego went with USWNT mid Kristie Mewis from the Houston Dash with their top choice, but then traded her rights to NJ/NY Gotham FC in exchange for $200,000 in allocation. Mewis has been reportedly linked to an overseas move to Tottenham Hotspur in FA Women's Super League.
All in all, seven out of nine possible picks were made as San Diego passed on two pics before ending the expansion draft by selecting defender Kaleigh Riehl from Racing Louisville. The league then announced a flurry of trades following the conclusion of the draft, including the Wave's move for Alex Morgan.
"We're certainly balanced with what we wanted and we were strategic," former USWNT coach and current San Diego president Jill Eilis told CBS Sports following the draft. "We're super excited and feel like we're building a fantastic squad."
The virtual event saw the two California sides build on their recent trade window -- where each franchise made a number of deals in exchange for roster protection ahead of the expansion draft. For a look at which players were protected, click here.
Los Angeles coach Freya Coombe and San Diego manager Casey Stoney still have plenty of roster-building left on their plates as NWSL shifts its attention to the league-wide college draft on Saturday on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
Below, you can find the complete results of the Expansion Draft and the trades made after the trade window reopened.
| PICK | TEAM | PLAYER | POS | AGE | HOMETOWN | PREVIOUS TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Angel City FC | Dani Weatherholt | MID | 27 | Laguna Beach, CA | OL Reign |
2 | San Diego Wave FC | Kristie Mewis* | MID* | 30* | Hanson, MA* | Houston Dash* |
3 | Angel City FC | Claire Emslie | FWD | 27 | Penicuik, Scotland | Orlando Pride |
4 | San Diego Wave FC | Kristen McNabb | DEF | 27 | Montville, NJ | OL Reign |
5 | Angel City FC | Jasmyne Spencer | FWD | 31 | Bay Shore, NY | Houston Dash |
6 | San Diego Wave FC | PASS | -- | -- | -- | -- |
7 | Angel City FC | Paige Nielsen | DEF | 28 | Lincoln, NE | Washington Spirit |
8 | San Diego Wave FC | PASS | -- | -- | -- | -- |
9 | San Diego Wave FC | Kaleigh Riehl | DEF | 25 | Fairfax Station, VA | Racing Louisville |
*San Diego traded the rights to Kristie Mewis to Gotham FC in exchange for $200,000 in allocation money.
Angel City FC get: No. 6 overall pick in 2022 NWSL Draft
Houston Dash get: No. 26 overall pick in 2022 NWSL Draft and $125,000 in allocation money.
NJ/NY Gotham FC get: Rights to Kristie Mewis
San Diego Wave FC get: $200,000 in allocation money
San Diego Wave FC get: Christen Westphal and rights to Amirah Ali
Portland Thorns FC get: $50,000 in allocation money
San Diego Wave FC get: Alex Morgan
Orlando Pride get: Angharad James, $275,000 in allocation money
2 more sleeps 'til the 2022 NWSL Draft 💫
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 17, 2021
From the #2 Overall Pick to NWSL Rookie of the Year to NWSL Champion to @ussoccer's Young Player of the Year for @trinity_rodman in season ☝️
Which 2022 pick will have their breakout rookie year? pic.twitter.com/aUln8w9vbr
Living a teenage dream 😎@trinity_rodman had herself a YEAR!
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) December 17, 2021
🏆 @NWSL Champion
✨ @NWSL Rookie of the Year
🇺🇸 @ChipotleTweets Young Female Player of the Year
MORE ≫ https://t.co/RV9X0VcUqE pic.twitter.com/RmTvMxi8fK
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This award means so much to me, I’m truly so honored. I want to congratulate my other teammates who were nominated and also thank everyone who voted 🤍
— Lindsey Horan (@LindseyHoran) December 17, 2021
To my loved ones… thank you for staying on this journey with me. We continue. https://t.co/77lvJCGLoo
GREAT AND GOLDEN 🤩@LindseyHoran takes home @ussoccer’s Female Player of the Year Award 💪 pic.twitter.com/NEIwulcDaM
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 17, 2021
Mew to New.....York/Jersey 🗽@KristieMewie 🤝 @GothamFC pic.twitter.com/uHAbHqQu48
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 17, 2021
We're having an OK time.
— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) December 17, 2021
NJNY Gotham FC acquires midfielder Kristie Mewis in trade with San Diego. pic.twitter.com/XIHJbmUSSK
She's coming home 🏖️@alexmorgan13 🤝 @sandiegowavefc pic.twitter.com/Ze8IVHDqxg
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 17, 2021
What a round! Quick reaction I'm going with Angel City FC as the winners here, though it was always going to be a tough night for some clubs considering only a handful of them were selection eligible after the wild trade window that took place ahead of the expansion draft.
We've got a pass on the sixth pick by San Diego. It will be interesting to see what they decide to add to their team but with players worth adding still on the board, there must be a plan in mind.
Four picks, two for each side already, sold picks for both teams. Dani Weatherholt and Claire Emsile for Angel City, and Kristie Mewis and Kristen McNabb for San Diego Wave FC. Big losses in this first round for OL Reign.
All the picks in one thread 🧵
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 17, 2021
Here we go... pic.twitter.com/RiK37VGo3y
We're gearing up for Angel City FC to kick things off with the first pick of the expansion draft in about 20 minutes. Given that the roster is already coming together in a balanced way, they could go in any direction which adds to the anticipation building for the pick.
Looking for the Expansion Draft feed? It's live here: https://t.co/2k4D1gamUV
— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) December 17, 2021
Live now! https://t.co/SCiMPP6cVl
— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) December 17, 2021
Tune in! https://t.co/84AYXJr1d5
— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) December 17, 2021
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 17, 2021
We're on the clock ⏰
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 17, 2021
Watch the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft on @CBSSportsHQ (free via web/app), @paramountplus, NWSL @Twitch or @CBSSportsNet now ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/vo1XNQCqMr
The NWSL Expansion Draft is almost here!
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) December 16, 2021
You can watch it all right here ⚽️@AttackingThird | @NWSL
4⃣ clubs with full protection in the Expansion Draft:
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 16, 2021
- @chicagoredstars
- @GothamFC
- @thekccurrent
- @TheNCCourage pic.twitter.com/j6ZO5g5uam
We’re getting closer 😬
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) December 16, 2021
Who do you have getting selected in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft presented @Ally? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LLIiq5fFqu
