With the National Women’s Soccer League season officially kicking off this past weekend, rosters have all but been finalized. Once again, there are plenty of Coloradans in the league with a total of 19 women, including four rookies.
Here they are, broken down by team.
Angel City FC
Brittany Isenhour
Goalkeeper | 25-years-old | 5-foot-8 | Littleton
The University of Denver product is down in the pecking order, but she knows how to win between the pipes: Isenhour had 40 wins and made 230 saves for DU, the fourth-most in program history.
Chicago Red Stars
Mallory Swanson
F | 24 | 5-4 | Highlands Ranch
Look no further than Swanson (neé Pugh) if you’re looking for a Golden Boot favorite for most league goals. Already on fire with the U.S. Women’s National Team with six goals, Swanson is on the board at club level with her first goal last Saturday.
Sami Feller
CDM | 23 | 5-10 | Grand Junction
The second player to make an NWSL roster from the Western Slope, the former Palisade High star and Pioneer (34 goals, 32 assists at DU), earned her spot despite going undrafted. The Red Stars announced last Saturday she signed a three-year deal. Hours later, she made her debut.
Ally Schlegel
F | 23 | 5-7 | Parker
Selected 23rd overall in this year’s draft, the Real Colorado product led the Big Ten in goals (13) last fall and was a first-team All-American at Penn State. With Chicago’s forwards to learn from, Schlegel’s one to watch.
Kansas City Current
Kristen Hamilton
F | 30 | 5-4 | Littleton
No one has appeared in more NWSL Championship games than “Hammy,” with five. The DU legend set a Current record for most goals across all competitions with 13 last year. If she catches fire, it’s one more reason the Current are among the favorites to lift the trophy this year.
Alex Loera
CB | 23 | 5-7 | Thornton
A standout rookie in 2022, Loera burst onto the scene and immediately became one of the Current’s most reliable players, racking up 1,900 minutes and 21 starts. The start to her pro career even had a few clamoring for a USWNT call-up after this summer.
North Carolina Courage
Estelle Johnson
CB | 34 | 5-6 | Fort Collins
At 34, Johnson is still a pivotal figure along any back line she plays on. She’s been in the league since its inception and has logged over 10,000 minutes. She signed a two-year deal with the Courage in December.
Ryan Williams
LB/RB | 27 | 5-6 | Centennial
The versatile outside back is already a two-time NWSL champion with the Courage and key cog on defense. In 2022, she was just shy of the 1,000-minute mark but won 75% of her tackles.
OL Reign
Shae Holmes
CB | 23 | 5-8 | Highlands Ranch
The No. 19 selection in this year’s draft, the University of Washington product is staying in the Emerald City, as she signed a one-year deal last Saturday with a club option for a year. Holmes has torn an ACL three times so far in her career, but has come back each time.
Orlando Pride
Ally Watt
F | 26 | 5-8 | Colorado Springs
Fully adjusted to her new surroundings in Florida after being traded midway through last season, Watt is hoping for big things with the Pride. “We’ve got this new identity this year and we’re going to show it,” she told the Attacking Third podcast last week.
Portland Thorns
Janine Beckie
F | 28 | 5-8 | Highlands Ranch
Beckie, a Canadian international who played for Real Colorado growing up, was dealt a blow last week when she tore her ACL. She will miss the 2023 campaign and the Women’s World Cup.
Natalie Beckman
F/W | 23 | 5-4 | Denver
Beckman moved higher up the pitch to her more natural position as a winger in the offseason. Known for her crossing abilities, the former Pio was No. 2 in the NCAA in assists in 2021. She could be a key contributor in Year 2 with the Thorns.
Lindsey Horan
CM | 28 | 5-9 | Golden
Loaned out to Olympique Lyonnais in France, Horan will be abroad until June, which is when the Women’s Champions League and French top flight ends. Horan has nine goals and three assists across all appearances thus far.
Sophia Smith
F | 22 | 5-6 | Windsor
While the World Cup this summer is the primary focus, it’s a good sign the 2022 MVP is back in form after a foot injury. In the season lid-lifter, she scored a goal and added an assist. Watch out world, “Soph” is back.
Racing Louisville
Jaelin Howell
CDM | 23 | 5-7 | Lone Tree
Howell is still in World Cup squad contention, according to USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski. On her day, the two-time Mac Hermann Trophy winner is one of the most effective defensive midfielders in the USWNT player pool. She’ll have to impress at club level if she’s to be on the plane to Australia.
Lauren Milliet
RWB | 26 | 5-1 | Durango
On a young Racing Louisville squad, Milliet is already seen as a crucial leader. The Colorado College alum signed a three-year deal last fall. She started the season at wingback and can expect more big-time minutes this season.
San Diego Wave
Cheyenne Shorts
CB | 24 | 5-9 | Denver
After a few seasons abroad, Shorts signed with San Diego as an injury replacement player Tuesday after training with the Wave in the preseason. Shorts is the fifth Pio in the NWSL and dominated at Celtic when she was in Scotland.
Washington Spirit
Jordan Baggett
CM | 26 | 5-7 | Highlands Ranch
The third pick in the 2019 draft out of Stanford, Baggett (neé DiBiassi) signed a two-year deal in January. She’s a reliable central midfielder and is fully fit after a scary collision last year.
Civana Kuhlmann
F | 23 | 5-6 | Centennial
After undergoing four surgeries at Stanford, the Chatfield High alum and former No. 2 player in the nation will get a chance to play professionally after all. She’s got Boulder (in part) to thank, as she spent her graduate year at CU to recover and return to form. With her pro career underway, hopefully it’s a new, healthy chapter.
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