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Hoos Make Moves In NWSL Ahead Of 2023 Season

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The connection between Virginia women’s soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League is one with a long history. The offseason before the 2023 NWSL campaign continues to prove the strength of that connection as 18 players have been tabbed for rosters across the league.

Those moves also include several clubs that feature multiple Hoos reunited from their playing days together or younger players joining experienced veterans.

The NWSL opens the 2023 season on Saturday, March 25.

ANGEL CITY

  • Megan Reid • Defender
    Reid enters her second season with Angel City after signing with the club prior to the beginning of the 2022 season. In her first year she started all 22 games and tallied an assist as the club posted four shutouts on the season.

GOTHAM FC

  • Sinead Farrelly • Midfielder
    A two-time All-American and 2010 ACC Offensive Player of the Year in her time at Virginia, Farrelly joined Gotham FC’s preseason camp this offseason for her second stint in the NWSL. Farrelly originally played in the NWSL from 2013-2016 and has also been a part of the U.S. Women’s National Team roster.

  • Taryn Torres • Midfielder
    Torres joined Gotham FC after being the No. 23 pick by the club in the 2021 NWSL Draft. A four-time All-ACC player and 2019 All-Region player at Virginia, Torres played in 13 games with nine starts a year ago. She suffered a season-ending injury during training camp and will miss the 2023 season.

HOUSTON DASH

  • Diana Ordoñez • Forward
    The sixth overall pick by North Carolina in the 2022 NWSL Draft, Ordoñez was traded to Houston after a stellar rookie season with the Courage. In her first campaign, she started 17-of-19 games played and tallied 11 goals and broke the NWSL record for goals scored by a rookie in a season.

  • Courtney Petersen • Defender
    Petersen signed with Houston in the offseason after spending the previous three seasons with the Orlando Pride after being the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft. In her professional career she has played in 54 games and tallied a goal.

KANSAS CITY CURRENT

  • Morgan Gautrat • Midfielder
    Gautrat is in her first camp with Kansas City after being traded by the Chicago Red Stars in the offseason. The No. 1 pick in the 2015 NWSL Draft by Houston, Gautrat enters her ninth season in the NWSL and has tallied six goals through 61 games and helped Chicago advance to the NWSL playoffs for the fifth time in her career a year ago. She also helped the U.S. Women’s National Team win the 2015 and 2019 World Cup.

  • Alexa Spaanstra • Forward
    Spaanstra joins the Current after being the 10th overall pick by Kansas City in the 2023 NWSL Draft in January. She was a five-time All-ACC selection and a four-time All-Region selection. She set the career record for games started at Virginia with 107 across her career and tallied 37 goals and 34 assists as a Cavalier.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE

  • Sarah Clark • Defender
    Clark joined the Courage for the preseason camp as a non-rostered invitee after completing her career with the Cavaliers in the fall. She played three years with the Cavaliers, helping Virginia post 34 shutouts in her time.
  • Haley Hopkins • Forward
    Hopkins joins the Courage after being the 11th overall pick by North Carolina in the 2023 NWSL Draft back in January. She tallied 56 goals and 26 assists throughout her collegiate career while earning All-America honors twice. She was a two-time All-ACC selection and an All-Region selection in her time as a Cavalier.

  • Brittany Ratcliffe • Midfielder
    Ratcliffe enters her eighth season in the NWSL after being a second-round pick of the Boston Breakers in the 2016 NWSL Draft. This is her third season with the Courage after joining the club in 2021 after three seasons with the Utah Royals. Ratcliffe tallied a pair of goals for the Courage last season through 10 appearances.

OL REIGN

  • Laurel Ivory • Goalkeeper
    Ivory begins her second season with the Reign after signing a contract prior to the start of the 2022 season. One of the top keepers in Virginia program history, Ivory has played with U.S. Soccer through multiple levels and finished second at UVA in career shutouts and victories by a keeper.
  • Veronica Latsko • Forward
    Latsko is in her sixth year with the NWSL and is in her second with the Reign in 2023. After being drafted drafted by the Houston Dash in with the 28th pick in the 2018 NWSL Draft, Latsko spent four years with the Dash before moving to the Reign in a trade. Last season she appeared in 20 games and helped the Reign advance to the semifinals of the NWSL playoffs.

  • Phoebe McClernon • Defender
    McClernon is in her fourth season of the NWSL after being the 14th overall pick by Orlando in the 2020 NWSL Draft. She is in her second year with the Reign after being rostered by Orlando for the first two seasons. Last year she helped OL Reign advance to the semifinals of the NWSL Playoffs with former Virginia teammate Latsko.
  • Emily Sonnett • Defender
    Sonnett enters her eighth season in the NWSL after being the top pick in the 2016 draft by the Portland Thorns. She joined the Reign this off-season after spending the last two seasons with the Washington Spirit where she helped the Spirit to an NWSL Championship in 2021. She is also a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team.

PORTLAND THORNS

  • Becky Sauerbrunn • Defender
    Sauerbrunn enters her 11th season in the NWSL and her fourth with the Portland Thorns in 2023. A four-time NWSL Defender of the Year and is a three-time NWSL Champion as she helped the Thorns claim the title a year ago and she twice helped lead Kansas City to a championship. She is also a member and captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team.

SAN DIEGO WAVE

  • Danielle Colaprico • Midfielder
    Colaprico enters her ninth season in the NWSL after being drafted by the Chicago Red Stars with the ninth overall pick in the 2015 NWSL Draft. She spent the previous eight years with Chicago after being named NWSL Rookie of the Year in her first season with the Red Stars and helped the club to seven playoff appearances – including four semifinal appearances and two runner-up finishes.

  • Makenzy Doniak • Forward
    Doniak enters her eighth season in the NWSL after being the 11th overall pick in the 2016 NWSL Draft by the Western New York Flash – a club she helped claim the NWSL Championship as part of her rookie season. She scored three goals for the Wave last year and helped the club advance to the semifinals of the NWSL playoffs.
  • Kristen McNabb • Defender
    McNabb is in her second season with the Wave and seventh season overall in the NWSL. She was drafted by OL Reign in the fourth round of the 2017 NWSL Draft and spent the first five seasons in the league with the Regin before being taken by the Wave in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft. She helped the Wave advance to the semifinals of the NWSL playoffs a year ago along with former Virginia teammate Doniak as she made 23 starts and tallied a pair of goals.

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