PORTLAND, Ore. — The National Women's Soccer League embarks on its 11th season this weekend with players looking to capitalize on the excitement building ahead of the Women's World Cup while also moving on from the turbulence of the last two seasons. The league has been rocked for the past two years by allegations of misconduct and abuse by several coaches. Both U.S. Soccer and the league commissioned investigations into the scandals. The NWSL has since put several programs in place to try to prevent abuse.
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 10-3-9, won the NWSL title over the Kansas City Current.
COACH: Mike Norris.
KEY PLAYERS: Sophia Smith, Christine Sinclair, Crystal Dunn.
OUTLOOK: The Thorns defeated the Kansas City Current 2-0 to win last season's NWSL title, the team's third. They also won it in 2013, the league's first season, and again in 2017. Forward Sophia Smith was named the NWSL MVP last season as well as the championship game MVP. The team parted ways with coach Rhian Wilkinson after she self-reported inappropriate communication with a player. Portland promoted assistant Mike Norris to head coach for the 2023 season. The Thorns have a loaded roster, which this season could prove problematic with many players headed to the World Cup.
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OL REIGN
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 11-4-7, lost to the Kansas City Current in the semifinals.
COACH: Laura Harvey.
KEY PLAYERS: Megan Rapinoe, Rose Lavelle, Alana Cook
OUTLOOK: The Reign won the Supporters Shield for the third time last season. But the Reign fell to the Kansas City Current in the playoffs. The Reign have three players who have been with the team since the start of the league in 2013: Megan Rapinoe, Jess Fishlock and Lauren Barnes. Laura Harvey is the winningest coach in NWSL history. Still, the Reign have never won a title. The team made Lumen Field, home of the MLS Sounders and the NFL's Seahawks, their permanent home field last season. The Reign will play a doubleheader with the Sounders on June 3.
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RACING LOUISVILLE
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 5-9-8, ninth in the standings.
COACH: Kim Bjorkegren
KEY PLAYERS: Abby Erceg, Carson Pickett, Jess McDonald.
OUTLOOK: Racing made a pair of notable moves in the offseason: They signed Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu from Tigres in Liga MX and acquired defenders Carson Pickett and Abby Erceg in a trade with North Carolina for Emily Fox. Kanu, 25, should give Louisville an offensive boost after scoring 23 goals in 38 appearances with Tigres. Pickett and Erceg shore up a defense that gave up 35 goals last season. Wang Shuang, who joined Louisville in August, has her footing in the league now and should provide additional firepower.
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ANGEL CITY
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 8-9-5, eighth in the standings.
COACH: Freya Coombe.
KEY PLAYERS: Christen Press, Sydney Leroux, Sarah Gorden.
OUTLOOK: Press was Angel City's big signing for the team's debut last year but she was sidelined for much of the season after tearing the ACL in her right knee. She said on social media that she needed three surgeries over eight months. But it appears she'll be back at some point this season after U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said she was in "return-to-play protocol." Defender Sarah Gorden also tore the ACL in her right knee last year but appeared in a preseason match against Club America, playing for 65 minutes. Angel City has a player to watch this season in No. 1 draft pick Alyssa Thompson, the first high schooler drafted in the league.
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SAN DIEGO WAVE
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 10-6-6, lost to the Portland Thorns 2-1 in the semifinals.
COACH: Casey Stoney.
KEY PLAYERS: Alex Morgan, Naomi Girma, Kailen Sheridan.
OUTLOOK: The Wave were the surprise of last season but expectations were high from the start for the Casey Stoney-led club. Alex Morgan scored 16 goals and the Wave became the first true NWSL expansion team to make the playoffs. They advanced to the semifinals but lost to eventual champion Portland. The team also set the NWSL attendance record in September when 32,000 fans were on hand for a rivalry game against Angel City at Snapdragon Stadium. Expect more of the same this season from the Wave, who have a loaded lineup including Naomi Girma, Taylor Kornieck and goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.
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CHICAGO RED STARS
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 9-7-6, lost to the San Diego Wave in the opening round of the playoffs.
COACH: Chris Petrucelli.
KEY PLAYERS: Mallory Swanson, Alyssa Naeher, Tierna Davidson.
OUTLOOK: Chicago has made the postseason for seven straight seasons but the team has never won a title. Mallory Swanson had 11 goals for the Red Stars last season before going on a tear for the U.S. national team to start 2023. While she provides the offense, national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher holds down the defense. Defender Tierna Davidson missed last season with an ACL injury but coach Chris Petrucelli said she's ready for the start of this season. Swanson's husband, shortstop Dansby Swanson, will be nearby after signing a seven-year deal with the Chicago Cubs in the offseason.
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KANSAS CITY CURRENT
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 10-6-6, lost to the Portland Thorns in the title game.
COACH: Matt Potter.
KEY PLAYERS: Debinha, Desiree Scott, AD Franch.
OUTLOOK: The Current opened last season hoping new acquisitions Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams would take the team to the next level but both sustained season-ending injuries. Williams has since moved on to Racing Louisville and Mewis' injury has proven more serious. She's already been ruled out for the season. Even without those two, the Current finished fifth in the league and went on to play in the championship game, where they lost to the Thorns. The Current made a big move in the offseason, signing Brazilian midfielder Debinha.
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ORLANDO PRIDE
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 5-7-10, 10th in the standings.
COACH: Seb Hines.
KEY PLAYERS: Marta, Adriana, Ally Watt.
OUTLOOK: The Pride are in the midst of a rebuild. Seb Hines was interim coach last season before getting the job outright in November. Legendary forward Marta missed most of last season after tearing her ACL but she's back. Marta is a six-time FIFA Best Player of the Year and is the top career scorer for the Brazilian national team, among both men and women. The Pride signed fellow Brazilian Adriana to complement Marta. Longtime defender Toni Pressley has retired, while goalkeeper Erin McLeod and midfielder Gunny Jonsdottir stepped away from the NWSL to play in Iceland.
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NY/NJ GOTHAM
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 4-17-1, last place in the standings.
COACH: Juan Carlos Amoros.
KEY PLAYERS: Kristie Mewis, Margaret Purce, Kelley O'Hara
OUTLOOK: After a disappointing last-place showing in 2022, Gotham added a few key pieces in the offseason — including Lynn Williams, who spent last season with Kansas City recovering from a serious hamstring injury. Williams, Margaret "Midge" Purce and Ifeoma Onumonu will form a formidable front line. The team also added U.S. national team vet Kelley O'Hara and traded with Portland for Yazmeen Ryan. There's really nowhere to go but up: Gotham allowed a league-high 46 goals last season while scoring a league-low 16 goals.
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WASHINGTON SPIRIT
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 3-9-10, 11th in the standings.
COACH: Mark Parsons.
KEY PLAYERS: Trinity Rodman, Ashley Hatch, Andi Sullivan.
OUTLOOK: The Spirit, like the league as a whole, is coming off a turbulent couple of seasons. But the team has hired Mark Parsons, who also coached the club from 2013-15 before stints with the Thorns and the Dutch national team. Michelle Kang is investing in the club after a contentious ownership battle, and the Spirit are still looking to rebrand. But there's some serious talent on the roster, led by 20-year-old Trinity Rodman, the highest-paid player in the league, who had eight goals last season. The Spirit also brought in Chloe Ricketts, who at 15 is one of the youngest players in the league.
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NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 9-8-5, seventh in the standings.
COACH: Sean Nahas.
KEY PLAYERS: Emily Fox, Casey Murphy, Brianna Pinto.
OUTLOOK: The Courage lost many notable players. Debinha went to Kansas City, defenders Carson Pickett and Abby Erceg were traded to Racing Louisville for Emily Fox. Diana Ordonez was sent to the Houston Dash. The team brought in Tyler Lussi to shore up the defense. The turnover could mean that goalkeeper Casey Murphy will be tested early. North Carolina narrowly missed the playoffs last season, marking the first missed postseason since the team moved from New York in 2017.
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HOUSTON DASH
2022 RECORD AND FINISH: 10-6-6, lost to the Kansas City Current in the opening round.
COACH: Dan Laity.
KEY PLAYERS: Diana Ordonez, Ebony Salmon, Sophie Schmidt.
OUTLOOK: Diana Ordonez scored 11 goals for the North Carolina Courage last season, breaking the league record for goals scored by a rookie. She was traded to the Dash during the offseason and signed a three-year deal with the club. The Dash overall will have a new look under coach Dan Laity, who was a former assistant on Laura Harvey's staff with the Reign. The Dash qualified for the playoffs for the first time last season after joining the league in 2014 and hope to continue the upward trend this season.
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