NWSL Expansion Draft Shakes Things Up For Veterans and New Talent Alike

Photo courtesy of the NWSL website

The National Women’s Soccer League’s newest team, Racing Louisville Football Club, picked their roster from current league teams on November 12 to start prepping for the upcoming season. 

“As a club, we feel this will be a major step forward in the recruitment process,” Racing Louisville FC head coach Christy Holly said in a statement to the NWSL. “Over the last two months, we’ve taken a detailed approach to our analysis of rosters within the NWSL. With a clear understanding of the type of players our club would like to have represented us and the city of Louisville, we are intrigued to learn which players will be available for us to select.”

Holly and the Racing Louisville team did not hold back in making their decisions. Notable names joining the club include U.S. Women’s National Team members Tobin Heath and Christen Press from Portland Thorns FC and Utah Royals FC respectively. Australian National Team members Caitlin Foord and Alanna Kennedy were selected from the Orlando Pride. 

Going into the expansion draft, each NWSL team had a limited number of players they could keep protected. “Protected” players chosen by teams could not be selected in the expansion draft. The Royals and Thorns’ choice to leave Heath and Press unprotected was unexpected to some fans, but the real shock reeled in when Racing Louisville selected the players as their last two additions to the team. 

One Twitter user noted “It's a long shot to get both of them back from Man Utd but imagine a Racing Louisville team with both Tobin Heath and Christen Press. That's one dangerous expansion side if I've ever seen one.” 

Kennedy, Foord, Press and Heath all currently play in England. Foord joined the Orlando Pride in a trade made during the 2020 College Draft from the Portland Thorns, but the Australian never put on the Pride jersey. All four sat out of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup in June, opting to either sit it out due to COVID-19 health concerns or contracts in Europe. 

Press and Heath’s move to Manchester United came as a surprise to some when it was announced in September, leaving fans wondering if the National players will put on a Racing Louisville FC jersey at all in 2021. Racing Louisville FC will retain the rights to the players unless a trade is made in the next trade window or expansion draft. 

Despite the four notable big-name local and international names currently being in Europe, Racing Louisville FC rounded out their team with diverse talent. They picked North Carolina Courage’s Addisyn Merrick, a 2020 NWSL College Draftee, and Lauren Millet, who just made her pro start in this year’s Challenge Cup. The team grabbed Erin Simon and Cece Kizer from the Challenge Cup-winning team, Houston Dash. 

Racing Louisville and Holly chose goalkeepers Katie Lund from Washington Spirit and Michelle Betos from OL Reign for the defensive end. According to the NWSL Website, the team also acquired OL Reign’s Julia Ashley, Sky Blue FC’s Jennifer Cudjoe and Kaleigh Reihl, and 2020 College Draftee Katie McClure from the Washington Spirit. 

Before the expansion draft picks, the team had started to shape out. Early in November, they acquired Cheyna Matthews from the NWSL Re-Entry Wire. Matthews previously played with the Washington Spirit. Back in October, Chicago Red Stars traded Savannah McCaskill and Yuki Nagasato to Racing Louisville in return for the first-round pick of the 2021 NWSL Draft. 

McCaskill tweeted the night of the Expansion Draft that she was “super excited to have some teammates now! Can’t wait to get to work building something exciting with [Racing Louisville].” 

Head coach, Christy Holly and the Racing Louisville have picked their team, so far, for their inaugural season. The team mixes young and veteran talent but opens the door to new opportunities in the 2021 NWSL College draft. The team will officially start to shape up as they prepare for the 2021 Challenge Cup, and they see who will actually put on the jersey. 

Players and coaches also have their eyes set on next year’s expansion draft for another new addition to the league. Angel City FC, a Los Angeles Football Club backed by a long list of high profile actresses and former soccer players, will be joining in the 2022 season. The expansion draft will take place all over again this time next year, leaving people on their toes about what other big shake-ups could be coming.