The 2019 Sky Blue FC season was the team's tenth season as a professional women's soccer team. Sky Blue FC plays in the National Women's Soccer League, the top tier of women's soccer in the United States.
Since the 2018 Sky Blue finished in last place and only won one game, 2019 offered opportunities for improvement. The off-season didn't get off to a promising start as two of the team's top draft picks, Hailie Mace (2nd overall pick) and Julia Ashley (6th overall pick) chose not to sign with the club. Mace signed with FC Rosengård and Ashley with Linköpings FC. Sky Blue's third and fourth picks, Paige Monaghan (10th overall pick) and Julie James (11th overall pick) did however choose to come to preseason and were ultimately signed. During preseason training two Sky Blue players suffered season-ending injuries. Defender Mandy Freeman ruptured her Achilles tendon and midfielder Madison Tiernan tore her ACL and MCL.
On April 9, 2019 General Manager and President Tony Novo resigned from his position, Sky Blue Vice-President Alyse LaHue was appointed to take over as interim general manager. Kyra Carusa, Sky Blue's 19th overall pick in the 2019 Draft signed with Le Havre AC in France on April 25, making her the third Sky Blue draft pick to sign in Europe.
On June 28, Denise Reddy was fired as the team's head coach. Her record as head coach was 1-8-24. Goalkeeper coach Hugo Macedo filled in on a temporary basis until the club named Freya Coombe interim head coach on September 4.
Sky Blue played their first ever game at Red Bull Arena on August 18 against Reign FC. They set a club record with 9,415 in attendance for the game, which finished in a 1–1 draw. The positive feedback and high demand led the club to move their September 29 home finale to Red Bull Arena, where they drew 8,314 for a 1–1 draw against the Orlando Pride.
Team
First-team roster
As of July 19, 2019
Competitions Preseason
Regular season
Regular-season standings
Results summary
Results by round
Statistical leaders
Top scorers RankPlayerGoals1 Carli Lloyd 82 Raquel Rodriguez33 Jen Hoy2 Imani Dorsey Paige Monaghan6 Sarah Killion1 McKenzie Meehan Domi Richardson Elizabeth Eddy
Top assists RankPlayerAssists1 Sarah Killion3 Raquel Rodriguez3 Carli Lloyd 1 Paige Monaghan Jen Hoy Elizabeth Eddy Julie James Nahomi Kawasumi Amandine Pierre-Louis Kenie Wright Savannah McCaskill
Shutouts
RankPlayerClean sheets1 Kailen Sheridan3
Player transactions
2019 NWSL College Draft
Source: National Women's Soccer League
RoundPickPlayerPrevious TeamRound 12 F UCLARound 16 D University of North CarolinaRound 210 F Butler UniversityRound 211 M Baylor UniversityRound 319 F Georgetown UniversityRound 428 G University of FloridaRound 429 M Rutgers UniversityRound 434 D University of Notre Dame
In
DatePlayerPositions playedPrevious clubFee/notesRef. January 10, 2019 Caprice Dydasco DF Washington Spirit Acquired in Trade with the Washington Spirit for the 3rd Overall Pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft January 10, 2019 DiDi Haracic GK Washington Spirit Acquired in Trade with the Washington Spirit for the 3rd Overall Pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft January 10, 2019 Estelle Johnson DF Washington Spirit Acquired in Trade with the Washington Spirit for the 3rd Overall Pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft January 14, 2019 Nahomi Kawasumi FW Reign FC Acquired in Trade with Reign FC in exchange for Shea Groom April 10, 2019 Gabi MF Esporte Clube Iranduba da Amazônia Signed. May 7, 2019 Gina Lewandowski DF Bayern Munich Signed. June 11, 2019 Elizabeth Eddy MF North Carolina Courage Acquired in a trade with the North Carolina Courage in exchange for McKenzie Meehan July 19, 2019 Nicole Baxter MF Asarums IF Signed.
Out
DatePlayerPositions playedDestination clubFee/notesRef. November 14, 2018 Amanda Frisbie DF Klepp IL Signed with Klepp IL in Norway. November 20, 2018 Rebekah Stott DF Avaldsnes IL Signed with Avaldsnes IL in Norway. January 9, 2019 Katie Johnson FW Chicago Red Stars Traded to the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft and the highest second-round pick in 2020. January 12, 2019 Christina Gibbons DF Retired January 14, 2019 Shea Groom FW Reign FC Traded to Reign FC in exchange for Nahomi Kawasumi March 8, 2019 Caroline Casey GK Retired June 11, 2019 McKenzie Meehan FW North Carolina Courage Traded to the North Carolina Courage in exchange for Elizabeth Eddy. June 19, 2019 Savannah McCaskill FW Chicago Red Stars Traded to the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for a First and Second Round draft pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft July 14, 2019 Gabi MF Released July 19, 2019 Sabrina Flores MF Sevilla Released
Awards
NWSL Team of the Month
Month Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards RefApril Kailen Sheridan July Kailen Sheridan
NWSL Weekly Awards
NWSL Goal of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.6 Raquel Rodriguez13 Jennifer Hoy16 Imani Dorsey18 Paige Monaghan23 Carli Lloyd24 Carli Lloyd25 Domi Richardson
NWSL Save of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.2 Kailen Sheridan3 Kailen Sheridan4 Kailen Sheridan5 DiDi Haracic6 DiDi Haracic7 DiDi Haracic9 DiDi Haracic10 DiDi Haracic12 Kailen Sheridan14 Kailen Sheridan15 Kailen Sheridan16 Kailen Sheridan 17 Kailen Sheridan18 Kailen Sheridan21 Kailen Sheridan23 Kailen Sheridan25 Kailen Sheridan
References
External links
See also 2019 National Women's Soccer League season 2019 in American soccer