The 2023 Portland Thorns FC season was the team's eleventh season as a professional women's soccer team. Thorns FC played in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States.
Background
Thorns FC are the league's defending champions after defeating the Kansas City Current 2–0 in the 2022 NWSL championship match. The championship was the club's third.
League discipline In December 2022, first-year head coach Rhian Wilkinson resigned. The joint NWSL/NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) report on league-wide abuse allegations revealed that Wilkinson allegedly self-reported having exchanged messages expressing mutual romantic feelings with Thorns FC player Emily Menges, who also served as treasurer of the NWSLPA. Wilkinson and Menges had previously been teammates when Wilkinson played for the Thorns in 2015. Wilkinson's resignation came in spite of the report also stating that Wilkinson did not violate league policies and did not suggest ending her employment.
In January 2023, following the release of the joint NWSL and NWSLPA report and subsequent allegations of league policy violations in the club's actions around Paul Riley, the NWSL fined Thorns FC $1 million, retroactively satisfied by a previous $1 million pledge by owner Merritt Paulson toward establishing an NWSL player safety office. Paulson also announced his intent to sell the Thorns. An early investment group led by former Nike executive Melanie Strong reportedly valued the Thorns at $60 million in a formal bid for a majority stake in the team.
The same investigation also alleged that Thorns FC head athletic trainer Pierre Soubrier inappropriately distributed medication containing codeine to players during the 2022 semifinals, and that assistant coach Sophie Clough inappropriately kissed a player's neck during the team's championship celebrations. The club terminated both employees' employment following the report's release.
Hirings On January 10, 2023, Thorns FC announced the hiring of Mike Norris, an assistant on Wilkinson's Thorns FC staff and former Canadian women's national soccer team assistant and goalkeeper coach, as her replacement.
On March 23, Thorns FC announced the hiring of Rob Gale and Katie Quinlan as assistant coaches. Gale was formerly head coach and general manager of Canadian Premier League team Valour FC and a youth coach for the Canadian women's national team, and Quinlan was director of player development for Texas club Gulf Coast SC and head coach and technical director for Blackburn Rovers L.F.C.
Summary March/April Thorns FC acquired Canadian forward Adriana Leon on a short-term loan from Manchester United on April 13.
In the April 29 match against Angel City FC, Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby scored a backheel goal in the final minutes of stoppage time to secure a 3–3 draw. The goal was the second in league history scored by a goalkeeper with both being equalizing goals scored in Providence Park by Thorns goalkeepers off stoppage-time corners in regular-season draws, following Michelle Betos's goal in a 1–1 draw against FC Kansas City on June 19, 2015.
Portland went undefeated in league play during April, winning three matches and drawing two to finish the month at the top of the table with 11 points, but lost its first Challenge Cup match of the season against San Diego Wave FC 0–1 on April 19.
May On May 6 on the road against North Carolina Courage, the Thorns finished with a second consecutive 3–3 draw. Former Courage player Crystal Dunn scored a brace, with Olivia Moultrie's 83rd-minute equalizer salvaging the point. The Thorns then suffered their first loss of the regular season against Houston Dash, taking an early lead on a Raquel Rodríguez goal but conceding to Joelle Anderson and Ebony Salmon in Houston.
The Thorns responded at home on May 21 by scoring three goals in the first 16 minutes and adding a fourth in the second half in a shutout win against Chicago Red Stars. The match featured the second career goal of center back Kelli Hubly. The match marked the third consecutive season that the Thorns had scored three goals on a team in the opening 16 minutes of a match, and the second time in three seasons that the Thorns had done so to Chicago.
The May 21 match drew an attendance of 20,402, the team's largest home attendance to a regular-season match since the 2019 season., ,
On May 26, the Thorns managed another late draw on the road, this time against San Diego Wave FC. Portland required a 90th-minute goal from rookie defender Reyna Reyes, her first professional score, from a Sam Coffey corner to equalize in the 1–1 tie.
June The Thorns opened June with their first-ever win at Lumen Field by defeating Cascadian rivals OL Reign 2–0. The result was also the Thorns' first win against the Reign since the 2020 NWSL Fall Series. Sophia Smith broke a seven-match goalscoring drought, the longest such drought of her career, with her 17th-minute goal, and Christine Sinclair scored the Thorns' second tally in the 87th minute. Sinclair's goal marked the 60th match in all competitions in which she had scored, setting an NWSL record. The match was the second of a doubleheader with the Seattle Sounders FC and Timbers, who played to a scoreless draw; the combined event sold more than 42,000 tickets. Combined with a NJ/NY Gotham FC loss to San Diego Wave FC the following day, the result returned the Thorns to the top of the table.
On June 22, 2023, the Thorns permanently transferred midfielder Lindsey Horan to Olympique Lyonnais, where she had been on loan since January 2022. Lyon paid a transfer fee of €250,000 (US$274,000) with a conditional bonus of an additional €50,000 (US$54,750).
Stadium and facilities Thorns FC continued to play and train in Providence Park, their home since the team's inaugural season in 2013.
Player criticism In an interview with ESPN on July 13, 2023, midfielder Lindsey Horan — who transferred from the Thorns to Olympique Lyon midseason while still on loan — cited the team's lack of a dedicated training facility compared to the Timbers, and lack of grass pitches for training and playing, in her decision to remain in France. (3:25–4:31) Active Thorns players Meghan Klingenberg and Bella Bixby added public criticism of the Providence Park surface and Thorns's lack of training facility to The Oregonian on July 20.
Broadcasting Local Fox Broadcasting Company affiliate station KPTV agreed to stream eight regular season Thorns FC matches locally via FOX 12 PLUS. These were in addition to the league's national broadcast and streaming agreements with CBS and Paramount+ in the United States, and with The Sports Network in Canada.
Team Staff
Technical Medical
Squad
Name Date of birth (age) Previous team Notes 1 GK 2018 Oregon State 18 GK 2021 Providence College 29 GK 2023 Michigan State 51 GK 2023 S.F. Damaiense GKR 48 DF 2023 Melbourne Victory FC NTRP 2 DF 2023 Alabama 4 DF 2020 Utah Royals FC 5 DF 2014 Georgetown 14 DF 2020 Kopparberg/Göteborg FC INT 20 DF 2017 DePaul 25 DF 2015 Orlando Pride 29 DF 2022 San Diego Wave FC 39 DF 2020 Georgetown 45 DF 2022 Denver 8 MF 2022 INAC Kobe Leonessa INT 11 MF 2020 Sky Blue FC 13 MF 2021 Beach FC 17 MF 2021 Penn State 19 MF 2020 North Carolina Courage 44 MF 2022 Rutgers 46 MF 2021 UDG Tenerife 50 MF 2023 Deportivo Cali NTRP 9 FW 2020 Stanford 12 FW 2013 Western New York Flash 15 FW 2022 Kansas City Current 16 FW 2022 Manchester City W.F.C. SEI 22 FW 2020 Washington State 24 FW 2023 Santa Clara 33 FW 2021 Wake Forest 49 FW 2023 SK Brann LOAN
Competitions NWSL Challenge Cup
Portland finished second in the West Division during the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup and did not advance. Thorns FC returned to the West Division in the 2023 tournament.
Group stage
West Division standings
Results by matchday
Regular season
Matches
Regular season standings
Results summary
Results by matchday
Playoffs
Statistics
+ Goalscorers per competition Name Total 9 FW 10 0 0 10 22 FW 4 2 0 6 19 MF 5 0 0 5 33 FW 1 2 0 3 12 FW 3 0 0 3 8 MF 3 0 0 3 13 MF 2 0 0 2 2 DF 1 1 0 2 15 FW 1 1 0 2 1 GK 1 0 0 1 24 FW 0 1 0 1 20 DF 1 0 0 1 14 DF 1 0 0 1 11 MF 1 0 0 1 Total 30 7 0 37
+ Assists credited by player, per competition Name Total 17 MF 6 0 0 6 25 DF 3 2 0 5 15 FW 5 0 0 5 13 MF 2 1 0 3 8 MF 3 0 0 3 22 FW 3 0 0 3 19 MF 2 0 0 2 14 DF 2 0 0 2 12 FW 1 1 0 2 33 FW 0 1 0 1 24 FW 0 1 0 1 Total 27 6 0 33
+ Clean sheets per competition Name Total 1 GK 4 0 0 4 Total 4 0 0 4
+ Disciplinary cards per competition Player Total Name 20 DF 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 14 DF 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 39 DF 1 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 1 GK 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 9 FW 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 8 MF 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 17 MF 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 25 DF 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 46 MF 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 15 FW 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 22 FW 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Total 17 0 4 0 0 0 21 0
Awards
NWSL monthly awards + Thorns FC players named to the Best XI of the Month Month Name March/April DF MF FW MF (2) MF FW (2)
+ Thorns FC players named NWSL Player of the Month Month Player of the Month Statline Name March/April FW Hat-trick vs. KC; 4 goals, 4 assists FW (2) Hat-trick vs. WAS; 6 goals
NWSL weekly awards + Thorns FC players named NWSL Player of the Week Player of the Week Name Won 1 FW 2 FW Won 6 MF Won 8 MF 10 FW 13 FW (2) Won
+ Thorns FC players awarded NWSL Save of the Week Save of the Week Name Won 4 GK rowspan=4 6 9 10 13 GK
Transactions 2023 NWSL Draft
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2023 NWSL Draft was held on January 12, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Player College Status 1 5 University of Alabama Signed through 2024 with an option for 2025 on March 25, 2023. 12 Santa Clara University Signed through 2025 with an option for 2026 on March 15, 2023. 2 24 Michigan State University Not signed, rights released. 3 32 Michigan State University Signed through 2023 with an option for 2024 on March 15, 2023.
Contract options Date Player Notes November 1, 2022 Option exercised. November 15, 2022 Option exercised. Option declined; player retired.
Re-signings Date Player Notes September 30, 2022 Free agent re-signed through 2023. November 8, 2022 Re-signed through 2025. November 10, 2022 Signed a contract extension through 2025. November 15, 2022 Signed a contract extension through 2024 with an option for 2025. January 27, 2023 Re-signed through 2023 with an option for 2024. Free agent re-signed through 2023 with an option for 2024. Re-signed through 2024 with an option for 2025. Re-signed through 2024 with an option for 2025. Re-signed through 2025 with an option for 2026.
Loans in Date Player Previous club Fee/notes Manchester United Signed for a short-term loan through June 30, 2023. SK Brann Kvinner Signed for a short-term loan with fee until September 1, 2023.
Loans out Date Player Destination club Fee/notes Olympique Lyonnais Féminin Loaned until June 30, 2023.
Transfers in Date Player Previous club Fee/notes Melbourne Victory FC Signed to a short-term National Team Replacement Player contract. Deportivo Cali Signed to a short-term National Team Replacement Player contract. S.F. Damaiense Signed to a short-term Goalkeeper Replacement contract due to a knee injury to Lauren Kozal. Everton Signed for remainder of 2023 with a team option for the 2024 season.
Transfers out Date Player Destination club Fee/notes November 28, 2022 NJ/NY Gotham FC Unrestricted free agent signing. January 5, 2023 NJ/NY Gotham FC Traded to Angel City FC in exchange for the fifth-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft, and $200,000 in allocation money. As part of the transaction, Ryan was traded by Angel City to Gotham FC with $250,000 in allocation money in exchange for the first-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. June 22, 2023 Olympique Lyon Transferred for a transfer fee of €250,000 with a conditional €50,000 bonus.
Retirements