The 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft was an expansion draft held by the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) on December 15, 2023, for two expansion teams, Bay FC and Utah Royals, to select players from existing teams in the league.
This was the league's last expansion draft. In September 2024, the league and its players' union entered into a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) which effectively superseded the CBA that had been entered to in 2021 and was scheduled to end in 2026. The new CBA eliminated all forms of player drafts, including the expansion draft.
Format Bay FC selected first in the expansion draft, followed by Utah Royals. The expansion draft alternated between both teams across 12 rounds, allowing each team to select up to 12 players.
Each of the NWSL's 12 current teams was permitted to protect nine players, making them ineligible for selection. Furthermore, it was permitted to protect one additional player after the first expansion team selected a player from its roster.
Draft results Italics indicate players who are not under contract but whose NWSL playing rights remain with the team
Round Team Player Previous team 1 1 Bay FC Alyssa Malonson DF Seattle Reign FC 2 Utah Royals Elyse Bennett FW Seattle Reign FC 2 3 Bay FC Tess Boade FW North Carolina Courage 4 Utah Royals Paige Monaghan FW Racing Louisville FC 3 5 Bay FC Rachel Hill FW San Diego Wave FC 6 Utah Royals PASS 4 7 Bay FC Katelyn Rowland GK North Carolina Courage 8 Utah Royals PASS 5 9 Bay FC PASS 10 Utah Royals PASS 6 11 Bay FC PASS 7 12 Bay FC Sierra Enge MF San Diego Wave FC
Protected lists by team The following teams acquired expansion draft protections:
On November 14, 2023, Orlando Pride traded for roster protection from Bay FC. On November 15, 2023, Kansas City Current traded for roster protection from Bay FC and Orlando Pride traded for roster protection from Utah Royals. On November 17, 2023, Racing Louisville FC traded for roster protection from Bay FC. On November 20, 2023, North Carolina Courage and San Diego Wave FC both traded for roster protection from Utah Royals. On December 12, 2023, Washington Spirit, Angel City FC, Portland Thorns FC, Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC all traded for roster protection from Utah Royals FC and Bay FC. Also, Kansas City Current traded for roster protection from Utah Royals FC.
On December 13, 2023, the NWSL released the protected lists from teams participating in the draft.
Bold indicates players selected in the Expansion Draft Italics indicate players who are not under contract but whose NWSL playing rights remain with the team
+ Chicago Red Stars Protected UnprotectedJulia Bianchi(International – Brazil)Jill AguileraAva CookJenna BikePenelope HockingBrooke ElbyTaylor MalhamSami FellerTatumn MilazzoSamantha FisherAlyssa NaeherZoey GoralskiCari RoccaroSarah GriffithAlly SchlegelSophie JonesArin WrightAmanda Kowalski Karina LeBlanc Stephanie McCaffrey Addie McCain Zoe Morse Sarah Woldmoe Mackenzie Wood Grace Yochum(College Protected Player)
+ North Carolina Courage Protected UnprotectedMalia BerkelyTess BoadeSydney CollinsMarisa BovaKerolin(International – Brazil)Mille Gejl(International – Denmark)Riley JacksonHensley HancuffKaleigh KurtzHaley HopkinsNarumi Miura(International – Japan)Estelle JohnsonCasey MurphyRikako Kobayashi(International – Japan)Denise O'SullivanTyler LussiRyan WilliamsRikke MadsenManaka Matsukubo(International – Japan)Fuka Nagano Victoria Pickett Brianna Pinto Clara Robbins Katelyn Rowland Meredith Speck Olivia Wingate
+ Seattle Reign FC Protected UnprotectedBethany BalcerOlivia AthensAlana CookLauren BarnesClaudia DickeyElyse BennettSofia HuertaRyanne BrownJordyn Huitema(International – Canada)Jess FishlockVeronica LatskoSamantha HiattPhoebe McClernonShae HolmesQuinnLaurel IvoryOlivia Van der JagtJimena López(International – Mexico) Luany(International – Brazil) Alyssa Malonson Maia Pérez Morgan Proffitt Abby Wambach
+ Racing Louisville FC Protected UnprotectedAry Borges(International - Brazil)Jordan BaggettKirsten DavisHillary BeallSavannah DeMeloJordyn BloomerAbby ErcegKayla FischerJaelin HowellParker GoinsKatie LundUchenna Kanu(International – Nigeria)Lauren MillietAlanna KennedyCarson PickettThembi Kgatlana(International – South Africa)Elli Pikkujämsä(International – Finland)Julia Lester Paige Monaghan Maddie Pokorny Olivia Sekany Wang Shuang
+ San Diego Wave FC Protected UnprotectedAmirah AliBelle BriedeDanielle ColapricoLauren BrzykcyAbby DahlkemperKyra CarusaNaomi GirmaGiovanna DeMarcoTaylor KornieckMeggie Dougherty HowardKristen McNabbSierra EngeAlex MorganRachel HillJaedyn ShawSofia Jakobsson(International – Sweden)Kailen SheridanCarly Telford Kelsey Turnbow Shae Yanez
See also List of NWSL drafts 2024 National Women's Soccer League season 2024 NWSL Draft
References