2026 NWSL rookie class

Last updated

2026 NWSL rookie class
Overview
League National Women's Soccer League
←  2025

The rookie class for the 2026 season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is the second since the abolition of the NWSL Draft. Instead of being selected in a draft, first-year professionals are able to sign with teams as free agents. In December 2025, the league held the first NWSL Combines for both youth players and college and post-college players. [1] [2]

Contents

List

DateNat.PlayerPos.NWSL teamCollegeRef.
Dec 3, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg Sophia Lowenberg MF Boston Legacy FC Boston College [3]
Dec 9, 2025 Flag of Israel.svg Talia Sommer MF Gotham FC Butler [4]
Dec 10, 2025 Flag of Nigeria.svg Chioma Okafor FW North Carolina Courage UConn [5]
Dec 16, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg Kolo Suliafu DF Kansas City Current Washington [6]
Dec 19, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg Laney Rouse DF Kansas City Current Virginia [7]
Dec 22, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg Meila Brewer DF Kansas City Current UCLA [8]
Dec 23, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg Heather Gilchrist DF Bay FC Florida State [9]
Dec 26, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg Gianna Paul FW Kansas City Current Alabama [10]
Dec 29, 2025 Flag of Jamaica.svg Mimi Van Zanten DF San Diego Wave FC Florida State [11]
Dec 29, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg Shae Harvey MF Portland Thorns FC Stanford [12]
Dec 30, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg Lia Godfrey MF San Diego Wave FC Virginia [13]
Jan 6, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Amelia White FW Kansas City Current Penn State [14]
Jan 7, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Taylor White FW Racing Louisville FC West Virginia [15]
Jan 7, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Karsyn Cherry DF Angel City FC Louisville [16]
Jan 7, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Kat Rader FW Houston Dash Duke [17]
Jan 7, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Carina Lageyre MF Angel City FC Duke [18]
Jan 8, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Andrea Kitahata FW Gotham FC Stanford [19]
Jan 8, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Taylor Suarez MF Angel City FC Florida State [20]
Jan 8, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Jasmine Aikey FW Denver Summit FC Stanford [21]
Jan 8, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Maddie Padelski FW Portland Thorns FC Alabama [22]
Jan 8, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Leah Klenke DF Houston Dash Notre Dame [23]
Jan 9, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Sara Wojdelko GK Washington Spirit Vanderbilt [24]
Jan 9, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Mirann Gacioch DF Racing Louisville FC Ohio State [25]
Jan 10, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Yuna McCormack MF Denver Summit FC Florida State [26]
Jan 13, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Linda Ullmark MF Houston Dash North Carolina [27]
Jan 14, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Molly Pritchard GK North Carolina Courage Ohio State [28]
Jan 14, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Kate Faasse FW Houston Dash North Carolina [29]
Jan 14, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Faith Nguyen GK Angel City FC Texas Tech [30]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Teagan Wy GK Gotham FC California [31]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Macy Blackburn DF Racing Louisville FC Texas Tech [32]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Elise Evans DF Chicago Stars FC Stanford [33]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Natalie Means DF Denver Summit FC Georgetown [34]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Maja Lardner FW Racing Louisville FC Georgetown [35]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Evan O'Steen GK Seattle Reign FC Florida State [36]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Seven Castain FW Orlando Pride TCU [37]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Cara Martin GK Orlando Pride Georgetown [37]
Jan 16, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Nytes GK Denver Summit FC Colorado [38]
Jan 17, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Tessa Dellarose MF Chicago Stars FC North Carolina [39]
Jan 17, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Devin Lynch MF Denver Summit FC Duke [40]
Jan 17, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Faith Webber FW Denver Summit FC Utah Valley [41]
Jan 19, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Emma Egizii MF Chicago Stars FC UCLA [42]
Jan 19, 2026 Flag of Jamaica.svg Solai Washington FW Orlando Pride Florida State [43]
Jan 20, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Olivia Thomas FW Denver Summit FC North Carolina [44]
Jan 22, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Carolyn Calzada DF Portland Thorns FC Notre Dame [45]
Jan 26, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Jordynn Dudley FW Gotham FC Florida State [46]
Jan 27, 2026 Flag of the United States.svg Molly Skurcenski MF Washington Spirit Texas Tech [47]
Feb 5, 2026 Flag of Jamaica.svg Kameron Simmonds DF Utah Royals Florida State [48]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Clark, Travis (August 15, 2025). "Pro Prospects to Watch in Women's DI Soccer". TopDrawerSoccer . Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  2. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (September 17, 2025). "NWSL to introduce combines instead of player draft". ESPN . Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Boston Legacy Football Club Signs Sophia Lowenberg". Boston Legacy FC. December 3, 2025. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Gotham FC Signs Butler Standout Talia Sommer". Gotham FC. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  5. ↑ "NC Courage Sign Nigerian National Team Forward Chioma Okafor". North Carolina Courage. December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Kansas City Current Signs All-American Defender Kolo Suliafu to One-Year Deal". Kansas City Current. December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Standout Collegiate Defender Laney Rouse Signs With Kansas City Current Through 2026". Kansas City Current. December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Youth National Team Defender Meila Brewer Inks Three-Year Contract With Kansas City Current". Kansas City Current. December 22, 2025. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Bay FC Signs 2-Time All-American Defender Heather Gilchrist". Bay FC. December 23, 2025. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Forward Gianna Paul, Two-Time All-American, Joins Kansas City Current Through 2028 on Three-Year Deal". Kansas City Current. December 26, 2025. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  11. ↑ "San Diego Wave FC Signs Mimi Van Zanten". San Diego Wave FC. December 29, 2025. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Portland Thorns Sign Stanford University Midfielder Shae Harvey". Portland Thorns FC. December 29, 2025. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  13. ↑ "San Diego Wave FC Signs Midfielder Lia Godfrey". San Diego Wave FC. December 30, 2025. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Kansas City Current, Forward Amelia White Agree to Two-Year Contract Through 2027". Kansas City Current. January 6, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Racing adds All-American forward Taylor White on multi-year contract". Racing Louisville FC. January 7, 2026. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Angel City Football Club Signs University of Louisville Defender Karsyn Cherry". Angel City FC. January 7, 2026. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Houston Dash Begin 2026 Roster Build with Signing of Duke Standout Kat Rader". Houston Dash. January 7, 2026. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Angel City Football Club Signs Duke University Midfielder Carina Lageyre". Angel City FC. January 7, 2026. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Gotham FC Signs U.S. Youth International Andrea Kitahata". Gotham FC. January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Angel City Football Club Signs Florida State Midfielder Taylor Suarez". Angel City FC. January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Denver Summit FC Signs Stanford Standout Jasmine Aikey". Denver Summit FC. January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Portland Thorns Sign University of Alabama Forward Maddie Padelski". Portland Thorns FC. January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Houston Native and Notre Dame Defender Leah Klenke Joins Houston Dash". Houston Dash. January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Washington Spirit Signs Goalkeeper Sara Wojdelko from Vanderbilt". Washington Spirit. January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Racing signs All-American Ohio State defender Gacioch". Racing Louisville FC. January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Denver Summit FC Signs Midfielder Yuna McCormack". Denver Summit FC. January 10, 2026. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Houston Dash Sign NCAA National Champion Linda Ullmark". Houston Dash. January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  28. ↑ "NC Courage Sign Goalkeeper Molly Pritchard Through 2027 NWSL Season". North Carolina Courage. January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Houston Dash Sign MAC Herman Trophy Winner Kate Faasse". Houston Dash. January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Angel City Football Club Signs NCAA National Champion And PAC-12 Champion Goalkeeper Faith Nguyen". Angel City FC. January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Gotham FC Signs U.S. Youth International Goalkeeper Teagan Wy". Gotham FC. January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Racing brings in Texas Tech assist leader Blackburn on first pro contract". Racing Louisville FC. January 16, 2025. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Chicago Stars FC Signs Defender, Elise Evans". Chicago Stars FC. January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Denver Summit FC Signs Collegiate Standout Natalie Means". Denver Summit FC. January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  35. ↑ "All-American forward Lardner joins Racing on multi-year contract". Racing Louisville FC. January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  36. ↑ "Seattle Reign FC Signs U-18 Goalkeeper Evan O'Steen". Seattle Reign FC. January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  37. 1 2 "Orlando Pride signs Seven Castain, Cara Martin and Nicole Payne to one-year contracts". Orlando Pride. January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Denver Summit FC Signs Colorado Product Jordan Nytes". Denver Summit FC. January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  39. ↑ "Chicago Stars FC Signs Tessa Dellarose". Chicago Stars FC. January 17, 2026. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  40. ↑ "Denver Summit FC Signs Duke Midfielder Devin Lynch". Denver Summit FC. January 17, 2026. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  41. ↑ "Denver Summit FC Signs Utah Valley Forward Faith Webber". Denver Summit FC. January 17, 2026. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  42. ↑ "Chicago Stars FC Signs Midfielder, Emma Egizii". Chicago Stars FC. January 19, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  43. ↑ "Orlando Pride signs forward Solai Washington to long-term contract". Orlando Pride. January 19, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Denver Summit FC Signs UNC Forward Olivia Thomas". Denver Summit FC. January 20, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  45. ↑ "Portland Thorns Sign Defender Carolyn Calzada". Portland Thorns FC. January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  46. ↑ "Gotham FC Inks Decorated US Youth National Team Star Jordynn Dudley". Gotham FC. January 26, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  47. ↑ "Washington Spirit Signs Two to Short-Term Injury Replacement Contracts". Washington Spirit. January 27, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  48. ↑ "Utah Royals FC Signs 2025 NCAA National Champion Kameron Simmonds". Utah Royals. February 5, 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
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