NWSL Shield | |
---|---|
Awarded for | National Women's Soccer League team with the best record in the regular season |
Presented by | National Women's Soccer League |
First awarded | 2013 |
Currently held by | San Diego Wave FC (2023) (1st shield) |
Most awards | North Carolina Courage OL Reign (3 shields) |
Website | http://nwslsoccer.com |
The NWSL Shield is an annual award given to the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) team with the best regular season record as determined by the NWSL points system. The NWSL Shield has been awarded annually since 2013 and is recognized as a major trophy by the league.
North Carolina Courage and Seattle-based team OL Reign, each with three NWSL Shields since the league's inception in 2013, are tied as of 2023 for the most shields won by any NWSL team. [1] [2] [3] San Diego Wave FC are the current (2023) winners.
When the NWSL was launched in 2013, the league's format was set up similarly to other contemporary North American leagues. After the regular season, the NWSL Playoffs were held, with the top four teams vying for a spot in the postseason championship match. The club with the most regular-season points was awarded the NWSL Shield and earned the top seed in the playoffs. [4]
Since the 2013 inaugural season, the system of awarding points in the NWSL is the same as the international standard: three points for a win, one for a draw, and no points for a loss. [5]
Since the 2022 season, [6] in the event of an end-of-season tie in total accumulated points, the following tie-breakers are used among all teams with the same number of points:
All tiebreakers involving goal counts (goal differential, goals for) include all regular-season games, not just games against tied teams.
Prior to the 2022 season, the first tie-breaker was head-to-head record. [5] [7]
Season | Winner | Record | Points / Pts per game | Playoff result | Win # | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Games | Won | Lost | Tied | |||||
2013 | Western New York Flash | 22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 38 / 1.73 | Lost championship (to Portland Thorns FC) | 1 |
2014 | Seattle Reign FC | 24 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 54 / 2.25 | Lost championship (to FC Kansas City) | 1 |
2015 | Seattle Reign FC | 20 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 43 / 2.15 | Lost championship (to FC Kansas City) | 2 |
2016 | Portland Thorns FC | 20 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 41 / 2.05 | Lost semifinal (to Western New York Flash) | 1 |
2017 | North Carolina Courage | 24 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 49 / 2.04 | Lost championship (to Portland Thorns FC) | 1 |
2018 | North Carolina Courage | 24 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 57 / 2.38 | Won championship (vs Portland Thorns FC) | 2 |
2019 | North Carolina Courage | 24 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 49 / 2.09 | Won championship (vs Chicago Red Stars) | 3 |
2020 | Regular season canceled due to COVID-19; Fall Series won by Portland Thorns | |||||||
2021 | Portland Thorns FC | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 44 / 1.83 | Lost semifinal (to Chicago Red Stars) | 2 |
2022 | OL Reign | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 40 / 1.82 | Lost semifinal (to Kansas City Current) [8] | 3 |
2023 | San Diego Wave FC | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 37 / 1.68 | Lost semifinal (to OL Reign) | 1 |
Italics indicates a defunct team.
Team | Wins | Years won |
---|---|---|
North Carolina Courage | 3 | 2017, 2018, 2019 |
OL Reign | 2014, 2015, 2022 | |
Portland Thorns FC | 2 | 2016, 2021 |
San Diego Wave FC | 1 | 2023 |
Western New York Flash | 1 | 2013 |
Jessica Anne Fishlock is a Welsh professional footballer and coach who plays as a midfielder for OL Reign and the Wales national team. She previously played for Bristol Academy in England's FA Women's Super League, AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie, Glasgow City in the Scottish Women's Premier League, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City in Australia's W-League, as well as Bundesliga club FFC Frankfurt in Germany.
Laura Kate Harvey is an English football manager and former player who currently manages Seattle Reign FC of the American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She holds USSF "A" and UEFA "A" coaching licenses.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. Headquartered in New York City, it is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federation.
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The 2017 National Women's Soccer League season was the fifth season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it was the eleventh overall season of FIFA- and USSF-sanctioned top-division women's soccer in the United States. The league is operated by the United States Soccer Federation and receives major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing is provided by the Canadian Soccer Association; both national federations pay the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.
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The 2018 National Women's Soccer League season was the sixth season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it was the twelfth overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league is operated by the United States Soccer Federation and receives major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing is provided by the Canadian Soccer Association. Both national federations pay the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations and take the financial burden off individual clubs.
Veronica Anne Latsko is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for OL Reign of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
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Tziarra Lanae King is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club OL Reign.
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The 2022 National Women's Soccer League season was the tenth season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it was the 16th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. Twelve teams competed in the league, including two expansion teams, San Diego Wave FC and Angel City FC.
Olivia Marie Athens is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for OL Reign of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
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