(Canadians in the) NWSL: 2024 Season

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

A general thread for the 2024 NWSL season.

The draft is Friday, January 12th 

https://www.nwslsoccer.com/nwsldraft

One thing the NWSL draft does better than the MLS draft, is that on the list of eligible players to be drafted, their citizenship is listed.

https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/2024-nwsl-draft-presented-by-ally-live-registration-tracker

 

 

Those listed as Canadian are:

 

● Wayny Balata

https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=4505

 

● Vivianne Bessette

https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=55719

 

● Zoe Burns

http://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=55720

 

● Melissa Dagenais

https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=56628

 

● Mya Jones

https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=13178

 

● Grace Stordy

https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=4531

 

● Julianne Vallerand

https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=4185

 

● Amanda West

https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=55690

 

● Maggie Danroth (never invited to a CSA camp?)

 

● Saorla Miller (listed as American by mistake? never invited to a CSA camp?)

Edited January 7 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[red card]

With only 1-3 Canadians likely to be drafted into the NWSL, wsoccer has a put out a list of the next 24 NCAA players likely to play professional football somewhere.

About 135 Canadians are currently playing in basically pro leagues around the world. About 15-25 Canadian players turn pro every year with the numbers trending up.

Of the top 10 players registered for NWSL draft:

1. Amanda West: born in Sweden, so easy to play in Europe if not in NWSL

2. Zoe Burns: being also American will help her overcome NWSL international spot restrictions

3. Mya Jones: has signed with 2 agencies

4. Melissa Dagenais: along with a few others, she has signed with same agency as Lacasse

6. Grace Stordy: likely to be courted by P8's Foothills for 2025

7. Vivianne Bessette: has Euro passport since she originally represented Lithuania

8. Saorla Miller: viewed as one of the best to come out of Nova Scotia and another Canadian Memphis player to go pro after Larisey, Levasseur, Boychuk, Pechersky, and Oduro

https://www.wsoccer.ca/next-pros

 

Edited January 8 by red card

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

7 minutes ago, red card said:

7. Vivianne Bessette: has Euro passport since she originally represented Lithuania

Really? Her CSA profile says she is dual-Bulgaria.

[red card]

1 hour ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

Really? Her CSA profile says she is dual-Bulgaria.

That's what wsoccer's article stated but her college bio says she played with Bulgarian Youth team. So, CSA is correct.

 

Noted US women's college soccer follower has also put out his ranked list of registered NWSL draft players based on analytics.

For GKs, Dagenais is ranked as Tier A school #1.

For CBs, Bessette is a Tier B school #1.

For RBs, Burns is Tier A #1. Vallerand is Tier A #7. Stordy is Tier B #1.

For central MFs, Balata is Tier B #4. 

For wide forwards, West is Tier A #2. Jones is Tier B #1. Miller is Tier B #3.

Danroth is classified under Other school since she went to D2 King University.

 

 

Edited January 8 by red card

[Unnamed Trialist]

I see Seattle is going back to the old name, Seattle Reign, and reviving the previous logo. Affects Huitema and Quinn.

https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/reign/ol-reign-transform-to-seattle-reign-fc-in-throwback-to-original-name-and-crest/

In other news, Barça coach Jonathan Giráldez has been confirmed as the new Washington Spirit coach after his contract ends June 30; big signing, one of the best women's coaches around. That will affect just one Canadian at Spirit, Gabrielle Carle.

As FCB have a lot of talented players and a bit of salary contention, I think we'll see a few players go with him to Spirit, and move on in general. FCB can't pay everyone who is a star, a WC winner, a Champions winner, the sort of salary they may deserve as they move into mid-career.

[red card]

Dagenais appears to be skipping over NWSL for liga BPI. This would make 9th Canadian in Portugal.

 

 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Since my original post

● Maya Antoine

https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=5924

● Daliisha Spence (never invited to a CSA camp?)

● Sahara Zingano (never invited to a CSA camp?)

 

have been added to the draft.

 

 

On 1/11/2024 at 1:15 PM, red card said:

Dagenais appears to be skipping over NWSL for liga BPI.

and Vivianne Bessette and Melissa Dagenais have both officially withdrawn.

 

The draft can be seen live for free here:

https://watch.nwslsoccer.com/home

(but you need to sign up)

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Out of the 4 rounds of the draft, for the Canadians, all the action happened in the 3rd round.

#29 Zoe Burns to Salt Lake City

#36 Amanda West to Houston

#42 Mya Jones to San Diego

 

 

 

 

 

[red card]

Three Canadian selections is most in NWSL college draft since 2018 and also equals 2017 total. It's also first time players were selected from Pitt and Memphis.

2017 was best year with Prince, Sheridan & Agnew all making their way to the national team. For 2018, only Quinn has made a mark at the club or national team level. 

Of the 17 Canadians ever previously selected in NWSL's college draft, 65% have had relatively long run club careers in NWSL and/or Europe. About 40% have also been key national team contributors while the jury is still out for Collins. 

 

[red card]

Prince gets traded for Cece Kizer and a '24 International slot. 

Kizer was traded to KC to be in her hometown but now leaving. 

 

[red card]

NWSL released their schedule. They stated details regarding international distribution will be announced in the coming weeks. 

But on their sign up page for their renamed streaming platform NWSL+, it says international viewers can see 121 matches for free. That leaves around 70 other matches which happens to be the number that will be shown on NWSL+ USA platform. So, it could be same as last year where every match was free to watch.

But Amazon Prime press release says their Friday games will also be available in Canada. Aside from One Championship (combat), this is the first true foray into sports for Amazon Prime in Canada.

In the USA, you'll need access to up to 10 platforms to see all matches with half of them requiring a sub.

NWSL+: 70

ION: 50

Amazon Prime: 25

ESPN+: 17 (or 8 on ESPN2, 7 on ESPN & 1 on ABC)

CBS or P+: 11

CBSSN: 10

 

https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/national-womens-soccer-league-announces-2024-regular-season-schedule-and-broadcast-details

 

[red card]

Moscato to be assistant at Louisville.

They just appointed their 35 yr old current manager last November. Bev Yanez has much less experience than Moscato and never has been a head coach. But she won a lot as a player in US, Finland, Japan & Australia and as an assistant with Gotham.

 

[red card]

In her first match in 1.5 years, Beckie gets a brace and an assist after subbing in for Sinclair at halftime. In a cringy match for defenders and goalkeepers, Thorns lose 5-4 to KC. Fleming got an assist. 

 

[red card]

Lysianne Proulx got the start for Bay FC. Faced 19 shots. Made 8 saves. Blanks Angel City for 1-0 victory.

 

[red card]

NWSL following MLS with their Leagues Cup version called Summer Cup. It will be during the Olympic break which means largely B or lower strength squads. But the championship match will take place the weekend of October 25-27 which could be around certain Champions Cup matches.

Unlike Leagues Cup, only the top 6 LigaMX Femenil clubs from 2023 will be involved. All matches in the USA. 5 groups of 4 but strangely only 4 will advance to the semis.

 

[red card]

Sinclair got the opener, replaced by Beckie who got the closer. Rob Gale leads Thorns to a 4-1 win over a reeling Houston in a day of lopsided NWSL matches.

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

Thought that Thorn shirt was very nice.

Have to say, having watched full highlights, Houston's back line were constantly coughing up the ball dumbly, it is a bit disgraceful that players like that get to be called pros.

[red card]

First for West after 4 hour storm delay. Dash are mired in 13th.