2024 NWSL expansion draft


The 2024 NWSL [|Expansion Draft] was an expansion draft held by the National Women's Soccer League 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September 2024, the league and its players' union entered into a new collective bargaining agreement which effectively superseded the CBA that had been entered to in 2021 and was scheduled to end in 2026.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

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
RoundTeamPlayerPrevious team
11Bay FCleftleftleft

Protected lists by team

The following teams acquired expansion draft protections:
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
ProtectedUnprotected
Julia Bianchi
Jill Aguilera
Ava CookJenna Bike
Penelope HockingBrooke Elby
Taylor MalhamSami Feller
Tatumn MilazzoSamantha Fisher
Alyssa NaeherZoey Goralski
Cari RoccaroSarah Griffith
Ally SchlegelSophie Jones
Arin WrightAmanda Kowalski
Karina LeBlanc
Stephanie McCaffrey
Addie McCain
Zoe Morse
Sarah Woldmoe
Mackenzie Wood
Grace Yochum

ProtectedUnprotected
Malia BerkelyTess Boade
Sydney CollinsMarisa Bova
Kerolin
Mille Gejl
Riley JacksonHensley Hancuff
Kaleigh KurtzHaley Hopkins
Narumi Miura
Estelle Johnson
Casey MurphyRikako Kobayashi
Denise O'SullivanTyler Lussi
Ryan WilliamsRikke Madsen
Manaka Matsukubo
Fuka Nagano
Victoria Pickett
Brianna Pinto
Clara Robbins
Katelyn Rowland
Meredith Speck
Olivia Wingate

ProtectedUnprotected
Bethany BalcerOlivia Athens
Alana CookLauren Barnes
Claudia DickeyElyse Bennett
Sofia HuertaRyanne Brown
Jordyn Huitema
Jess Fishlock
Veronica LatskoSamantha Hiatt
Phoebe McClernonShae Holmes
QuinnLaurel Ivory
Olivia Van der JagtJimena López
Luany
Alyssa Malonson
Maia Pérez
Morgan Proffitt
Abby Wambach

ProtectedUnprotected
Ary Borges
Jordan Baggett
Kirsten DavisHillary Beall
Savannah DeMeloJordyn Bloomer
Abby ErcegKayla Fischer
Jaelin HowellParker Goins
Katie LundUchenna Kanu
Lauren MillietAlanna Kennedy
Carson PickettThembi Kgatlana
Elli Pikkujämsä
Julia Lester
Paige Monaghan
Maddie Pokorny
Olivia Sekany
Wang Shuang

ProtectedUnprotected
Amirah AliBelle Briede
Danielle ColapricoLauren Brzykcy
Abby DahlkemperKyra Carusa
Naomi GirmaGiovanna DeMarco
Taylor KornieckMeggie Dougherty Howard
Kristen McNabbSierra Enge
Alex MorganRachel Hill
Jaedyn ShawSofia Jakobsson
Kailen SheridanCarly Telford
Kelsey Turnbow
Shae Yanez