The 2024 NWSL Draft presented by Ally was the twelfth annual meeting of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchises to select from a list of amateur players above the age of 18 playing in the United States who exhausted, lost, or renounced any remaining collegiate eligibility.[1] It was held on January 12, 2024, at the 2024 United Soccer Coaches Convention in Anaheim, California, and broadcast by ION.
Expansion sides Utah Royals and Bay FC held the first and second overall picks respectively. Ally Sentnor was selected by Utah Royals with the first overall pick. It was the first time Utah Royals had selected first and the third time a player out of North Carolina was selected first.[2]
It was the final NWSL college draft to be held prior to the draft's abolition as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement agreed in August 2024, becoming the first major professional sports league in the United States to eliminate the draft system.[3]
Format
All 14 teams of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) took turns making their selections over four rounds, with 14 picks per round. Draft order in each round was determined by the reverse order of the final 2023 regular season standings, with the exceptions being Utah Royals and Bay FC taking the first two selections as expansion teams and the two teams that contested the 2023 Championship game, Seattle Reign FC (formerly OL Reign) and NJ/NY Gotham FC, taking the last two selections.
The final list of players eligible for selection was released on January 9, 2024. 230 players representing 138 schools declared for the draft.[4]
Gaining the first choice in the asset selection process through a random generator, Utah Royals selected priority in the NWSL Draft. As a result, Utah received pick No. 1 in both the first and third rounds of the draft, while Bay will select first in rounds two and four. By virtue, Bay were given the first pick in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft.[5]
Ion Television covered the draft domestically. International broadcast was available on the NWSL website.
^Houston Dash → North Carolina Courage → Washington Spirit.Washington Spirit acquired the No.5 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $250,000 in allocation money in exchange for Ashley Sanchez.[8]North Carolina Courage previously acquired the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, the natural first-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft, a 2023 international spot, and $100,000 in allocation money from Houston Dash in exchange for Diana Ordoñez and the No. 30 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.[9]
^Angel City FC → Orlando Pride. Orlando Pride acquired the natural first round pick in the 2024 draft, $75,000 in allocation money, and additional allocation money pending conditions met from Angel City FC in exchange for Sydney Leroux.[11]
^North Carolina Courage → Chicago Red Stars. Chicago Red Stars acquired the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft in exchange North Carolina Courage acquired $175,000 in allocation money. [12]
^Bay FC → Racing Louisville FC → Chicago Red Stars.Chicago Red Stars acquired the No. 15 pick and $125,000 in allocation money from Racing Louisville FC in exchange for Arin Wright.[14]Racing Louisville FC previously acquired the natural second round pick for the 2024 NWSL Draft and 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft protection from Bay FC in exchange for its 2024 NWSL Draft natural third round pick and $235,000 in Alternate Allocation Money [15]
^Chicago Red Stars → Seattle Reign FC. Seattle Reign FC acquired the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft in exchange Chicago Red Stars acquired $125,000 in allocation money. [16]
^Racing Louisville FC → Washington Spirit → Utah Royals. Utah Royals acquired the natural second-round picks from Washington Spirit in exchange for 2024 expansion draft protection.[17]Washington Spirit had previously acquired the natural second-round pick and a conditional third-round pick if she reaches 10 appearances in 2024, from Racing Louisville FC in exchange for Jordan Baggett.[18]
^Washington Spirit → Utah Royals → Houston Dash. Houston Dash acquired the No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft from Utah Royals in exchange for $120,000 in allocation money.[19]Utah Royals previously acquired the natural second-round picks from Washington Spirit in exchange for 2024 expansion draft protection.[17]
^Houston Dash → Portland Thorns FC → Utah Royals. Utah Royals acquired the No. 33 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and Hannah Betfort from Portland Thorns in exchange for protection in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft. Portland Thorns FC had previously acquired the natural third-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $10,000 in allocation money from Houston Dash in exchange for the No. 48 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft.[24][25]
^Racing Louisville FC → Bay FC. Bay FC acquired the natural third round pick of Racing Louisville in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $235,000 in Alternate Allocation Money for its natural second round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and protection in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft[15]
^Orlando Pride → Houston Dash. Houston Dash acquired the natural third-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft from Orlando Pride and the rights to Courtney Petersen in exchange for $65,000 in allocation money.[26]
^North Carolina Courage → Houston Dash. Houston Dash acquired the No.38 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft, from North Carolina Courage in exchange for the No. 40 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $10,000 in allocation money.[27]
^San Diego Wave FC → Houston Dash → North Carolina Courage. North Carolina Courage acquired the No. 40 pick and $10,000 in allocation money in exchange for the No. 38 pick. Houston Dash previously acquired a natural third round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft for $60,000 in allocation money and Belle Briede in exchange San Diego Wave FC acquired Sierra Enge.[28]
^Seattle Reign FC → Chicago Red Stars. Chicago Red Stars acquired the natural third-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft, a 2023 international roster spot, and the No. 23 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft from Seattle Reign FC in exchange for the No. 19 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.[29]
^Bay FC → Seattle Reign FC. Seattle Reign FC acquired the No.43 overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft from Bay FC in exchange for the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $75,000 in allocation money.[31]
^Utah Royals → Angel City FC. Angel City FC acquired the No.44 overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft from Utah Royals in exchange for $15,000 in allocation money.[32]
^San Diego Wave FC → Racing Louisville FC . Racing Louisville FC acquired $40,000 in allocation money and the No.54 overall pick from San Diego Wave FC in exchange for the No.42 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft. [30]
^Seattle Reign FC → Bay FC. Bay FC acquired the No.55 overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $75,000 in allocation money from Seattle Reign FC in exchange for the No. 43 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft.[31]
^NJ/NY Gotham FC → Orlando Pride. Orlando Pride acquired the natural fourth-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $350,000 in allocation money from NJ/NY Gotham FC in exchange for the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.[33]
Summary
In 2024, a total of 30 colleges had players selected. Of these, five had a player drafted to the NWSL for the first time: Iowa, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Saint Mary's and Utah State. The draft also saw North Carolina equal the record for most selections from a school in a draft with six.[34]
Round 3 (conditional), Racing Louisville FC → Washington Spirit. Washington Spirit acquired the natural second-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft, and a conditional third-round draft pick in the 2025 NWSL Draft if she reaches 10 appearances in 2024, from Racing Louisville FC in exchange for Jordan Baggett.[18]
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