A total of 55 players from the American, Mexican and Canadian national team player pools were split between eight National Women’s Soccer League teams.
Personal preferences were taken into consideration, and an effort was made to spread the talent and positions out as much as possible.
Not unlike the 21 players who were on the U.S. 1999 World Cup championship team who were founding members of the WUSA, the current group of U.S. players has plenty of personalities.
However, not all will be playing in the league this year. Starting midfielder Megan Rapinoe is playing with Lyon in France, and Tobin Heath is also in France with Paris Saint Germain. Yael Averbuch is playing in Sweden with Kopparbergs/Goteborg. Rapinoe was allocated to Seattle and might return to the U.S. at the end of the French season.
U.S. defender Amy LePeilbet will miss 6-9 months after tearing her ACL, and Amy Rogriguez, also allocated to Seattle, will miss the season as she is pregnant with her first child.
So who looks good, and who doesn’t, going into preseason?
Portland Loaded Up Front
With Alex Morgan and Canadian Christine Sinclair on the roster, no other team can match this offensive duo. Heath was a loss, but Thorns FC got a solid goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc from Canada and a starting U.S. defender in Rachel Buehler.
Portland Thorns FC has a rookie coach in Cindy Parlow, but she has vast experience as a U.S. player at the highest level of the game.
FC Kansas City
While not spectacular, the allocation to Kansas City was very good, including U.S. backup goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, Lauren Cheney and Becky Sauerbrunn. They also got a solid international in Lauren Sesselmann from Canada and Renae Cuellar from Mexico. The other two are Mexico’s Marylin Diaz and Canada’s Desiree Scott.
Western New York Flash
The Flash was the only team to get only two U.S. players on allocation, and were allowed an extra pick in the Supplemental draft. They received the USA’s leading goal scorer, Abby Wambach, who will be playing in her hometown, along with U.S. starter Carli Lloyd, who is an offensive threat from midfield.
The Canadians going to the Flash were Bryanna McCarthy and Jodi-Ann Robinson, and Veronica Perez and Pamela Tajonar from Mexico.
Boston Breakers
Sydney Leroux is perhaps the most exciting forward in the U.S. National Team behind Wambach and Morgan. Veteran defender Heather Mitts and midfielder Heather O’Reilly join a Breakers organized that played in both the WUSA and WPS.
Among the international allocations, the Breakers got Canadian veteran Rhian Wilkinson, who played collegiate soccer at the University of Tennessee.
Chicago Red Stars
The Red Stars left the WPS after one season, but have maintained a franchise structure with plans to return to the field. Shannon Boxx and Keelin Winters are the U.S. allocations. LePeilbet was another, but is out with the knee injury.
The Red Stars got Erin McLeod and Carmelina Moscato from Canada and veteran forward Maribel Dominguez and Dinora Garza from Mexico.
Seattle Reign FC
The Reign was a bit unlucky with their allocations. Rapinoe had already committed to Lyon before the details of the NWSL were announced. Rodriguez and her husband expect a baby this summer.
Hope Solo was the third American allocation, so all’s good in the goal. Help will come from Canadians Kaylyn Kyle and Emily Zurrer, while Mexico contributed Teresa Noyola and Jenny Ruiz.
Sky Blue FC
The club launched as one of the original WPS teams, and is coached by Jim Gabarra, who coached the Washington Freedom in the WUSA. He got U.S. captain Christie Rampone, Kelley O’Hara and Jill Loyden from the U.S. team, and Sophie Schmidt and Melanie Booth from Canada. Monica Ocampo and Lydia Rangel are from Mexico.
Rampone, the last active player from the ’99 World Cup team, has played in all three leagues.
Washington Spirit
The Spirit didn’t get a lot of offense, but expects to be strong defensively with USA allocations GK Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger and Lori Lindsey.
The Spirit got a solid Canadian defender Robin Gayle, along with veteran midfielder Diana Matheson. Alina Garciamendez and Teresa Worbis came from Mexico.