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NWSL Draft Day: Dunn Goes Number One and Thorns Make Waves with Trades

By JJ Duke

For the first women’s soccer draft open to the public for a fair few years, today’s NWSL College Draft made headlines in a few ways. A packed room at the Philadelphia Convention Center saw 36 graduating seniors learn the fate of where they will be continuing their soccer careers. There were some parts of the drafts that went as expected, other parts that weren’t expected and nearly double-digit amount of team timeouts during the draft.

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The NWSL Draft Preview Part II: Team Draft Capsules

In part II of our NWSL College Draft Preview, we will be breaking down each team in the NWSL and what their needs will be come draft day. It has been a busy off season thus far with free agent signings, multiple trades and with the introduction of the Houston Dash, an expansion draft. But now with teams gearing up towards Friday morning’s College Draft, teams will hope to fill some of those needs from America’s rising talent.

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The NWSL Draft Preview Part I: The Draft Big Board

With the 2014 National Women’s Soccer League College Draft just two weeks away, Our Game Magazine will be breaking down all the Draft in two parts. Part One will be the Draft Big Board with a ranking of players by position and some sleepers that you will want to keep your eyes on come Draft Day. Part Two will break down each team of what they have done over the off season and what they positions they will be looking to fill via the draft.

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NWSL Final: Closing Thoughts

The 2013 National Women’s Soccer League season came to a close late on Saturday night as the Portland Thorns defeated the Western New York Flash 2-0 in Rochester, NY. And this championship match had everything that you would want from a final. From the build up where key players trying to get healthy for the final to great flowing action on the field to one moment of magic that separated the sides to one team overcoming a tough obstacle thrown at them. Read more

NWSL Playoff Preview: The Final

It’s all come down to one match. The National Women’s Soccer League Championship match will be contested on Saturday at 8pm ET in Rochester, NY between Portland Thorns and Western New York Flash, two teams that don’t have a whole lot of separation between them. And it is the Championship match-up that many invested parties hoped for: having the so-called “face franchise of the NWSL” face off against one of the most successful franchises in American Women’s Professional Soccer history (or it could be billed as the match that pits the heralded USWNT veteran vs the rising USWNT star…aka Abby vs. Alex). Regardless what you call it, it’s going to be a great contest. Here’s a breakdown of the Final as well as the second of three OGM All-NWSL Best XIs. Read more

NWSL Playoff Preview: The Semifinals

88 regular season matches are in the books and now the 2013 National Women’s Soccer League season is down to four teams. In the next two weeks, three closely contested matches will be played to determine the first-ever NWSL Champion. Two points (and some goal differential) separated Western New York, FC Kansas City, Portland and Sky Blue in the regular season standings and after a crazy turn of events in the final hours of the season, the playoff hosting scenarios took a complete 180 degree turn. And honestly, it didn’t surprise me at all, because each of these four teams have been very close in comparison and it was going to go down to the wire to separate them. So let’s takes a look at some key factors for each team in their semifinal match ups on Saturday. Then it’s time to reveal this column’s first of three All-NWSL XI’s. Read more

All About Positioning or Pride

At 11:45pm on this last Wednesday night, the race for the four playoff spots in the National Women’s Soccer League was over. That Wednesday night however, didn’t end on the terms that a few teams wanted it to end. But from one of the more packed weeks of NWSL play this season, teams never gave in no matter the situation. Every team played as hard as they were playing from week one, proving that while the player talent pool is growing there are no easy matches on any teams schedule. But the culminating week in the NWSL regular season won’t go to waste. While FC Kansas City, Western New York Flash, Portland Thorns FC and Sky Blue FC all have clinched playoff spots, no seeds have been determined. So this coming weekend will be quite interesting. Also after the usual recap for this week, I will be making a few changes on this column for the playoffs so keep reading to the end. Until then, lets take a look back at Week 18 of the NWSL Regular Season. Read more

One In, Three to Go

In the 16 weeks of the National Women’s Soccer League regular season it has been a battle to claim a playoff position. But in Week 17, the first team has reached the promise land of knockout round playoff soccer. FC Kansas City clinched a playoff berth late Sunday night, leaving only three places available for five playoff eligible teams. Some teams are in better positions than others as only two weeks remain in the regular season. Let’s take a look back at Week 17 of regular season play as well as updated playoff scenarios and some remarks from an NWSL team owner about the 2014 season. Read more