6 NWSL Rookies to Look Out For This Season
The Challenge Cup and NWSL regular season provide unique opportunities for young players to develop their game and go to the next level. Due to COVID, we have a combination of two draft classes with rookies who have yet to play an NWSL game.
In addition, some college stars chose to go back to school for another year and will be making their debuts this year. Add in the rookies from the 2022 class, and the NWSL has a ton of young talent entering the league simultaneously.
Here are six NWSL rookies you should remember and look out for this season.
Naomi Girma, Defender, San Diego Wave FC
Youth Club: California Thorns FC
College: Stanford
Naomi Girma enters the league as the No. 1 pick from the 2022 NWSL Draft. A California girl through and through, Girma’s last youth club team was California Thorns FC. The next step was becoming one of the best defenders in the country at Stanford.
Now, she enters a great situation with a new franchise in San Diego Wave FC. The Wave added Abby Dahlkemper, Ali Riley, Teagan McGrady, and Paige Nielsen, which gives Girma a ton of veteran leadership to learn from. This might be the best situation for her regardless of if she’s thrown into the fire early or replaces someone due to injury.
Expect Naomi Girma to be a full-time starter for San Diego Wave by the end of the season.
Jaelin Howell, Midfielder, Racing Louisville FC
Youth Club: Real Colorado
College: Florida State
It was a bit shocking not to see Jaelin Howell come off the board first in the NWSL Draft. But Racing Louisville certainly isn’t complaining. Howell’s youth career started in Colorado, where she formed an unbreakable bond with fellow USWNT star Sophia Smith.
Howell was by far the best player at the college level. Expectations will be high as she already has a cap as a USWNT player.
Based on what Louisville already has in their midfield, do not be surprised to see Howell starting right away as Louisville’s No. 6. She’s got to be the clear preseason favorite to win Rookie of the Year based on her body of work already.
Kelsey Turnbow, Midfielder, San Diego Wave FC
Youth Club: Spokane Shadow / Spokane Sounders / SC Del Sol
College: Santa Clara
Kelsey Turnbow is one of the players drafted in 2021 who chose to go back to Santa Clara for another season. The Broncos almost went back-to-back as national champions as a result. Turnbow did it all for Santa Clara, and her game translates well to the NWSL.
She spent her club days in Arizona and Washington with SC Del Sol and the Spokane Sounders. So, another west coast player who will get the opportunity to stay on the west coach with the San Diego Wave seems like a great fit.
Turnbow should be playing and starting. They’re certainly going to need her attacking prowess throughout the Challenge Cup and NWSL regular season.
Mikayla Cluff (Colohan), Midfielder, Orlando Pride
Youth Club: La Roca FC
College: BYU
Mikayla Cluff’s road to the NWSL is similar to Kelsey Turnbow’s: a college star who did everything for their program and returned for an extra year despite being drafted in 2021. BYU made their first-ever Final Four in large part due to Mikayla Cluff. Cluff contributes a lot of her success to her time with La Roca FC, her club team in Utah.
Orlando is still a young team, and Cluff will get plenty of opportunities to show what she can do. Her ability to score and distribute will be huge for Orlando if they are to be competitive this season. So, be sure to keep an eye on her in the midfield and the attack.
Sam Coffey, Midfielder, Portland Thorns
Youth Club: Match-Fit Academy/New York Soccer Club
College: Boston College/Penn State
Considering Portland won’t have Crystal Dunn or Lindsey Horan for the Challenge Cup, Sam Coffey is expected to fill a huge role in the midfield. Rocky Rodriguez will be there to anchor things, but Coffey is the x-factor for this Thorns team. If she can perform at the level that the experts expect her to play at, this could be a breakout year for her.
She is a New Yorker who honed her skills with New York Soccer Club. That New York toughness combined with the physicality in the Big 10 from her days at Penn State make her a great candidate to make an impact right away. Coffey might just be able to give the Thorns the energy boost they need for this season.
Ava Cook, Forward, Chicago Red Stars
Youth Club: Midwest United Kalamazoo
College: Grand Valley State/Michigan State
If you’re reading this and you don’t play with a club team but still play varsity soccer and dream of going pro, look no further than Ava Cook. Her story should be an inspiration to young girls everywhere.
Cook didn’t play for a youth club team and just repped Lakeview High School. From there, she would play at DII Grand Valley State for four years, where they won a national championship. After that, however, she used her extra year as a graduate student to go to Michigan State.
Cook performed so well the final year that she was able to get the film and recognition needed to be drafted by the Chicago Red Stars. Cook figures to learn from players like Mallory Pugh and Kealia Watt, which is a great situation to be in.
It seems like the Red Stars have plans for Cook–don’t be surprised to see her debut in the Challenge Cup. Her story is amazing, and she’s only starting off.
The NWSL is now in great hands with so much new, young talent entering the fray. There are sure to be other rookies not on this list who could make an even bigger impact, but time will tell as the Challenge Cup unfolds. The younger generation is the future. And, based on the talent that continues to rise, these NWSL rookies all have a chance to be great.
Featured image via @orlpride on Instagram
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