How Naomi Girma Shocked the NWSL in her First Season

Being a rookie can be tough, especially in the competitive NWSL. Naomi Girma was the #1 Overall draft pick in 2022. The former Stanford standout quickly became one of the most-mentioned names in the league as she anchored the backline of the San Diego Wave this 2022 season, making a solid case for herself as the Rookie of the Year. 

And she recently received a call-up for the U.S. Women’s National Team’s October Friendly games.

 Is 22-year-old Naomi Girma the next NWSL Rookie of the Year? We’ll make the case here. 

Anchoring a Backline

Girma has been a powerful and steady presence on the Wave’s defense since she joined the club as the No. 1 Overall draft pick in 2022. Watching her on the field, she looks more like a seasoned veteran. Her powerful clearances and brilliantly timed tackles have helped keep San Diego, an expansion club, at the top of the table and playoff-bound. 

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Girma is credited with 92 clearances, the most of any player on her team. She also has 51 interceptions and an 84% pass completion rate. 

Center backs are often underappreciated because their work isn’t flashy, and the statistics sometimes don’t reflect their prowess. However, Girma’s numbers give a partial picture of how impactful the rookie has been offensively and defensively for the Wave this season.

Best XI Honors

Moreover, Girma earned May, July, and August Team of the Month selections for her impact on the field. 

Girma stands out for her ability to proactively dictate play and manipulate spaces. She’s dangerous on the ball, creating several scoring opportunities from her long balls and timely tackles. 

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The rookie even donned the captain’s armband during one match. 

Statistics 

Girma has played every minute of 18 games this year with seven clean sheets. 

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San Diego Wave is the first pure expansion team ever to clinch a playoff spot in an inaugural season. It’s safe to say expectations for the new and diverse squad were relatively low entering the year, and they have proven they are not to be counted out of the competition. Girma has been an essential key to Wave’s success. 

Other Nominees

The race for the NWSL Rookie of the Year is heating up. Other rookie standouts include Diana Ordóñez, who scored a record number of goals in her first season with North Carolina Courage; Kansas City forward Elyse Bennett; Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo; and Portland’s defensive midfielder Sam Coffey.

Is Naomi Girma Our Rookie of the Year?

San Diego Wave FC has had an amazing first year in the league. And based on her phenomenal performance, natural leadership ability, and dominating backline presence, we think Naomi Girma has a good shot at clinching the Rookie of the Year award.

Featured image via @sandieogwavefc on Instagram

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