The 14 First-Round NWSL Draftees and the Youth Soccer Clubs They Played For
The 2024 NWSL draft went down, and there is a lot to talk about. Let’s start here with our first-round draft picks. These fourteen players came from college programs across the country, but before they were lacing up for their respective conferences, they were youth club players. Here are all the youth clubs that helped develop these new pro players.
Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals) – South Shore Select Soccer Club
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An all-offensive player, Sentnor is a hybrid forward/midfielder from South Shore Select Soccer Club. During her time with the club, it wasn’t unusual for Sentnor to be training with the boys’ team, the Boston Bolts. The revival of the Royals is in good hands with players like Sentnor.
Savannah “Savy” King (Bay FC) – Slammers FC HB Køge
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Now a member of the newly minted Bay FC, Savy King started out playing defense with Slammers FC HB Køge, where she won a national title. Before she signed on with Slammers, the ECNL King got a taste for the beautiful game through her local AYSO league, like so many before her. We can’t wait to see how this young player and team grow together.
Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit) – Concorde Fire
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The majority of Washington Spirit’s newest midfielder, Croix Bethune, was spent with Concorde Fire out of Atlanta. But she did spend four years in England playing soccer on a boys’ team, simply because there was no girl’s team, and she was determined to play.
Brecken Mozingo (Utah Royals) – Utah Celtic FC
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The second pick of this draft for the Utah Royals was Utah Celtic’s Brecken Mozingo. Mozingo is a forward born and raised in Utah; as a transfer to BYU from UCLA, we’re sure being a member of this squad is the perfect fit.
Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit) – Concorde Fire
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The second pick for the Washington Spirit and the fifth overall draft pick is Concorde Fire’s Hal Hershfelt. A hybrid midfield/defensive player, Hershfelt will join her fellow Concorde Fire alumna, Bethune, on the Spirit this upcoming season.
Reilyn Turner (Racing Louisville) – SoCal Blues
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The first pick of the draft for Louisville was Reilyn Turner from UCLA. Before her collegiate, and now pro, career began, Turner was a forward for the SoCal Blues. While with SoCal Blues, she was a four-time national champion and the top scorer.
Kate Wiesner (Washington Spirit) – LAFC Slammers
This time last week we drafted 6 new players and got to meet Croix Bethune & Kate Wiesner in Anaheim ✨👑🖤 pic.twitter.com/3QmfS5FSAg
— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) January 20, 2024
Another pick for the Spirit is Kate Wiesner, who has experience on both the offensive and defensive lines. Wiesner came from LAFC Slammers and made quite the name for herself in her youth career. Wiesner is primed to build her legacy as a three-time national title winner and TopDrawerSoccer’s number-one overall player for 2019.
Maya Doms (Bay FC) – Davis Legacy Soccer Club
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The Bay’s second rookie pick went to midfielder Maya Doms, an alumna of California’s Davis Legacy Soccer Club. While with Davis Legacy Soccer Club, Doms was named to the ECNL All-American and Northwest All-Conference and took second in the ECNL National Championship. A true California girl, Doms will return to her hometown in the Bay area to play professionally.
Ally Lemos (Orlando Pride) – Legends FC
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Ally Lemos is a midfielder formerly of Legends FC and now a member of Orlando Pride. An ECNL Showcase standout and 28-time TopDrawerSoccer Standout of the week, Lemos put in the work with Legends FC, and she’ll do the same with Pride.
Leilanni Nesbeth (Chicago Red Stars) – Brighton and Hove Albion Ladies Reserves
With the #10 pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft, we have selected Leilanni Nesbeth from Florida State University. Welcome to the Red Stars, @leilannines ❤️ pic.twitter.com/UP2i2jvtb2
— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) January 13, 2024
The first international pick of the draft is Leilanni Nesbeth of Brighton and Hove Albion Ladies Reserves, and FSU. As a midfielder, she debuted for the Brighton and Hove Albion Ladies First Team in 2018 and, in the same year, played for Bermuda, her birth nation, in the U17 Concacaf tournament as the lead scorer. Nesbeth will be joining the Red Stars roster next season.
Payton Linnehan (Portland Thorns) – FC Stars
it's just the start ♥️@paytonlinnehan x #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/PchmuBSw2B
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) January 13, 2024
Once a forward for FC Stars of Massachusetts, now a Portland Thorn Payton Linnehan was the 10th draft pick for the 2024 season. Linnehan was a three-time Northeast Conference champion and two-time ECNL National Finalist.
Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave) – LAFC Slammers
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The second player from LAFC Slammers and the third from Stanford, Kennedy Wesley, joins the league for San Diego Wave. While LAFC Slammers was her team for the year prior to the beginning of her college career, Wesley was a member of the SoCal Blues from 2012-2018, giving her connections to multiple players on this list.
Makenna Morris (Washington Spirit) – Mclean Soccer Club
A defender who can score: goals 👑
Get to know Makenna Morris ahead of the #NWSLDraft!
Watch the Draft on Jan. 12 | 8pm ET | 📺 ION pic.twitter.com/gEOjSLNqAU
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) January 5, 2024
The fourth and final pick of this first round for Washington Spirit was Makenna Morris from Mclean Soccer Club. A true utility player, Morris could be seen playing just about every position except for keeper. Now solidly on the defensive line for Spirit, Morris is ready to play.
Maycee Bell (Gotham FC) – NC Courage Development
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The fourteenth and final pick for the 2024 NWSL draft was defender Maycee Bell for reigning champions Gotham FC. Before making it to Chapel Hill to become a Tar Heel, Bell played club soccer for 12 years. Most notably, she appeared at the NC Courage Development Academy and was the captain of Sporting Blue Valley from 2014 to 2017.
Featured image via @wearebayfc
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