When an expansion team comes into a league, the expectations aren’t set high. Don’t tell that to NWSL Racing Louisville FC. They’ve beaten the unranked University of Louisville, seventh-ranked West Virginia, and sixth-ranked Vanderbilt. The NWSL’s ninth team starts its first year in 2021 and they are strong out of the gate. A little too strong.
After three wins, with a combined scoreline of 10-1, head coach Christy Holly is making things more difficult. They have two preseason friendlies this week, this time against undefeated Florida State Seminoles. The former Sky Blue manager Holly is giving the Florida State coaching staff all of their tactics and game plan. An unorthodox, but creative, way to give a team of fresh faces their first of many big challenges of 2021.
2020 Expansion Pick Seasons
Unlike the Kansas City expansion featuring a majority of former Utah Royals players, Louisville doesn’t have a 2020 experience as a team. They went through an expansion draft to select existing league players or player rights. NWSL expansion rules don’t allow more than two players selected from any team. That means aside from some small connections, they start from the ground up, roster-wise. Here’s how their expansion picks performed individually.
In goal, Racing Louisville selected two players in the expansion draft. Washington Spirit’s Katie Lund and OL Reign’s Michelle Betos. Of the two, only Betos saw minutes on the field. During the Challenge Cup, she played two preliminary matches; a 1-0 win against Utah and a 0-0 draw against then-rival Portland. In the Fall Series, she was the losing goalkeeper in a 4-1 defeat to Portland.
The first pick in that draft was NC Courage fullback, Addisyn Merrick. The 23-year-old played in eight matches between the Challenge Cup and Fall Series. She didn’t record any assists but was responsible for dangerous crosses into the 18-yard box. Merrick created seven alone in the Portland goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom’s eight-save performance that knocked the Courage out of the Challenge Cup playoffs.
Erin Simon, chosen from the Houston Dash, is a fullback that can play opposite Merrick. In 2020, she started three of four preliminary matches in the cup but used just once in the playoffs. Their 2-0 final victory against Chicago saw her come in as a late sub, only registering four minutes. The former Sky Blue and West Ham United, of the Women’s Super League in England, had just 33 minutes in the Fall Series. Simon will have a lot of competition at back.
With the second pick of the expansion draft, they chose Julia Ashley. Ashley has an interesting history with the league. In 2019, Sky Blue chose her sixth overall, in the draft of collegiate standouts. She was one of the multiple drafted players that opted to not sign with Sky Blue. In Jan. of 2020, Sky Blue traded her rights to OL Reign, who signed her to a three-year contract. The former North Carolina Tar Heel never made an appearance for the Seattle-area side. Ashley was a standout right back at college soccer powerhouse North Carolina, receiving multiple conference accolades in her four seasons.
At center back, they selected former Sky Blue defender Kaleigh Riehl. Riehl played only one NWSL match all season before a loan to Paris FC in the D1 Féminine in France. She made six starts, playing 90 minutes in all contests.
Racing Louisville chose two midfielders. Sky Blue’s Jennifer Cudjoe and Lauren Milliet from the Courage. Cudjoe’s time with the new side didn’t last long, as Louisville traded her back to Sky Blue on NWSL draft day. Racing received a draft pick they used that night and $35,000 in allocation money.
Milliet played sparingly in the Challenge Cup. She started once, as a winger, in their 2-0 preliminary win against the Washington Spirit, in addition to three substitute appearances. For the Fall Series, she started all four Courage matches, in different positions too. Milliet played as an attacking midfielder, on the left-wing, and even as a defensive midfielder. Her one assist came in the final match of the year, a 3-3 draw against Orlando.
Upfront, Washington’s Katie McClure and Houston’s Cecelia “CeCe” Kizer joined the Kentucky club. Kizer made six substitute appearances, including a 62-minute appearance in the final for injured Kristie Mewis. Before the Fall Series, Houston loaned her to Kolbotn, in Norway. The loan was positive for Kizer, on the field, with seven starts and three goals. McClure had 28 substitute minutes in two Challenge Cup matches for Washington, but started a win and draw in the Fall Series. She did not record a goal or assist.
Offseason Moves
Racing Louisville made four other selections in their expansion draft. The rights to four international standouts. From Australia, former Orlando Pride midfielder/defender Alanna Kennedy and midfielder/forward Caitlin Foord. Both are playing in England with Tottenham Hotspurs and Arsenal. With the sixth and ninth picks respectively; Racing Louisville could see them as options to return to the NWSL at some point. The final two selections came from the United States National Team: forwards Tobin Heath and Christen Press. Manchester United employs both players.
Before the draft, Louisville acquired their franchise’s first two players in a trade with Chicago. The Red Stars received full expansion draft immunity for forwards Savannah McCaskill and Yuki Nagasato; along with an international roster spot and 2021 NWSL draft pick. Nagasato suffered an injury and didn’t see the field after the second Challenge Cup match. Once healthy, Chicago loaned her to men’s team Hayabusa Eleven, in her native Japan. She became the first woman to play for the team in their history.
McCaskill came to Chicago in June of 2019 with a lot of expectations and started meeting them in 2020. She finished the year with two goals and an assist. The assist coming in the 85th minute in the final preliminary game. She launched a cross from midfield to Casey Krueger for the game-winning goal. That performance was followed by a goal in the semi-final 3-2 victory over Sky Blue.
By the end of 2020, Louisville added two more attack-minded players. In the November re-entry draft, Racing picked forward Cheyna Matthews. The Jamaican international joined from the Washington Spirit but will miss part of 2021 after giving birth to her second child. She’s scored 11 goals in her 55 matches with the Spirit and an impressive eight goals in nine matches for Jamaica.
On Dec 2, 2020, Louisville signed league unknown Freja Olofsson. The 22-year-old started 18 matches with two goals and an assist in the top flight of Sweden.
Their final move of the 2020 calendar year was made on Dec. 30. Louisville signed Brooke Hendrix. An American center-back that played her last two seasons with West Ham United in the WSL. She played alongside expansion draftee Simon.
Draft Picks
Round 1 – Emily Fox – Defender – North Carolina
Round 1 – Emina Ekic – Forward – Louisville
Round 2 – Taylor Otto – Midfielder – North Carolina
Round 2 – Kirsten Davis – Forward – Texas Tech
Round 3 – Parker Goins – Forward – Arkansas
Round 4 – Emily Smith – Defender – California
The first overall pick of the NWSL draft was fullback Fox. She took over at North Carolina where expansion draft pick Ashley left off. Fox was heralded by her coach as one of the fastest on the field and technically gifted. She started all 69 matches she played for the Tar Heels. She missed substantial time for a torn ACL suffered in the 2019 College Cup quarterfinals. Fox still scored two and assisted on 20 from a field-stretching position.
Alongside Fox, Ekic is another First-Team All-ACC selection joining Racing Louisville. The ACC Offensive Player of the Year comes into Louisville with 29 goals and 19 assists in 65 matches played.
On her North Carolina biography; head coach Anson Dorrance called second-round pick Otto “one of the greatest leaders I’ve ever coached.” That kind of accolade, from a legend with a World Cup victory and over 60 championships between the ACC, ACC Tournament, and NCAA, means a little bit. On the field, she scored 11 and assisted on 12 in 84 career matches played. Fox, Ekic, and Otto are all three in the Racing Louisville FC preseason camp; giving them an advantage over most of the NWSL draft class that stayed with their teams through the spring NCAA season.
Davis, Goins, and Smith are all standouts in their own rights. Each of them was named to all-conference teams throughout their college careers. All three are yet to join the team and, pending signing, will join the club later in the season.
2021 Preview
Like any expansion team, the biggest question is how do all the pieces fit together? Holly has brought in a lot of weapons and speed through the expansion and NWSL drafts. On top of that, there are a few veteran leaders like Nagasato, Merrick, and McCaskill that can lead the team.
In addition to all the players highlighted, they have 12 non-roster invitees on their preseason roster. As they start to conclude their preseason exhibitions, there may be a few making the team. Without any of their additions, Racing Louisville would be at 16 active players, minus Matthews and their four player’s rights.
Another question is those four international stars and the rights they hold. In the best case scenario, all four rejoin the NWSL and Louisville can sign them. The more likely situation is that some extend past the end of their WSL seasons, in May. Even if only one or two players return, all four give Louisville bargaining chips through the trade market.
There are interesting storylines to follow in Louisville both on and off the field, in 2021. They open their Challenge Cup campaign on Saturday, April 10, when they welcome Orlando to Lynn Family Stadium.
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