For months we had speculated that the lure of the Pacific Northwest would lead the NWSL’s allocation to be unbalanced toward Cascadia. But as news started trickling out in the days before dispersal, it appeared as if parity would rule the day and the league’s impact players would be dispersed through the new league’s teams.
As with everything in this world, turns out the truth fell in the middle.
Portland cleaned up in today’s dispersal -- the process that allocated 55 U.S., Canadian, and Mexican players to the NWSL’s eight teams. No, they didn’t get all of Abby Wambach, Christine Sinclair, and Megan Rapinoe, as many predicted. But they did get Sinclair, Tobin Heath, and Alex Morgan. Snaring the league’s most-marketable asset, Thorns FC made out better than anybody had predicted a week ago.
Seattle, who many thought would snag Alex Morgan, didn’t do too bad, either. They got Hope Solo, of course, as well as Megan Rapinoe. Along with Amy Rodríguez, Reign FC were award three players who played prominent roles during the last cycle.
Among the new league’s top-tier of stars, five of them will be playing in the Pacific Northwest.
MORE: Winners and losers from Friday’s allocation
Other notable allocations:
- Abby Wambach went to Western New York - back to her Rochester roots. Surprisingly, Carli Lloyd joins her after many assumed she would end up with Sky Blue FC.
- Sydney Leroux lands in Boston along with northeast native Heather O’Reilly.
- Lauren Cheney and Becky Sauerbrunn land with FC Kansas City.
- U.S.A. captain Christine Rampone ends up close to home with Sky Blue FC, returning to the team she led to a WPS title.
Here’s the full list. More analysis to come as the day goes on.
Boston Breakers
Sydney Leroux (USA)
Heather Mitts (USA)
Heather O’Reilly (USA)
Adriana Leon (CAN)
Rhian Wilkinson (CAN)
Anisa Guajardo (MEX)
Cecilia Santiago (MEX)
Chicago Red Stars
Shannon Boxx (USA)
Amy LePeilbet (USA)
Keelin Winters (USA)
Erin McLeod (CAN)
Carmelina Moscato (CAN)
Maribel Dominguez (MEX)
Dinora Garza (MEX)
FC Kansas City
Nicole Barnhart (USA)
Lauren Cheney (USA)
Becky Sauerbrunn (USA)
Desiree Scott (CAN)
Lauren Sesselmann (CAN)
Renae Cuellar (MEX)
Marylin Diaz (MEX)
Portland Thorns FC
Rachel Buehler (USA)
Tobin Heath (USA)
Alex Morgan (USA)
Luz Saucedo (MEX)
Marlene Sandoval (MEX)
Karina LeBlanc (CAN)
Christine Sinclair (CAN)
Seattle Reign FC
Megan Rapinoe (USA)
Amy Rodriguez (USA)
Hope Solo (USA)
Kaylyn Kyle (CAN)
Emily Zurrer (CAN)
Jenny Ruiz (MEX)
Teresa Noyola (MEX)
Sky Blue FC
Jill Loyden (USA)
Kelley O’Hara (USA)
Christie Rampone (USA)
Sophie Schmidt (CAN)
Melanie Booth (CAN)
Monica Ocampo (MEX)
Lydia Rangel (MEX)
Washington Spirit
Ashlyn Harris (USA)
Ali Krieger (USA)
Lori Lindsey (USA)
Robin Gayle (CAN)
Diana Matheson (CAN)
Alina Garciamendez (MEX)
Teresa Worbis (MEX)
Western New York Flash
Carli Lloyd (USA)
Abby Wambach (USA)
Bryana McCarthy (CAN)
Jodi-Ann Robinson (CAN)
Veronica Perez (MEX)
Pamela Tajonar (MEX)