Return of Royalty
In 2024, the Utah Royals were welcomed back into the NWSL under new ownership and ready to start a new chapter in URFC history. On opening night the Beehive state welcomed back URFC with a Utah women's sporting event state-record crowd, 20,370 fans were in attendance for the first URFC match since 2020. The expansion side opened their inaugural year with a 2W-11L-2D record earning 8 points. URFC finished the first segment of the season positioned in 14th with a -20 goal differential, scoring 7 goals and conceding 27 in the first 15 matches of the 2024 Return of Royalty campaign.
The NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup provided an opportunity to breathe new life into the squad under newly appointed Interim Head Coach Jimmy Coenraets after General Manager Kelly Cousins and ownership reconstructed the front-office and coaching staff. The Royals topped Group A and reintroduced themselves to the league under a new identity.
Pairing with the technical reconstruction, the URFC front office brought in new faces from around the globe to improve the quality of play on the pitch and mentor young Royals players during the second half of the NWSL calendar. Japan International Mina Tanaka, Canadian International Cloé Lacasse, and Spaniard Claudia Zornoza were all acquired during the summer transfer window and made an immediate impact for the blue-and-gold.
The Royals finished the final 11 games of the 2024 NWSL Regular season with a 5-4-2 record under Coenraets earning 17 points, climbing up the standings to finish 11th with 25 points and a 7-15-4 record, seven points behind the playoff line. Signature wins over Bay FC (2-1), completed the sweep over expansion sibling, and Portland Thorns FC (2-1), URFC’s first goals scored (Hannah Betfort, Tanaka) and win at Providence Park marked historical accomplishments in the final stretch of matches. After the good-run of form URFC GM Cousins dropped Coenraets Interim title, locking him up as the Royals head coach through the 2027 season.
Royal Rookies
The Utah Royals opened the 2024 Season building its roster with a mixture of NWSL veterans from other organizations and rookies acquired through the NWSL Draft. The Utah Royals added 6 rookies from the NWSL Draft: Ally Sentnor (University of North Carolina; United States), Brecken Mozingo (Brigham Young University; United States), Lauren Flynn (Florida State University; United States), Olivia Smith-Grifitts (Brigham Young University; United States), Zoe Burns (University of Southern California; United States), and Cristina Roque (Florida State University; United States). All six of URFC’s 2024 draft picks made their professional debuts and started in at least one match this season.
Throughout the year the Royals also welcomed several NWSL newcomers from around the globe; Dana Foederer (PSV; Netherlands) Agnes Nyberg (IK Uppsala, Sweden), Ana Tejada (Real Sociedad; Spain), Macey Fraser (Wellington Phoenix; New Zealand), Julia Grosso (Melbourne City; United States), Zornoza (Real Madrid; Spain), Tanaka (INAC Kobe Leonessa; Japan), and Lacasse (Arsenal W.C.F; Canada) all came to the Beehive State with the ambition of playing in the most competitive league in the world. The trio of summer window signings (Lacasse, Tanaka, Zornoza) headlined the excitement of newcomers, bringing world-class experience with them to the Wasatch Front.
Joining the squad on August 14th, the 31 year old Winger made the move across the pond just one year after signing a permanent deal with Arsenal W.F.C last summer. Lacasse appeared in 23 matches with The Gunners notching five goals and two assists across all competitions. With the Utah Royals Lacasse recorded 4 goals across 9 matches, including the only hat-trick in Utah Royals history on October 13, 2024 against the Seattle Reign FC in front of an America First Field crowd.
Tanaka signed with the Utah Royals on July 5th. The 30 year old Forward, came to the Beehive State after playing 13 seasons in Japan, appearing for Tokyo Verdy Beleza from 2011-2019 and INAC Kobe Leonessa from 2020-2024 with a ten match stint on loan in Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen in 2020. Tanka scored 1 goal in the Blue-and-Gold across 7 Starts for the Royals.
Zornoza was announced a Royal on July 12th joining the squad from Real Madrid. The 33 year old Midfielder provided a veteran presence in the young Royals midfield pairing with Tejada, another Spaniard, and rookie sensation Sentnor. Zornoza left her home country of Spain where she played 16 seasons in Spain’s Liga F appearing for multiple sides such as Atlético de Madrid, Valencia, Levante, and Real Madrid. Zornoza contributed 2 goals including a screamer of a free-kick at Angel City FC and 3 assists across her 10 starts.
Ally Sentnor joined the Royals as the number one overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft. Sentnor headlined this year’s rookie class and is regarded as one of the top attacking talents in the country. Sentnor led the team in goal contributions scoring 3 goals and registering 4 assists in the NWSL adding two 2 goals and 1 assist in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. Starting the year on the left wing Sentnor proved she was a threat on the ball, the former Tarheel was moved into the midfield permanently under Coenraets opening up the field for other attackers.
Sharpshooters
The Utah Royals attacked the 2024 season by committee as eleven members of the Royal’s squad scored for URFC this season. Blue-and-Gold newcomer Lacasse led the charge with four goals followed by rookie Sentnor who notched three. Five other Royals logged multiple goals during the 2024 campaign.
Former URFC draft pick, Del Fava scored the first goal of the second iteration of the Utah Royals in URFC’s first win of the season against the North Carolina Courage (2-1). Captain Paige Monaghan sent a corner kick to the back post to Del Fava who headed the ball back across goal, opening her NWSL goals account. Del Fava would score the game winner at Bay FC in the 89th minute in very similar fashion.
URFC lead the league in goals from outside the box with eight goals scored by a league-high seven individuals, one shy of a NWSL record.
In the first 16 matches of the season the URFC averaged 0.44 Goals per 90. After Coenraets took the helm at the end of June, the Royals averaged 1.18 Goals per 90. Pushing their season average up 0.81 Goals per 90.
Between the Sticks
Mandy Haught has been a standout performer this season for the Utah Royals, earning MVP honors, an award voted on by URFC players. Over the course of the season, Mandy faced the second most Shots on Target against (121), had 84 saves (4th in NWSL), a URFC single season record (Barnhart, 80 saves, 2018) and led the league in prevented goals (8.8). The American goalkeeper has been nominated for Save-of-the-Week nine times, winning once for her save against Washington Spirit on June 8th.
For Club-and-Country
With ten countries being represented on URFC’s roster throughout the season the Utah Royals had multiple players represent their country on the international stage during the 2024 Season. Four Royals represented their countries on the globe’s largest stage this year at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris, France. Amandine Henry (now with Toluca in Liga MX Femenil) represented the host nation, Ify Onumonu (now with Montpellier HSC in France’s Premiére Ligue) represented Nigeria, Frazier represented New Zealand, and Tanaka represented Japan. All four contributed to a NWSL record of 56 players at a single Olympic games. Lacasse, who had not yet been acquired by URFC, also represented Canada at the games.
More recently, Haught and Tejada made their senior team debuts in the last FIFA window of the regular season. Haught earned the start for the United States Women’s National Team in a 3-0 clean sheet win over Argentina while defender Tejada made her first appearance for Spain as a sub during a 1-1 friendly draw against Italy.
On the youth level, rookie sensation Sentnor captained the US Women’s U-20 team to a bronze medal earning the Bronze Ball, an award recognizing the third best player in the tournament. Foederer represented the Netherlands U-23 in three friendlies during the October International window.
NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup
The Royals topped group A with 6 points despite the slow start in a 2-1 loss at Seattle Reign. Returning home for the final two matches of group play URFC found its stride for the first time all season, raining in goals. URFC got off to a hot start in its 3-1 win over Portland Thorns courtesy of a Betfort 3’ goal, Sentnor scored the game-winning goal just minutes later. With the group on the line in the final matchday of the 2024 Summer Cup URFC conceded a 3’ goal to Club Tijuana. URFC then proceeded to turn on the switch and score five unanswered goals, the most in a single match in club-history en route to a 5-1 win.
The wins over Portland and Tijuana were the first wins of the 2024 season that URFC had defeated an opponent by more than a single margin.
URFC’s 9 goals in the 2024 Summer Cup came in second most from a single side only trailing the eventual cup champions, Kansas City Current who scored 10 goals in the group stage. Betfort, Mozingo Sentnor all scored 2 goals, while Cameron Tucker, Michelle Vasconcelos, and Monaghan all scored 1 goal.
Despite topping group A, URFC did not move on to the knockout round due to four clubs finishing with a higher point count after the group stage (Kansas City Current (9), Angel City FC (8), NJ/NY Gotham FC (8), and North Carolina Courage (7)).
Iron Woman
Centerback, Del Fava was one of seven NWSL players who were named Iron Women this season. Iron Women honors those who played every single minute of the season for their club during the 2024 regular season. Del Fava was a staple of the Royals defense, as a voice and leader, Del Fava wore the armband for the final five matches while Monaghan was out with injury. Early in the season URFC acknowledged Del Fava’s impact to the club and locked her up with a contract extension running through 2026 with a team option for 2027. Number 8 is here to stay.
Statistical Team Leaders: NWSL Regular Season (Top 5 and ties)
Appearances
Del Fava: 26 / Pogarch: 25 / Haught: 24 / Betfort: 24 / Foederer: 23
Starts
Del Fava: 26 / Haught: 24 / Pogarch: 21 / Sentnor: 21 / Monaghan: 20
Minutes
Del Fava: 2,340 / Haught: 2,160 / Pogarch: 1,883 / Sentnor: 1,864 / Betfort: 1,671
Goals
Lacasse: 4 / Sentnor: 3 / Del Fava: 2 / Betfort: 2 / Monaghan: 2 / Tejada: 2 / Zornoza: 2
Assists
Sentnor: 4 / Zornoza: 3 / Foederer: 2 / Five Players: 1
Clean Sheets
Haught: 4 / Roque: 1
Saves
Haught: 84 / Roque: 2 / Nelson: 2
Tackles
Burns: 51 / Flynn: 39 / Del Fava: 38 / Sentnor: 38 / Pogarch 36
Most Valuable Player: Haught
Offensive Player of the Year: Sentnor
Defensive Player of the Year: Del Fava
Golden Boot: Lacasse
Utah Royals FC is a professional soccer Club based in Sandy Utah competing in the National Women’s Soccer League. Reformed in 2024, the Club aims to maintain a high level of excellence on and off the pitch. The Club’s home ground, America First Field, is known for its picturesque backdrop of the Wasatch Mountain Range and incredible home atmosphere created by the Club supporters. With a commitment to fielding a competitive team and developing young players, Utah Royals FC aims to become one of the gold standards in women’s soccer for years to come.
