SANDY, Utah (Fri., Dec. 15, 2023) – Utah Royals FC today added two players via the National Women’s Soccer League Expansion Draft, presented by Ally, the reborn Club set to return to the NWSL as a 2024 expansion side, along with Northern California’s Bay FC.
With Utah’s first expansion selection (second overall), Royals FC added FW Elyse Bennett from Seattle-based OL Reign, a 23-year-old striker entering her third NWSL campaign. The former Washington State product hails from Lake Forest, Ill., and boasts five goals in 46 career NWSL contests with KC Current (2022) and OL Reign (2023). Bennett was drafted seventh overall in 2022 by Kansas City
URFC also selected FW Paige Monaghan from Racing Louisville FC (fourth overall), a five-year NWSL veteran with 79 appearances for Gotham FC (2019-22) and Racing (2023), scoring nine goals in her professional career. Monaghan was selected 10th overall in the 2019 draft by Sky Blue FC (neé Gotham FC) out of Butler University, the Succasunna, N.J. native the first-ever Bulldog drafted into the NWSL.
Utah Royals FC passed on the sixth, eighth and 10th overall selections.
The NWSL transaction moratorium ends Saturday morning, at which time clubs can resume signings of both restricted and unrestricted free agents, as well as the conduction of trades by which to bolster the 2024 preseason roster.
Earlier this week, a series of transactions were announced by Sporting Director Kelly Cousins on behalf of the Club, positioning URFC for Friday’s draft with a combination of players celebrating Utah homecomings, young NWSL players seeking new opportunities, and various mechanisms added to the club arsenal as Utah builds its roster with new Head Coach Amy Rodriguez.
Here’s Utah’s roster by position – along with each player’s 2023 NWSL side – as it currently stands following Friday’s festivities:
- GK: Mandy Haught (Gotham FC), Carly Nelson (Orlando Pride)
- DF: Kaleigh Riehl (San Diego Wave), Madison Pogarch (San Diego Wave), Kate Del Fava (KC Current)
- MF: Mikayla Cluff (Orlando Pride), Michele Vasconcelos (Portland Thorns), Emily Gray (North Carolina Courage), Frankie Tagliaferri (North Carolina Courage)
- FW: Elyse Bennett (OL Reign), Hannah Betford (Portland Thorns), Imani Dorsey (Gotham FC), Paige Monaghan (Racing Louisville), Cameron Tucker (Houston Dash)
