Ahead of the 2024 season, teams chose the best women's soccer players in the U.S. college system, with expansion side Utah Royals picking first
A new year means another NWSL Draft, with the 2024 edition the biggest yet as the Utah Royals and Bay FC prepare to enter the top women's soccer league in the United States.
A total of 56 picks were made in January as the most exciting talents in the U.S. college system were chosen by the NWSL's 14 teams, the most the league has ever had.
As expansion sides, the Royals and Bay FC were first up as the pair continued building rosters that they added to significantly in the NWSL Expansion Draft in December.
History was made in the 2023 Draft when Alyssa Thompson became not only the youngest ever player to be selected No.1 overall, but the youngest pick of all time, too. A teenager followed in her footsteps, too, as Ally Sentnor was chosen first off the board by the Utah Royals in the 2024 edition.
GOAL has all you need to know about the 2024 NWSL Draft, including who was chosen and the order of selection…
When was the NWSL Draft 2024?Date:January 12, 2024Time:5pm PT / 8pm ETVenue:Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California
The 2024 NWSL Draft took place on Friday, January 12, 2024. It was held during the United Soccer Coaches Convention at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, and began at 8pm ET.
AdvertisementHow to watch the NWSL Draft 2024
The 2024 NWSL Draft was live on ION, with programming scheduled from 8pm to 10pm ET. All rounds of the draft were also live streamed on ION Plus. The NWSL made the event available for overseas viewers on its website, too.
Who was the No.1 pick in the NWSL Draft 2024?
Ally Sentnor was chosen by the Utah Royals as the No.1 overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft. Sentnor, still only 19 years old, was a nominee for U.S. Soccer's 2023 Young Female Player of the Year award and has shown plenty of promise in her time with the North Carolina Tar Heels and the U.S. youth teams.
Another teenage Tar Heel followed her on the board, with Savannah King chosen at No.2 by Bay FC. The 18-year-old is a very promising young centerback who played more minutes in her freshman season than anyone else in the North Carolina team.
Creative midfielder Croix Bethune was expected to be in the mix for the top pick, too, and she was chosen at No.3 by the Washington Spirit, who traded Sam Staab to the Chicago Red Stars just a few hours before the draft in order to get that pick.
Five senior internationals were chosen in this draft, too: Bermuda's LeiLanni Nesbeth went to the Chicago Red Stars in round one, Jamaica's Kiki Van Zanten was chosen by the Houston Dash in round two, Canada's Zoe Burns went to the Utah Royals in round three, Puerto Rico's Cristina Roque also joined the Royals in the same round and Tonga's Laveni Vaka was selected by Bay FC with the penultimate pick in the draft.
2024 NWSL Draft order and picks
1/1Ally SentnorMidfielderUtah RoyalsNorth Carolina1/2Savy KingDefenderBay FCNorth Carolina1/3Croix BethuneMidfielderWashington SpiritGeorgia1/4Brecken MozingoForwardUtah RoyalsBYU1/5Hal HershfeltMidfielderWashington SpiritClemson1/6Reilyn TurnerForwardRacing LouisvilleUCLA1/7Kate WiesnerDefenderWashington SpiritPenn State1/8Maya DomsMidfielderBay FCStanford1/9Ally LemosMidfielderOrlando PrideUCLA1/10LeiLanni NesbethMidfielderChicago Red StarsFlorida State1/11Payton LinnehanForwardPortland ThornsPenn State1/12Kennedy WesleyDefenderSan Diego WaveStanford1/13Makenna MorrisDefenderWashington SpiritClemson1/14Maycee BellDefenderGothamNorth Carolina2/15Jameese JosephForwardChicago Red StarsNC State2/16Lauren FlynnDefenderUtah RoyalsFlorida State2/17Sam MezaMidfielderSeattle ReignNorth Carolina2/18Ellie WheelerDefenderKansas City CurrentPenn State2/19Avery PattersonForwardHouston DashNorth Carolina2/20Olivia Smith-GriffittsDefenderUtah RoyalsBYU2/21Kiki Van ZantenForwardHouston DashNotre Dame2/22Cori DykeMidfielderOrlando PridePenn State2/23Olivia Wade-KatoaMidfielderPortland ThornsBYU2/24Natalia StaudeDefenderNorth Carolina CourageVirginia2/25Kelsey KaufusiDefenderPortland ThornsUtah State2/26Emma JaskaniecMidfielderUtah RoyalsWisconsin2/27Maddie MercadoForwardSeattle ReignNotre Dame2/28Emma SearsForwardRacing LouisvilleOhio State3/29Zoe BurnsDefenderUtah RoyalsUSC3/30Jamie ShepherdMidfielderBay FCBYU3/31Hannah AndersonDefenderChicago Red StarsTexas Tech3/32Halle MackiewiczGoalkeeperKansas City CurrentClemson3/33Cristina RoqueGoalkeeperUtah RoyalsFlorida State3/34Caroline ContiMidfielderBay FCClemson3/35Anna PodojilForwardWashington SpiritArkansas3/36Amanda WestForwardHouston DashPittsburgh3/37Felicia KnoxMidfielderAngel CityAlabama3/38Heather HinzGoalkeeperHouston DashSouth Carolina3/39Kat AsmanGoalkeeperPortland ThornsPenn State3/40Julia DorseyDefenderNorth Carolina CourageNorth Carolina3/41Bea FranklinMidfielderChicago Red StarsArkansas3/42Mya JonesForwardSan Diego WaveMemphis4/43Makena CarrMidfielderSeattle ReignSaint Mary's4/44Jessica GarzianoMidfielderAngel CitySt. John's4/45Celia GaynorMidfielderChicago Red StarsMichigan State4/46Hope HiseyGoalkeeperKansas City CurrentArizona4/47Alyssa BourgeoisDefenderHouston DashSanta Clara4/48Sam CaryDefenderRacing LouisvilleIowa4/49Courtney BrownMidfielderWashington SpiritUtah4/50Alex KerrForwardOrlando PrideTexas Tech4/51Madi CurryDefenderAngel CityPrinceton4/52Landy MertzForwardNorth Carolina CouragePittsburgh4/53Katie DuongMidfielderPortland ThornsStanford4/54Madison WhiteGoalkeeperRacing LouisvilleTexas Tech4/55Laveni VakaDefenderBay FCBYU4/56Talia GabarraMidfielderOrlando PrideUCF
This is the first key event of 2024 for the NWSL, with the season's official start date March 15.