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The 2022 NWSL Draft is starting now and can be watched on Paramount+, CBS Sports HQ, the CBS Sports HQ Twitch channel and on the and NWSL YouTube channels. Fans outside of the US can watch on the NWSL Twitch channel.
The Kansas City Current should have four picks in the draft but obviously trades may impact the final number. Trades this morning already affected the order for a couple teams.
After a lackluster first season, the Current will be looking for impact players everywhere but in goal but with a probable focus on forwards.
- 1st Round - #7 - Elyse Bennett (F) Washington State
- 2nd Round - #5 (17th overall) - Chardonnay Curran (D/M) Oregon
- 4th Round - #3 (41st overall) - Jenna Winebrenner (D) TCU
- 4th Round - #5 (43rd overall) - Izzy Rodriguez (D) Ohio State
Elyse Bennett scored 10 goals with 4 assists for Washington State in the 2021 fall season. Elyse Bennett was named a Second Team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches while also earning all-region and All-Pac-12 First Team honors.
Chardonnay Curran was a leader on the Oregon Ducks and can play midfield or anywhere across the back line.
Both Winebrenner and Rodriguez were steals late in the draft.
Kansas City Current Roster:
Goalkeepers (2): Adrianna Franch, Carly Nelson*
Defenders (7): Elizabeth Ball, Rachel Corsie, Kristen Edmonds, Hailie Mace, Michelle Maemone, Maddie Nolf, Mallory Weber
Midfielders (6): Addie McCain, Chloe Logarzo, Sam Mewis, Victoria Pickett, Gaby Vincent, Lo’eau LaBonta
Forwards (5): Kristen Hamilton, Darian Jenkins, Mariana Larroquette, Jéssica Silva, Michele Vasconcelos+
* Carly Nelson on loan to FC Nordsjælland through June 2022
+ Michele Vasconcelos on loan to Sevilla through June 2022
KC Current also has the rights to Alex Loera and Brookelynn Entz from the 2021 draft. Both players opted to stay in college via an extra year of NCAA eligibility due to the pandemic.
Goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland, defenders Katie Bowen, Taylor Leach, Kate Del Fava, midfielder Desiree Scott and forward Jaycie Johnson have received offers and are currently out of contract with the club.
Draft Results
First Round
1: San Diego Wave FC — Naomi Girma, defender (Stanford)
2: Racing Louisville FC — Jaelin Howell, midfielder (Florida State)
3: North Carolina Courage — Emily Gray, midfielder (Virginia Tech)
4: Racing Louisville FC — Savannah DeMelo, midfielder (USC)
5: Orlando Pride — Mia Fishel, forward (UCLA)
6: North Carolina Courage — Diana Ordoñez, forward (Virginia)
7: Kansas City Current — Elyse Bennett, forward (Washington State)
8: OL Reign — Zsanett Kajan, forward (St. John’s)
9: San Diego Wave FC — Marleen Schimmer, forward (Grand Canyon Univ.)
10: Orlando Pride — Caitlin Cosme, defender (Duke)
11: Orlando Pride — Julie Doyle, forward (Santa Clara)
12: North Carolina Courage — Kaitlin Fregulia, defender (Cal State; Long Beach)
Second Round
13: Portland Thorns FC — Sydny Nasello, defender (Univ. of South Florida)
14: Washington Spirit (trade with San Diego) — Tinaya Alexander, forward (LSU)
15: Washington Spirit (trade with OL Reign) — Madison Elwell, forward (Vanderbilt)
16: Racing Louisville FC — Charmé Morgan, defender (Oklahoma State)
17: Kansas City Current — Chardonnay Curran, midfielder (Oregon)
18: Chicago Red Stars — Ava Cook, forward (Michigan State)
19: Chicago Red Stars — Sammi Fisher, midfielder (Notre Dame)
20: OL Reign — Claudia Dickey, goalkeeper, (UNC)
21: OL Reign — Ryanne Brown, forward (Wake Forest)
22: Portland Thorns FC — Gabby Provenzano, midfielder/defender (Rutgers)
23: Washington Spirit — Lucy Shepherd, forward (Hofstra)
24: NJ/NY Gotham FC — Kelly Ann Livingstone, defender (Georgetown)
25: San Diego Wave FC — Sydney Pulver, midfielder/defender (Washington State)
26: Racing Louisville FC — Jordyn Bloomer, goalkeeper (Univ. of Madison – Wisconsin)
Third Round
27: San Diego Wave FC — Belle Briede, forward/midfielder (Stanford)
28: Angel City FC — Hope Breslin, midfielder (Illinois)
29: North Carolina Courage — Haleigh Stackpole, forward/midfielder (Ole Miss)
30: Racing Louisville FC — Jenna Menta, forward (Wake Forest)
31: Orlando Pride — Jada Talley, forward (USC)
32: OL Reign — Kaile Halvorson, forward/midfielder (Santa Clara)
33: OL Reign — Olivia Van der Jagt, midfielder (Washington)
34: NJ/NY Gotham FC — Hensley Hancuff, goalkeeper (Clemson)
35: Chicago Red Stars — Sarah Griffith, forward (Purdue)
36: Angel City FC — Lily Nabet, midfielder (Duke)
37: Chicago Red Stars — Kayla McKeon, midfielder (Arkansas)
38: Washington Spirit — Audrey Hardin, forward (UNC-Wilmington)
Fourth Round
39: Angel City FC — Miri Taylor, forward (Hofstra)
40: San Diego Wave FC — Kayla Bruster, defender (Georgia)
41: Kansas City Current — Jenna Winebrenner, defender (TCU)
42: Racing Louisville FC — Sydney Cummings, defender (Georgetown)
43: Kansas City Current — Izzy Rodriguez, defender (Ohio State)
44: Houston Dash — Ryan Gareis, forward (South Carolina)
45: North Carolina Courage — Marisa Bova, goalkeeper (Purdue)
46: NJ/NY Gotham FC — Raleigh Loughman, midfielder (Michigan)
47: OL Reign — Marley Canales, midfielder (UCLA)
48: Portland Thorns — Natalie Beckman, forward (Denver)
49: Chicago Red Stars — Jayda Hylton-Pelaia, defender (Arizona State)
50: Washington Spirit — Jordan Thompson, defender (Gonzaga)