Seattle Reign FC announce 2025 roster decisions
By Becca Weinberg, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - Following the conclusion of the 2024 NWSL season, our Seattle Reign FC have updated the status of its roster. With today being roster decision day around the league, with tomorrow being the day that the waiver wire opens up, the club has announced a group that isn’t surprising and perhaps one intriguing player decision of a local name that’s been in the local soccer scene for years. 22 players are currently under contract heading into the 2025 season, as listed below.
Three of the additions that our Seattle Reign FC made during the season in Jaelin Howell, Ana-Maria Crnogorčević, and Nérilia Mondésir were first really showcased for the club in their dramatic victory over the North Carolina Courage on August 25th, 2024 at Lumen Field that was also Megan Rapinoe’s jersey retirement match. (Photos by Rio Giancarlo)
Forwards: Emeri Adames, Ana-Maria Crnogorčević, Jordyn Huitema, Veronica Latsko, and Nérilia Mondésir
Midfielders: Jess Fishlock, Jaelin Howell, Angharad James-Turner, Ji So-Yun, Ainsley McCammon, Sam Meza, and Olivia Van der Jagt
Defenders: Ryanne Brown, Jordyn Bugg, Madison Curry, Hanna Glas, Shae Holmes, Sofia Huerta, Julia Lester, Phoebe McClernon, and Lily Woodham
Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey
Seattle Reign FC and Welsh international team defender Lily Woodham was sent on loan to Crystal Palace. (Photos by Kevin Ng)
Three players are also currently on loan to other leagues. Midfielder Sam Meza is on loan to USL Super League club Dallas Trinity FC which will finish at the end of December, defender Sophia Huerta will remain on loan with Olympique Lyonnais through June 2025, and defender Lily Woodham’s loan to Crystal Palace will conclude at the end of January 2025. Each player is expected to return to the club after completing their respective loans.
Eight Reign FC players are out of contract and now eligible for free agency, which include midfielder Olivia Athens, defender Lauren Barnes, goalkeeper Laurel Ivory, forward Tziarra King, midfielder Maddie Mercado, goalkeeper Maia Perez, midfielder Quinn and midfielder Nikki Stanton. The club has not indicated if it is in negotiations with any of them to return in 2025, but we’ll take a look into decisions on bringing back each of those eight players in an article you can access by clicking here.
Seattle Reign FC forward and University of Washington alum McKenzie Weinert during the clubs Summer Cup loss to Club Tijuana back on July 28th, 2024 at Lumen Field. (Photos by Rio Giancarlo)
McKenzie Weinert waived
The club announced that it elected to waive forward McKenzie Weinert, who is currently on loan with Spokane Zephyr FC of the USL Super League through December. Weinert is a University of Washington product, and originally signed Reign FC in 2023 as a National Team Replacement Player following her time with the club as a non-roster invitee during the preseason. In February of 2024, Weinert transferred to Seattle from Melbourne Victory FC and signed a one-year contract extension with Reign FC before going on loan to Spokane in August. Over two seasons with Seattle, Weinert recorded a total of 70 minutes across six games played.
With a strong forward core of Huitema, Latsko, and Crnogorčević, as well as Adames getting consistent minutes towards the end of the season and Mondésir making her presence known, it is understandable why the club waived Weinert as it continues to develop its chemistry up top. Weinert did not get much playing time in that position and although she is continuing to develop with Zephyr FC, she might get better opportunities to get consistent minutes on a different team.
In order to get a better idea about when to expect or look forward to potential additions to our Seattle Reign FC, feel free to consult this set of dates for the offseason.
Wednesday, Dec. 11: End-of-Year Waivers Commences
Thursday, Dec. 12: End-of-Year Waivers Concludes
Friday, Dec. 13: Trade Window Opens
Friday, Dec. 20: Transaction Moratorium Begins
Friday, Dec. 27: Transaction Moratorium Ends; Trade Window Opens
End of January, 2025: International transfer window opens
What’s next?
With the knowledge regarding the 2025 offseason key dates and what you know about the roster decisions that our Seattle Reign FC have made, it’s time for fans to imagine and hope for the sort of players that the club may acquire as things otherwise get quiet around the NWSL. It’s undeniable that Seattle needs some offensive firepower added to their roster, but it’s going to be intriguing to follow how general manager Lesle Gallimore and the club will go about doing so considering how other rosters around this growing league have been able to bring in top end international talent. With how the different transfer windows come at difficult times for leagues around the world, the Reign bringing in “high end” talent may not come until closer to the summer time, but we’d be surprised if Seattle was quiet this offseason. For now, keep an eye on those notable dates in that instance that the Reign do something in those windows of time.
Instagram: @CirclingSeattleSports Twitter: @CirclingSports Threads: @CirclingSeattleSports Tiktok: @CirclingSeattleSports Facebook: Circling Seattle Sports BlueSky: @circlingseasports.bsky.social
〰️
Instagram: @CirclingSeattleSports Twitter: @CirclingSports Threads: @CirclingSeattleSports Tiktok: @CirclingSeattleSports Facebook: Circling Seattle Sports BlueSky: @circlingseasports.bsky.social 〰️
Check out our previous Seattle Reign FC articles here.
Check out our previous articles with writing by Becca Weinberg here, and her work with Lookout Landing here.
Cover photo by Rio Giancarlo. Check out his previous work with Circling Seattle Sports here, and his portfolio here.
Support the work of Circling Seattle Sports by checking out our merchandise!