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NWSL Draft 2023: Full results and and key takeaways

By Oliver Hunt

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 12: A general view during the 2023 NWSL Draftat the Pennsylvania Convention Center on January 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 12: A general view during the 2023 NWSL Draftat the Pennsylvania Convention Center on January 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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After just over four hours of picks, the NWSL 2023 Draft has concluded. Forty-eight new players have been drafted into the league amid several bombshell trades. Here is everything you need to know.  

The NWSL Draft took place on Thursday in Philadelphia, and some teams might’ve walked away better off than others. Over 250 players registered for the draft this year, with incredible talent all across the board. After four rounds of twelve picks, the draft concluded with 48 new players entering the league for the 2023 season. The draft was accompanied by the usual NWSL chaos, with extensive trades and deals being made both before and during the draft. All of the most notable trades are detailed below, along with every draft pick from all four rounds.

The most notable trades and deals that took place before the 2023 NWSL Draft

The most notable trades and deals that took place during the 2023 NWSL Draft

  • Gotham FC acquired Lynn Williams from The Kansas City Current and the Current receive the No. 2 overall draft pick.
  • The North Carolina traded Diana Ordóñez and their No. 30th pick in the draft to Houston in exchange for the No. 8 overall pick, Houston’s 2024 natural first-round pick, a 2023 international spot, and $100,000 in allocation money.
  • Defender Emily Sonnett was traded to OL Reign in a move involving the Chicago Red Stars and Washington Spirit. The Spirit gained the 32nd overall draft pick and the Reign’s natural first-round pick in the 2024 Draft. And Chicago gained the 23rd overall draft pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, a 2023 international roster spot, and the Reign’s natural third-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft.

NWSL 2023 Draft results by round

Round One Picks

  • No. 1: Angel City FC – Alyssa Thompson, Forward (Harvard-Westlake School)
  • No. 2: Kansas City Current – Michelle Cooper, Forward (Duke)
  • No. 3: Orlando Pride – Emily Madril, Defender (FSU)
  • No. 4: NJ/NY Gotham FC – Jenna Nighswonger, Forward/Midfielder (FSU)
  • No. 5: Portland Thorns FC – Reyna Reyes, Defender/Midfielder, (Alabama)
  • No. 6: North Carolina Courage – Olivia Wingate, Forward (Norte Dame)
  • No. 7: Chicago Red Stars – Penelope Hocking, Forward/Midfielder (Penn State)
  • No. 8: North Carolina Courage – Sydney Collins, Midfielder/Defender (UC Berkeley)
  • No. 9: North Carolina Courage – Clara Robbins, Forward/Midfielder, (FSU)
  • No. 10: Kansas City Current – Alexa Spaanstra, Forward/Midfielder, (UVA)
  • No. 11: North Carolina Courage – Haley Hopkins, Forward, (UVA)
  • No. 12: Portland Thorns FC – Izzy D’Aquila, Forward, (Santa Clara)

Round Two Picks

  • No. 13: San Diego Wave – Sierra Enge, Midfielder (Stanford)
  • No. 14: Chicago Red Stars – Grace Yochum, Midfielder (Oklahoma State)
  • No. 15: Kansas City Current – Gabrielle Robinson, Defender/ Midfielder (West Virginia)
  • No. 16: Racing Louisville FC – Kayla Fisher, Forward/Midfielder (OSU)
  • No. 17: Racing Louisville FC – Brianna Martinez, Midfielder/Defender (Norte Dame)
  • No. 18: Kansas City Current – Jordan Silkowitz, Goalkeeper, (Iowa State)
  • No. 19: OL Reign – Shae Holmes, Defender (Washington)
  • No. 20: Houston Dash – Sophie Hirst, Midfielder (Harvard)
  • No. 21: Orlando Pride – Messiah Bright, Forward (TCU)
  • No. 22: Houston Dash – Jyllissa Harris, Midfielder/Defender (USC)
  • No. 23: Chicago Red Stars – Ally Schlegel, Forward/Midfielder (Penn State)
  • No. 24: Portland Thorns FC – Lauren DeBeau, Forward/Midfielder (Michigan State)

Round Three Picks

  • No. 25: Orlando Pride – Tori Hansen, Defender (UNC)
  • No. 26: Washington Spirit – Nicole Douglas, Forward (Arizona State)
  • No. 27: Angel City FC – Angelina Anderson, Goalkeeper (UC Berkeley)
  • No. 28: Washington Spirit – Lyza Bosselman, Goalkeeper (Gonzaga)
  • No. 29: Racing Louisville – Jadyn Edwards, Forward/Midfielder (New Mexico)
  • No. 30: Washington Spirit – Riley Tanner, Forward/Midfielder (Alabama)
  • No. 31: Racing Louisville FC – Riley Mattingly Parker, Forward (Alabama)
  • No. 32: Portland Thorns – Lauren Kozal, Goalkeeper (Michigan State)
  • No. 33: San Diego Wave – Lauren Brzykcy, Goalkeeper (UCLA)
  • No. 34: Washington Spirit – Lena Silano, Forward (Long Beach State)
  • No. 35: Kansas City Current – Mykiaa Minniss, Defender (Washington State)
  • No. 36: Houston Dash – Lindsi Jennings, Defender (LSU)

Round Four Picks

  • No. 37: Washington Spirit – Civana Kulhmann, Forward (Colorado)
  • No. 38: Kansas City Current – Ella Shamburger, Defender (Vanderbilt)
  • No. 39: Orlando Pride – Summer Yates, Forward/Midfielder (Washington)
  • No. 40: Washington Spirit – Delaney Graham, Forward/Midfielder/Defender (Duke)
  • No. 41: Orlando Pride – Kristen Scott, Forward/Midfielder (UCF)
  • No. 42: Kansas City Current – Rylan Childers, Midfielder (Kansas)
  • No. 43: Chicago Red Stars – Sophie Jones, Midfielder (Duke)
  • No. 44: NJ/NY Gotham FC – Iliana Hocking, Midfielder/Defender (Arizona)
  • No. 45: San Diego Wave FC – Giovanna DeMarco, Midfielder (Wake Forest)
  • No. 46: OL Reign – Natalie Viggiano, Forward/Midfielder (Wisconson)
  • No. 47: Kansas City Current – Ashley Orkus, Goalkeeper (Mississippi)
  • No. 48: Houston Dash – Madelyn Desiano, Defender (UCLA)

Key Takeaways From the 2023 NWSL Draft

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