Rebooting after crucial losses: Where do the Red Stars stand after the draft?

What did the Chicago Red Stars do in the NWSL draft?

The two standout additions from Penn State — Penelope Hocking and Ally Schlegel in the frontline — are a duo that could do some damage to the opposition at SeatGeek Stadium in just a few months’ time. Hocking and Schlegel teamed up for the Nittany Lions, combining for 21 goals and 14 assists in 23 regular season contests en route to being the two catalysts to the team finishing with 15 wins.

For young women heading into the NWSL as professionals for the first time may seem overwhelming. But right out of the gate, Hocking and Schlegel have each other to lean on which is not going to support them in the off-the-field transition but could potentially translate to on-the-pitch success. Who knows if Lomnicki had the plan before the draft to take two teammates from college, but at the end of the day, it could be to be an intelligent idea given how dominant the duo was in the Big Ten in the fall of 2022. The two brought a conference tournament trophy to State College, why couldn’t they contribute to a championship together in the NWSL?

On top of the duo of Hocking and Schlegel, the club selected two gritty all-conference midfielders, Grace Yochum from Oklahoma State, and Sophie Jones out of Duke University. Yochum brought her school’s all-time scoring record in early September against Stephen F. Austin and was one of two players on her team to start in every game she played in 2022. At 5-foot-10, Yochum had the ability to get her head on the end of crosses, and with Chicago near the bottom end of the league in aerial duels won in 2022, Yochum has the chance to make an impact with her allusiveness in the box right away.

Jones was the definition of consistency in Durham for the Blues Devils, starting in 75 start matches, which is the fifth-most in the Duke career record books. Injuries are often an issue concerning many collegiate players coming into drafts but for Jones to step between the white lines in every game in college bodes well for the transition she is going to have to make into the NWSL.

Where do they stand? 

Sure, there is work to be done to put the Red Stars back at the top, but within a week after assigning a general manager Chicago is moving in the right direction. Losing the players the Red Stars did so far this offseason puts the club behind the curve in competing for a postseason spot. But after the draft, it is difficult to not see Chicago in the top half of the league, especially with Swanson possessing an MVP ceiling.

Rebuilding a roster, and a club like this is a tall task, and for right now, the Red Stars are going everything they can to move forward. When it comes to things off the pitch, there is a lot of work to be done. Whisler’s sale of the club puts a dark cloud over the franchise, and without a new buyer at the moment, the club has immersed itself into the unknown. Although it is evident the future possesses more questions than answers, Chicago fans should still have faith that answers will be provided sooner rather than later given the constant success this club produces.