The2022NWSL Draft was the 10th annual meeting of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchises to select eligiblecollege players. It was held on December 18, 2021, and hosted remotely byCBS Sports.[1]
All 12 teams of theNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL) take turns making their selections over four rounds, with 12 picks per round plus any additional compensatory picks. Draft order in each round was determined by the reverse order of the final2021 regular season standings, with the exceptions beingAngel City FC andSan Diego Wave FC taking the first two selections as expansion teams and the two teams that contested the 2021 Championship game,Washington Spirit andChicago Red Stars, taking the last two selections.
After winning a coin flip, San Diego Wave FC selected priority in the NWSL Draft. As a result, San Diego received pick No. 1 in both the first and third rounds of the draft, while Angel City will select first in rounds two and four. By virtue, Angel City were given the first pick in the2022 NWSL Expansion Draft.
Each expansion team received a compensatory pick at the conclusion of the second round of the NWSL Draft. A coin flip determined that San Diego Wave FC would select the first compensatory pick at No. 25, and Angel City FC would make the second pick at No. 26.
The 2022 NWSL Draft was open to any high school or college athlete who was enrolled at a university in the United States during the 2021–22 academic year; had exhausted, lost, or renounced their remaining collegiate eligibility during the 2021 calendar year; would be at least 18-years old by the conclusion of the 2022 NWSL League Season; not be under a current professional contract, nor have previously signed a contract to play soccer professionally; and registered for the NWSL Draft by the registration deadline.
On December 3, 2021, it was announced that the board of governors had voted to increase the number of draft-eligible players ahead of the 2022 NWSL Draft. Registration was not required for the2021 NWSL Draft due to the pandemic-altered NCAA soccer schedule. Those players who were draft-eligible, but went undrafted in the 2021 NWSL Draft, were therefore NWSL discovery-eligible in 2021, even if they retained NCAA eligibility. The updated rules for the 2022 NWSL Draft allowed players who were otherwise eligible, but currently on a NWSL team's discovery list, the choice to either remain on that team's discovery list or be removed in order to register for 2022 NWSL Draft.[2]
On December 14, 2021, the NWSL announced the list of players registered for the draft.[3]
CBS Sports covered the draft on various platforms, including CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ. Internationally, the draft was available to stream live onTwitch.
^Houston Dash → Angel City FC → Racing Louisville FC → North Carolina Courage.North Carolina Courage acquired the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromRacing Louisville in exchange forJessica McDonald.[6]Racing Louisville had acquired the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and $25,000 in allocation money fromAngel City in exchange forSavannah McCaskill.[7]Angel City had acquired the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromHouston Dash in exchange for the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and $125,000 in allocation money.[8]
^North Carolina Courage → Kansas City Current.Kansas City Current acquired the natural first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromNorth Carolina Courage in exchange for the rights toMalia Berkely and the No. 12 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.[9]
^NJ/NY Gotham FC → OL Reign.OL Reign acquired the No. 8 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromNJ/NY Gotham FC in exchange for the natural first-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and $40,000 in allocation money.[10]
^OL Reign → Washington Spirit → San Diego Wave FC.San Diego Wave acquired a first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as the rights toTegan McGrady and an international spot in 2022 fromWashington Spirit in exchange for roster protection from San Diego in the2022 NWSL Expansion Draft.[11]Washington Spirit had acquired the natural first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $200,000 in allocation money fromOL Reign in exchange forRose Lavelle.[12]
^Portland Thorns FC → OL Reign → Orlando Pride.Orlando Pride acquired the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well asCelia Jiménez,Leah Pruitt, and the natural second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft fromOL Reign in exchange forPhoebe McClernon.[13]OL Reign had acquired the natural first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $200,000 in allocation money and an international roster spot for the 2021 season fromPortland Thorns in exchange forCrystal Dunn.[14]
^Chicago Red Stars → NJ/NY Gotham FC → Orlando Pride.Orlando Pride acquired a first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as the natural third-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and $50,000 in allocation money fromGotham FC in exchange for the rights toAshlyn Harris andAli Krieger;[15] the exact position of the 2022 first-round pick originally fromChicago Red Stars was confirmed by the NWSL on December 17, 2021.[16]Gotham FC had acquired a conditional first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, the No. 4 and No. 8 picks in the2021 NWSL Draft, and an international slot for 2021 and 2022 fromChicago Red Stars in exchange forMallory Pugh andSarah Woldmoe.[17]
^San Diego Wave FC → Washington Spirit.Washington Spirit acquired the No. 14 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromSan Diego Wave in exchange for $85,000 in allocation money.[20]
^North Carolina Courage → Chicago Red Stars.Chicago Red Stars acquired the natural second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $35,000 in allocation money fromNorth Carolina Courage in exchange for a 2021 international slot.[25]
^NJ/NY Gotham FC → OL Reign.OL Reign acquired the natural second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $80,000 in allocation money fromGotham FC in exchange forAllie Long. The teams also swapped places in the Discovery Ranking order.[26]
^Chicago Red Stars → Washington Spirit.Washington Spirit acquired the No. 23 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromChicago Red Stars in exchange for Washington's highest second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and $25,000 in allocation money.[29]
^Washington Spirit → NJ/NY Gotham FC.Gotham FC acquired the natural second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $100,000 in allocation money fromWashington Spirit in exchange for the No. 8 pick in the2021 NWSL Draft.[30]
^Angel City FC → Houston Dash → Racing Louisville FC.Racing Louisville acquired the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromHouston Dash in exchange forJulia Ashley.[31]Houston Dash had previously acquired the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $125,000 in allocation money fromAngel City in exchange for the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.[8] Angel City had received an additional compensatory pick at the end of the second round as one of two expansion teams with a coin flip determining Angel City would pick second of the two.
Round 3:
^Kansas City Current → Orlando Pride → North Carolina Courage.North Carolina Courage acquired the No. 29 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromOrlando Pride in exchange for the rights toDeanne Rose.[32]Orlando Pride acquired the natural third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromKansas City Current in exchange forJordyn Listro. The pick could have risen to Kansas City's lowest-held second-round pick in the same draft had conditions been met.[33]
^Portland Thorns FC → OL Reign → Angel City FC.Angel City acquired the No. 36 pick of the 2022 NWSL Draft fromOL Reign in exchange for $25,000 in allocation money and an agreement not to select any forwards off of OL Reign's unprotected list in the2022 NWSL Expansion Draft.[37]OL Reign had acquired a third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft fromPortland Thorns in exchange for the rights toOlivia Moultrie.[38]
^Each expansion team also received an additional compensatory pick at the end of the second round with a coin flip determining San Diego would pick first.
