San Diego Wave FC announce initial roster moves for 2023

The off-season is officially upon us. San Diego Wave FC announced today their initial roster moves ahead of the 2023 season. Despite having an historic roster that did more than we've ever seen from an expansion side, the SoCal team isn't resting on its incredible NWSL debut. The team appears to be gearing up for an active off-season, but first, here's the list of players staying, and those who are one-and-done after 2022.

The team announced defenders Kaleigh Riehl and Madison Pogarch both received new contract offers from the club. San Diego are exercising the options of forward Amirah Ali, midfielder Belle Briede, and defender Mia Gyau running through 2023. The club is mutually exercising a contract option with forward Makenzy Doniak, who is a free agent. Forward Jodie Taylor also enters the end-of-season process as a free agent.

Forwards Jackie Altschuld and Katie Johnson, defender Taylor Hansen, goalkeeper Melissa Lowder and midfielder Sydney Pulver are all out of contract and will not be returning in 2023. The club has chosen not to exercise contract options for defender Kayla Bruster and midfielder Marleen Schimmer. San Diego Wave FC thanks these players for their time and commitment to the club and wishes them the best in their future endeavors

“I would like to thank Katie, Melissa, Taylor, Kayla, Jackie, Marleen and Sydney for their incredible hard work this season and for everything they have done on and off the field that hugely contributed to the team’s success,” Wave FC Head Coach Casey Stoney said in a statement. “They will forever be a part of Wave FC’s history.”

Going into the 2023 season, the San Diego roster looks like this: goalkeepers Kailen Sheridan, Carly Telford; defenders Abby Dahlkemper, Mia Gyau, Naomi Girma, Christen Westphal; midfielders Belle Briede, Taylor Kornieck, Kristen McNabb, Kelsey Turnbow, Emily Van Egmond and forwards Amirah Ali, Sofia Jakobsson, Alex Morgan, Jaedyn Shaw. After coming up short in the Conference Finals, expect San Diego to make moves to put them over the top, not just for this season, but for many more to come.

How do you feel about the initial roster decisions going into next year? Leave a comment below!