Chicago Stars FC midfielder Emma Egizii sits down to discuss life in the NWSL as a rookie!

Emma breaks down her journey from winning an NCAA National Championship with the UCLA Bruins to signing her first multi-year professional contract. Learn how the All-American playmaker overcame multiple major knee injuries to break out as a top rookie talent in the National Women's Soccer League and hear her expert tactical advice on navigating the transition from college soccer to the pro game.

In today's incredible conversation, Emma shares what specifically made the Chicago Stars the right fit, and her first-ever professional preseason being highlighted by a training camp in Spain.

Emma talks about how she looks back upon her time with NCAA women's college soccer powerhouse UCLA Bruins, recovering from two season-ending injuries in college/the resilience required and adversity faced by athletes playing at the highest level of soccer, and how Emma hopes that being a part of the Stars’ environment will help to continue to cultivate and develop attributes in her game as she enters the professional ranks.

Additionally, Emma elaborates on how her team's identity continues to develop, making her professional debut in front of the avid (and her hometown) Angel City team/fanbase that her parents are season ticket-holders of, her goals on her career vision board, and her message to the fans of the Stars!

Thank you all for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!

Carolina Ascent midfielder Shea Groom sits down to discuss life in the Gainbridge Super League!

NWSL Champion and veteran midfielder Shea Groom joins the podcast to share insider insights from her eleven top-flight professional seasons. Discover how her recent transition to Carolina Ascent FC is shaping her veteran leadership role in a new league landscape and uncover her proven strategies for locker room culture, tactical execution, and maintaining a competitive edge at the highest levels of women's soccer.'

She shares her initial reaction hearing about a second professional women’s soccer league coming to the United States, what specifically made the Carolina Ascent the right fit, winning the inaugural NWSL Challenge Cup title in the COVID-19 bubble with a very special Houston Dash group.

Shea also talks about how she has seen the women’s soccer landscape evolve since her rookie season and what stands out most when you compare the American women’s soccer landscape, NWSL and USL included, then versus where it is today and how both the high's of trophies and lows of injuries taught her resilience, leadership, and maintaining confidence through adversity.

Additionally, Shea elaborates on how her team's identity continues to develop, playing in front of the avid Carolina fanbase, how she has stepped into a more prominent leadership/mentorship role of her younger teammates in Carolina, her time in NCAA women's college soccer with Texas Tech, and so much more!

Thank you all for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!

Vancouver Rise FC defender Jaylyn Wright sits down to discuss life in Canada's Northern Super League!

Jaylyn breaks down what it means to be part of Vancouver's professional women's soccer roster, the intense competition across the league, and how the Canadian soccer landscape is shifting for the next generation of athletes.

She shares her initial reaction hearing about a professional women’s soccer league coming to Canada, what specifically made the Vancouver Rise the right fit, winning the inaugural Northern Super League title and Diana B. Matheson Cup.

She also talks about how she looks back upon that final retrospectively, how preseason went with lots of new faces, how the group is continuing to build continuity ahead of reaching the club’s ambitious goals and stepping into a vital role within the Rise system early in her professional career.

Additionally, Jaylyn elaborates on how her team's identity continues to develop, playing in front of the avid Vancouver fanbase, areas in her game she is aiming to build upon in her second season with the Rise, her time in NCAA women's college soccer, and so much more!

Thank you all for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!

Angel City FC just made three moves that can’t really be understood in isolation: the $850,000 signing of Ally Sentnor, the departure of rising midfielder Kennedy Fuller, and the dismissal of head coach Alexander Straus.

On paper, they look like separate stories, but in reality they point to the same shift in urgency expressed top down at Angel City.

In this episode, LDG breaks down how Angel City’s decisions reveal a club recalibrating its entire timeline. From investing heavily in elite young talent, to moving on from a long-term prospect, to parting ways with a coach brought in to build a sustainable project, each move raises the same question: has Angel City stopped waiting for its future and started demanding results now?

He digs into what the Sentnor transfer really signals about valuation and ambition in the modern NWSL, why the Kennedy Fuller trade is less about “losing a player” and more about competing timelines, and whether Alexander Straus was a victim of poor results or a changing organizational identity.

Zooming out, this isn’t just a story about one club. It’s about a league entering a new era, where investment is rising, patience is shrinking, and every decision carries immediate pressure to deliver. Did Angel City just accelerated into contention or abandoned a plan before it had time to work?

listen in to hear my thoughts, I hope you all enjoy!

Thank you all for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!

nwsl

Sam Kerr is back in the NWSL.

In perhaps one of the craziest days of NWSL summer transfer window, Gotham FC reunited with one of the greatest goalscorers in league history while trading last season's Rookie of the Year Lilly Reale to Boston Legacy FC.

At first glance, they may seem like two separate moves but together, they reveal exactly how Gotham views its championship window.

In this episode, LDG break downs why Gotham brought Sam Kerr back to the club where she became an NWSL superstar, what the move means tactically under Juan Carlos Amorós, whether Kerr can still be one of the league's elite forwards after returning from injury, and why the club was willing to move on from one of the brightest young defenders in American soccer.

LDG also dives into what Lilly Reale's departure means for both Gotham FC and Boston Legacy FC, whether the reported $400,000 deal was enough value, and the bigger question at the heart of these moves: did Gotham just make the smartest decision of the transfer window, or mortgage part of its future in pursuit of another championship?

Thank you all for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!

hey

In today's episode of The Women's Soccer Podcast, LDG unveils his first USWNT World Cup Mock Roster, projecting the decisions Emma Hayes could face as the road to Brazil 2027 continues.

He breaks down every position, the biggest takeaways from the recent Brazil camp, and the toughest roster decisions still to come. He also analyzes key position battles, including Olivia Moultrie vs. Jaedyn Shaw, Gisele Thompson vs. Lilly Reale, and Emma Sears vs. Ally Sentnor, as the race for a place on the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup roster begins to take shape.

Thank you all for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!

I am so excited to be joined by Andrea Kitahata, defender for Gotham FC and the USWNT U-23's, who is currently in her NWSL rookie season.

We dive into her journey from youth soccer and Stanford University to signing her first professional contract in the NWSL. Andrea reflects on the challenges of navigating COVID-19 during a pivotal stage in her development, her experience training with Seattle Reign, and her time within the USWNT youth system.

We also discuss her transition into the professional game with Gotham FC, what it has been like adjusting to the speed and physicality of the NWSL, and her early experiences in the league competing at the highest level.

It was great hearing her perspective on growth, resilience, taking that next step as a young player in the league, I hope you all enjoy!

Thank you all for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!

The USWNT scored in the 2nd minute and looked like they were on their way to a huge result against Brazil. Just 12 minutes later, they were trailing 2-1, later losing by that same scoreline.

In this episode, LDG breaks down the 5 biggest ways Brazil exposed the USWNT, from struggles playing through pressure and controlling the midfield to bigger questions about where this team stands under Emma Hayes. LDG also discusses standout performances from Sophia Wilson and Claire Hutton, players whose stock rose and fell, and whether Brazil may have given the rest of the world a blueprint for how to make the United States uncomfortable.

Most importantly, how concerned should USWNT fans actually be? Is this just part of the process for a young team still developing ahead of the 2027 World Cup, or did this match reveal some deeper issues? LDG answers these questions and more!

Thank you for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!