The 2022 NWSL Draft was the 10th annual meeting of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchises to select eligible college players. It was held on December 18, 2021, and hosted remotely by CBS Sports.[1]
Format
All 12 teams of the National 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 final 2021 regular season standings, with the exceptions being Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC taking the first two selections as expansion teams and the two teams that contested the 2021 Championship game, Washington Spirit and Chicago 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 the 2022 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 the 2021 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 on Twitch.
^Houston Dash → Angel City FC → Racing Louisville FC → North Carolina Courage. North Carolina Courage acquired the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Racing Louisville in exchange for Jessica McDonald.[6]Racing Louisville had acquired the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and $25,000 in allocation money from Angel City in exchange for Savannah McCaskill.[7]Angel City had acquired the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Houston 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 from North Carolina Courage in exchange for the rights to Malia 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 from NJ/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 to Tegan McGrady and an international spot in 2022 from Washington Spirit in exchange for roster protection from San Diego in the 2022 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 from OL Reign in exchange for Rose Lavelle.[12]
^Portland Thorns FC → OL Reign → Orlando Pride. Orlando Pride acquired the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as Celia Jiménez, Leah Pruitt, and the natural second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft from OL Reign in exchange for Phoebe 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 from Portland Thorns in exchange for Crystal 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 from Gotham FC in exchange for the rights to Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger;[15] the exact position of the 2022 first-round pick originally from Chicago 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 the 2021 NWSL Draft, and an international slot for 2021 and 2022 from Chicago Red Stars in exchange for Mallory Pugh and Sarah Woldmoe.[17]
^San Diego Wave FC → Washington Spirit. Washington Spirit acquired the No. 14 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from San 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 from North 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 from Gotham FC in exchange for Allie 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 from Chicago 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 from Washington Spirit in exchange for the No. 8 pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft.[30]
^Angel City FC → Houston Dash → Racing Louisville FC. Racing Louisville acquired the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Houston Dash in exchange for Julia Ashley.[31]Houston Dash had previously acquired the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $125,000 in allocation money from Angel 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 from Orlando Pride in exchange for the rights to Deanne Rose.[32]Orlando Pride acquired the natural third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Kansas City Current in exchange for Jordyn 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 from OL 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 the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft.[37]OL Reign had acquired a third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Portland Thorns in exchange for the rights to Olivia 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.
