# 2022 NWSL Draft

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.

## 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.
* On December 14, 2021, the NWSL announced the list of players registered for the draft.
* 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.

## Results

    As of November 23, 2023

### Key

| $^+$ | Denotes player who has been selected as NWSL Most Valuable Player |
| $^*$ | Denotes player who has been selected for an NWSL Best XI or NWSL Second XI team |
| $^^$ | Denotes player who has been selected as NWSL Rookie of the Year |
| $^#$ | Denotes player who has never appeared in a competitive NWSL game (regular season, playoff, or Challenge Cup) |

### Picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | NWSL team | College |
| Round 1 | 1 | Naomi Girma *^ | D | San Diego Wave FC | Stanford |
| Round 1 | 2 | Jaelin Howell | M | Racing Louisville FC | Florida State |
| Round 1 | 3 | Emily Gray | M | North Carolina Courage | Virginia Tech |
| Round 1 | 4 | Savannah DeMelo * | M | Racing Louisville FC | USC |
| Round 1 | 5 | Mia Fishel $^#$ | F | Orlando Pride | UCLA |
| Round 1 | 6 | Diana Ordóñez * | F | North Carolina Courage | Virginia |
| Round 1 | 7 | Elyse Bennett | F | Kansas City Current | Washington State |
| Round 1 | 8 | Zsanett Kaján $^#$ | F | OL Reign | St. John's |
| Round 1 | 9 | Marleen Schimmer | F | San Diego Wave FC | Grand Canyon |
| Round 1 | 10 | Caitlin Cosme | D | Orlando Pride | Duke |
| Round 1 | 11 | Julie Doyle | F | Orlando Pride | Santa Clara |
| Round 1 | 12 | Kaitlin Fregulia $^#$ | D | North Carolina Courage | Long Beach State |
| Round 2 | 13 | Sydny Nasello $^#$ | F | Portland Thorns FC | South Florida |
| Round 2 | 14 | Tinaya Alexander | F | Washington Spirit | LSU |
| Round 2 | 15 | Maddie Elwell | F | Washington Spirit | Vanderbilt |
| Round 2 | 16 | Charmé Morgan $^#$ | D | Racing Louisville FC | Oklahoma State |
| Round 2 | 17 | Chardonnay Curran | M | Kansas City Current | Oregon |
| Round 2 | 18 | Ava Cook | F | Chicago Red Stars | Michigan State |
| Round 2 | 19 | Samantha Fisher | M | Chicago Red Stars | Notre Dame |
| Round 2 | 20 | Claudia Dickey | G | OL Reign | North Carolina |
| Round 2 | 21 | Ryanne Brown | F | OL Reign | Wake Forest |
| Round 2 | 22 | Gabby Provenzano | D | Portland Thorns FC | Rutgers |
| Round 2 | 23 | Lucy Shepherd $^#$ | F | Washington Spirit | Hofstra |
| Round 2 | 24 | Kelly Ann Livingstone | D | NJ/NY Gotham FC | Georgetown |
| Round 2 | 25 | Sydney Pulver | M | San Diego Wave FC | Washington State |
| Round 2 | 26 | Jordyn Bloomer | G | Racing Louisville FC | Wisconsin |
| Round 3 | 27 | Belle Briede | M | San Diego Wave FC | Stanford |
| Round 3 | 28 | Hope Breslin | M | Angel City FC | Illinois |
| Round 3 | 29 | Haleigh Stackpole $^#$ | M | North Carolina Courage | Ole Miss |
| Round 3 | 30 | Jenna Menta $^#$ | F | Racing Louisville FC | Wake Forest |
| Round 3 | 31 | Jada Talley | F | Orlando Pride | USC |
| Round 3 | 32 | Kaile Halvorsen $^#$ | F | OL Reign | Santa Clara |
| Round 3 | 33 | Olivia Van der Jagt | M | OL Reign | Washington |
| Round 3 | 34 | Hensley Hancuff $^#$ | G | NJ/NY Gotham FC | Clemson |
| Round 3 | 35 | Sarah Griffith | F | Chicago Red Stars | Purdue |
| Round 3 | 36 | Lily Nabet | M | Angel City FC | Duke |
| Round 3 | 37 | Kayla McKeon $^#$ | M | Chicago Red Stars | Arkansas |
| Round 3 | 38 | Audrey Harding | F | Washington Spirit | UNC Wilmington |
| Round 4 | 39 | Miri Taylor | F | Angel City FC | Hofstra |
| Round 4 | 40 | Kayla Bruster $^#$ | D | San Diego Wave FC | Georgia |
| Round 4 | 41 | Jenna Winebrenner | D | Kansas City Current | TCU |
| Round 4 | 42 | Sydney Cummings $^#$ | D | Racing Louisville FC | Georgetown |
| Round 4 | 43 | Izzy Rodriguez | D | Kansas City Current | Ohio State |
| Round 4 | 44 | Ryan Gareis | F | Houston Dash | South Carolina |
| Round 4 | 45 | Marisa Bova $^#$ | G | North Carolina Courage | Purdue |
| Round 4 | 46 | Raleigh Loughman $^#$ | M | NJ/NY Gotham FC | Michigan |
| Round 4 | 47 | Marley Canales | M | OL Reign | UCLA |
| Round 4 | 48 | Natalie Beckman | F | Portland Thorns FC | Denver |
| Round 4 | 49 | Jayda Hylton-Pelaia $^#$ | D | Chicago Red Stars | Arizona State |
| Round 4 | 50 | Jordan Thompson $^#$ | D | Washington Spirit | Gonzaga |

### Notable undrafted players

Below is a list of undrafted rookies who appeared in a competitive NWSL game in 2022.
| Player | Pos. | Original NWSL team | College |
| Olivia Athens | M | OL Reign | UCLA |
| Jenna Bike | F | NJ/NY Gotham FC | Boston College |
| Amanda Kowalski | D | Chicago Red Stars | Butler |
| Taylor Malham | M | Racing Louisville FC | Arkansas |
| Mikenna McManus | D | Chicago Red Stars | Northeastern |
| Thais Reiss | M | Orlando Pride | North Florida |
| Frankie Tagliaferri | M | North Carolina Courage | Rutgers |
| Cameron Tucker | F | NJ/NY Gotham FC | BYU |

## Trades

Round 1:
* ↑ Angel City FC → Racing Louisville FC. Racing Louisville acquired the natural first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $75,000 in allocation money and roster protection during the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft from Angel City in exchange for the rights to Christen Press.
* ↑ Kansas City Current → North Carolina Courage. North Carolina Courage acquired the natural first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as Kiki Pickett from Kansas City Current in exchange for Sam Mewis.
* ↑ 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. 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. 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.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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. 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.
* ↑ 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. 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.
* ↑ 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; the exact position of the 2022 first-round pick originally from Chicago Red Stars was confirmed by the NWSL on December 17, 2021. 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.
* ↑ Washington Spirit → Kansas City Current → North Carolina Courage. North Carolina Courage acquired the No. 12 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as the rights to Malia Berkely from Kansas City Current in exchange for the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft. Kansas City Current had acquired the natural first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $75,000 in allocation money from Washington Spirit in exchange for Kelley O'Hara.
Round 2:
* ↑ Angel City FC → Portland Thorns FC. Portland Thorns acquired the natural second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, $100,000 in allocation money, and roster protection in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft from Angel City in exchange for Simone Charley and Tyler Lussi.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ Kansas City Current → OL Reign → Washington Spirit. Washington Spirit acquired the No. 15 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from OL Reign in exchange for $85,000 in allocation money. OL Reign had acquired a second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as Tziarra King from Kansas City Current in exchange for Darian Jenkins, the rights to Meg Brandt, and a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft.
* ↑ Orlando Pride → Kansas City Current. Kansas City Current acquired the natural second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as Kristen Edmonds from Orlando Pride in exchange for Gunnhildur Jonsdottir and the rights to Erika Tymrak.
* ↑ Houston Dash → Chicago Red Stars. Chicago Red Stars acquired the natural second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Houston Dash in exchange for the rights to María Sánchez.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ OL Reign → Houston Dash → OL Reign. OL Reign acquired the No. 21 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as $15,000 in allocation money from Houston Dash in exchange for Kelcie Hedge. Houston Dash had acquired a conditional second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft as well as Shea Groom and Megan Oyster from OL Reign in exchange for the rights to Sofia Huerta and Amber Brooks.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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. 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. 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. 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.
* ↑ Houston Dash → OL Reign. OL Reign acquired the natural third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Houston Dash in exchange for Jasmyne Spencer.
* ↑ North Carolina Courage → OL Reign. OL Reign acquired the natural third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from North Carolina Courage in exchange for the rights to Schuyler DeBree.
* ↑ OL Reign → Chicago Red Stars. Chicago Red Stars acquired the natural third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from OL Reign in exchange for Nikki Stanton.
* ↑ 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. OL Reign had acquired a third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Portland Thorns in exchange for the rights to Olivia Moultrie.
Round 4:
* ↑ Orlando Pride → Kansas City Current. Kansas City Current acquired the natural fourth-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft from Orlando Pride in exchange for the rights to Parker Roberts.
Compensatory picks:
* ↑ 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.

## Summary

In 2022, a total of 40 colleges had players selected. Of these, five had a player drafted to the NWSL for the first time: Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, Long Beach State, Michigan State and Purdue.

### Schools with multiple draft selections

| Selections | Schools |
| 2 | Duke, Georgetown, Hofstra, Purdue, Santa Clara, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Wake Forest, Washington State |

### Selections by college athletic conference

| Conference | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Total |
| ACC | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Big East | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Big Ten | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Big West | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Big 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Colonial | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Pac-12 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| SEC | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Summit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| The American | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| WAC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| West Coast | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |

### Selections by position

| Position | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Total |
| Goalkeeper | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Defender | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 12 |
| Midfielder | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| Forward | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 20 |