# 2018 Seattle Reign FC season

The 2018 Seattle Reign FC season was the club's sixth season of play and their sixth season in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. After finishing fifth in the league for two consecutive seasons, the Reign finished third to return to the playoffs, where they lost to Portland Thorns FC in the semi-final.
Vlatko Andonovski replaced Laura Harvey as head coach on November 7, 2017. Andonovski was previously the head coach of FC Kansas City.
This was ultimately the club's last season of their first stint in Seattle, as well as its last as Seattle Reign FC. During the 2018–19 offseason, the club's principal owners, Bill and Teresa Predmore, announced that the team would move to Tacoma, Washington for 2019 and beyond, rebranding as Reign FC. In addition, the team gained two new minority investors—the ownership group of the Tacoma Rainiers, a Triple-A Minor League Baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, and Adrian Hanauer, the principal owner of the region's Major League Soccer team, Seattle Sounders FC. Reign FC played in the Rainiers' home of Cheney Stadium. A new soccer stadium in Tacoma, already planned for the Sounders' USL Championship affiliate Tacoma Defiance, was expected to be built by 2021, with Reign FC to move in upon its completion. However, in December 2021, it was announced that the club would return to Seattle.

## Club
### Coaching staff

| Position | Staff |
| Head Coach | Vlatko Andonovski |
| Assistant Coach | Sam Laity |
| Assistant Coach | Milan Ivanovic |
| Director of High Performance | Nick Leman |
Last updated: February 19, 2018 Source: https://medium.com/@ReignFC/seattle-reign-fc-announce-preseason-roster-6ea67a686698

### Roster

    As of July 16, 2018.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | AUS | Lydia Williams |
| 2 | DF | USA | Yael Averbuch |
| 3 | DF | USA | Lauren Barnes |
| 4 | DF | USA | Megan Oyster |
| 5 | FW | USA | Kiersten Dallstream |
| 6 | MF | USA | Allie Long |
| 7 | DF | AUS | Steph Catley (on loan from Melbourne City) |
| 8 | DF | DEN | Theresa Nielsen |
| 9 | FW | JPN | Nahomi Kawasumi |
| 10 | MF | WAL | Jess Fishlock |
| 11 | MF | GHA | Elizabeth Addo |
| 12 | MF | USA | Morgan Andrews |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 13 | FW | CAN | Adriana Leon |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Jodie Taylor |
| 15 | FW | USA | Megan Rapinoe (captain) |
| 16 | FW | USA | Jaycie Johnson |
| 17 | FW | USA | Beverly Yanez |
| 18 | GK | USA | Michelle Betos |
| 19 | DF | USA | Kristen McNabb |
| 20 | MF | JPN | Rumi Utsugi |
| 21 | DF | USA | Christen Westphal |
| 22 | FW | USA | Jasmyne Spencer |
| 24 | DF | USA | Alyssa Kleiner |

## Competitions

Win  Tie  Loss
All times are in PT unless otherwise noted.

### Regular season
#### Regular-season standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | North Carolina Courage (C) | 24 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 53 | 17 | +36 | 57 | NWSL Shield |
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 24 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 40 | 28 | +12 | 42 | NWSL Playoffs |
| 3 | Seattle Reign FC | 24 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 27 | 19 | +8 | 41 | NWSL Playoffs |
| 4 | Chicago Red Stars | 24 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 38 | 28 | +10 | 37 | NWSL Playoffs |
| 5 | Utah Royals FC | 24 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 23 | −1 | 35 | |
| 6 | Houston Dash | 24 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 35 | 39 | −4 | 32 | |
| 7 | Orlando Pride | 24 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 30 | 37 | −7 | 30 | |
| 8 | Washington Spirit | 24 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 12 | 35 | −23 | 11 | |
| 9 | Sky Blue FC | 24 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 21 | 52 | −31 | 9 | |

##### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: September 8, 2018. Source: NWSLsoccer.com

##### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Stadium | H | A | A | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | H | A |
| Result | W | W | L | D | W | W | D | L | W | D | D | L | D | W | W | W | L | D | W | W | D | W | D | L |
| Position | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
* ↑ SEA's position at the end of their matchday.

### Playoffs
## Appearances and goals

    As of September 18, 2018
    Only players who have made appearances are listed.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers: ||||||||||
| 1 | GK | AUS | Lydia Williams | 17 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | GK | USA | Michelle Betos | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders: ||||||||||
| 2 | DF | USA | Yael Averbuch | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | USA | Lauren Barnes | 20 | 0 | 18+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | USA | Megan Oyster | 21 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | DF | AUS | Steph Catley | 17 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | DF | DEN | Theresa Nielsen | 21 | 1 | 18+2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | USA | Kristen McNabb | 20 | 0 | 12+8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | USA | Christen Westphal | 12 | 0 | 9+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | USA | Alyssa Kleiner | 10 | 0 | 4+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders: ||||||||||
| 6 | MF | USA | Allie Long | 20 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | WAL | Jess Fishlock | 19 | 2 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | GHA | Elizabeth Addo | 13 | 0 | 8+4 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | USA | Morgan Andrews | 16 | 0 | 7+8 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | JPN | Rumi Utsugi | 16 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Forwards: ||||||||||
| 5 | FW | USA | Kiersten Dallstream | 3 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | JPN | Nahomi Kawasumi | 14 | 0 | 11+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | FW | CAN | Adriana Leon | 6 | 0 | 1+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Jodie Taylor | 25 | 9 | 24 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | USA | Megan Rapinoe | 17 | 7 | 15+1 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | USA | Jaycie Johnson | 3 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | USA | Beverly Yanez | 20 | 2 | 14+5 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | USA | Jasmyne Spencer | 23 | 2 | 8+14 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Players who left the club during the season: ||||||||||
| 26 | DF | USA | Maddie Bauer | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Source:

## Awards
### The Best FIFA Women's Player

* Megan Rapinoe (nominee)

### Ballon d'Or

* Megan Rapinoe (shortlisted)

### ESPY Awards

* Best NWSL Player: Megan Rapinoe
* Best International Women's Soccer Player: Jodie Taylor (nominee)

### The Guardian 100 Best Footballers in The World

* No. 10: Megan Rapinoe
* No. 36: Jodie Taylor
* No. 89: Nahomi Kawasumi

### NWSL season awards

* Most Valuable Player: Megan Rapinoe (finalist)
* Goalkeeper of the Year: Lydia Williams (finalist)
* Coach of the Year: Vlatko Andonovski (finalist)
* Best XI: Megan Rapinoe
* Second XI: Steph Catley, Lydia Williams

### Team season awards

* Most Valuable Player: Megan Rapinoe
* Defender of the Year: Lauren Barnes
* Newcomer of the Year: Allie Long
* Golden Boot: Jodie Taylor (9)

### NWSL Player of the Month

| Month | Result | Player | Ref. |
| March | Won | Megan Rapinoe | |

### NWSL Team of the Month

| Month | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Forwards |
| March | | | Megan Rapinoe |
| May | | Steph Catley | |
| July | | Theresa Nielsen | Megan Rapinoe |
| August | Lydia Williams | Theresa Nielsen Megan Oyster | |

### NWSL Player of the Week

| Week | Result | Player | Ref. |
| 1 | Won | Megan Rapinoe | |
| 7 | Won | Megan Rapinoe | |

### NWSL Goal of the Week

| Week | Result | Player |
| 1 | Nominated | Megan Rapinoe |
| 6 | Nominated | Rumi Utsugi |
| 7 | Nominated | Megan Rapinoe |
| 14 | Nominated | Jodie Taylor |
| 16 | Nominated | Megan Rapinoe |
| 17 | Nominated | Jodie Taylor |
| 19 | Nominated | Jasmyne Spencer |
| 20 | Nominated | Jess Fishlock |
| 22 | Nominated | Jodie Taylor |

### NWSL Save of the Week

| Week | Result | Player |
| 1 | Nominated | Michelle Betos |
| 4 | Nominated | Michelle Betos |
| 5 | Nominated | Michelle Betos |
| 6 | Nominated | Michelle Betos |
| 7 | Nominated | Lydia Williams |
| 8 | Nominated | Lydia Williams |
| 10 | Nominated | Lydia Williams |
| 13 | Nominated | Lydia Williams |
| 19 | Nominated | Lydia Williams |
| 21 | Nominated | Lydia Williams |
| 22 | Nominated | Lydia Williams |

## Contract extensions

| Date | Player | Pos | Notes |
| October 23, 2017 | Haley Kopmeyer | GK | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Maddie Bauer | DF | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Rachel Corsie | DF | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Merritt Mathias | DF | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Kristen McNabb | DF | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Rebekah Stott | DF | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Christine Nairn | MF | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Larissa Crummer | FW | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Kiersten Dallstream | FW | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Katie Johnson | FW | Club options exercised |
| October 23, 2017 | Beverly Yanez | FW | Club options exercised |
| November 29, 2017 | Nahomi Kawasumi | FW | Re-signed |
| November 29, 2017 | Jess Fishlock | MF | Re-signed |
| November 30, 2017 | Rumi Utsugi | MF | Re-signed |
| December 5, 2017 | Lydia Williams | GK | Signed to a new contract |
| January 22, 2018 | Lauren Barnes | DF | Re-signed |

## Transfers

For transfers in, dates listed are when the Reign FC officially signed the players to the roster. Transactions where only the rights to the players are acquired (e.g., draft picks) are not listed, and amateur call-ups are not considered official signings either. For transfers out, dates listed are when the Reign FC officially removed the players from its roster, not when they signed with another club. If a player later signed with another club, her new club will be noted, but the date listed here remains the one when she was officially removed from the Reign FC roster.

### Transfers in

| Date | Player | Pos | Previous Club | Notes |
| November 22, 2017 | Jodie Taylor | FW | Arsenal | Free transfer after guest-player stint with Melbourne City |
| January 11, 2018 | Allie Long | MF | Portland Thorns FC | Traded for a conditional 2nd-round draft pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft and the rights to Caitlin Foord |
| January 18, 2018 | Yael Averbuch | DF | Utah Royals FC | Traded, along with the 25th pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft, for Diana Matheson |
| January 29, 2018 | Jasmyne Spencer | FW | Orlando Pride | Traded for Haley Kopmeyer and the club's natural 3rd-round pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft |
| January 30, 2018 | Michelle Betos | GK | Vålerenga | Free transfer |
| January 30, 2018 | Megan Oyster | DF | Boston Breakers | Contracted dispersal draft pick |
| January 30, 2018 | Elizabeth Addo | MF | Boston Breakers | Contracted dispersal draft pick |
| January 30, 2018 | Morgan Andrews | MF | Boston Breakers | Contracted dispersal draft pick |
| January 30, 2018 | Christen Westphal | DF | Boston Breakers | Contracted dispersal draft pick |
| January 31, 2018 | Theresa Nielsen | DF | Vålerenga | Free transfer |
| March 23, 2018 | Adelaide Gay | GK | ÍBV | National Team Replacement player for Lydia Williams |
| March 30, 2018 | Jaycie Johnson | FW | Nebraska Cornhuskers | National Team Replacement player; signed standard player agreement on July 10 |
| May 1, 2018 | Alyssa Kleiner | DF | Washington Spirit | Free transfer |
| June 12, 2018 | Adriana Leon | FW | Sky Blue FC | Traded for a 4th-round pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft |

#### Draft picks

Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. Only trades involving draft picks and executed on the days of the 2018 NWSL College Draft and the 2018 NWSL Dispersal Draft, respectively, will be listed in the notes.
| Player | Pos | Previous Club | Notes |
| Ally Haran | DF | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | College Draft Round 3, Pick 5 (25th overall); acquired from Utah Royals FC |
| Celia Jiménez Delgado | DF | Alabama Crimson Tide | College Draft Round 4, Pick 6 (36th overall) |
| Megan Oyster | DF | Boston Breakers | Dispersal Draft Round 1, Pick 3 (3rd overall) |
| Elizabeth Addo | MF | Boston Breakers | Dispersal Draft Round 1, Pick 8 (8th overall); acquired from Orlando Pride |
| Morgan Andrews | MF | Boston Breakers | Dispersal Draft Round 2, Pick 2 (11th overall); acquired from Orlando Pride |
| Christen Westphal | DF | Boston Breakers | Dispersal Draft Round 2, Pick 7 (16th overall) |
| Lindsay Elston | MF | Boston Breakers | Dispersal Draft Round 3, Pick 3 (21st overall) |

### Loans in

| Start | End | Player | Pos | Parent Club | Notes | Ref |
| January 29, 2018 | October 11, 2018 | Steph Catley | DF | Melbourne City | Rights acquired from Orlando Pride for Carson Pickett and Christine Nairn | |

### Transfers out

| Date | Player | Pos | Destination Club | Notes |
| September 22, 2017 | Elli Reed | DF | | Retired |
| October 23, 2017 | Madalyn Schiffel | GK | | Retired |
| January 11, 2018 | Rebekah Stott | DF | Sky Blue FC | Traded, along with Katie Johnson, for the rights to Caitlin Foord |
| January 11, 2018 | Katie Johnson | FW | Sky Blue FC | Traded, along with Rebekah Stott, for the rights to Caitlin Foord |
| January 18, 2018 | Diana Matheson | MF | Utah Royals FC | Traded for Yael Averbuch and the 25th pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft |
| January 29, 2018 | Carson Pickett | DF | Orlando Pride | Traded, along with Christine Nairn, for Steph Catley |
| January 29, 2018 | Christine Nairn | MF | Orlando Pride | Traded, along with Carson Pickett, for Steph Catley |
| January 29, 2018 | Haley Kopmeyer | GK | Orlando Pride | Traded, along with the club's natural 3rd-round pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft, for Jasmyne Spencer |
| January 31, 2018 | Merritt Mathias | DF | North Carolina Courage | Traded, along with the club's natural 2nd-round pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft, for the Courage's natural 1st-round pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft |
| January 31, 2018 | Rachel Corsie | DF | Utah Royals FC | Waived |
| February 19, 2018 | Larissa Crummer | FW | Newcastle Jets | Waived |
| April 25, 2018 | Adelaide Gay | GK | Portland Thorns FC | National Team Replacement contract concluded |
| July 16, 2018 | Maddie Bauer | DF | Djurgården | Waived |