Women’s soccer leagues have been growing exponentially in recent years, especially with the expansion of the National Women’s Soccer League. Four players who have all played for the United States Women’s National Team have all recently signed to play for the New Jersey/New York Gotham FC team in the National Women’s Soccer League. The club is the most recent 2023 NWSL Champions, and with these new signings, they look to continue their success and create an even bigger legacy for the club. Here’s a look at some career highlights and fun facts about each of the new signings.
Rose Lavelle:
Rose Lavelle is a 28-year-old midfielder and a vital player to have in the lineup. She started her professional career for the Boston Breakers as the 1st overall pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. Within the same year, she made her debut for the USWNT, playing the entire game against England at Red Bull arena. She won the 2019 Women’s World Cup, where she scored one of the most exciting and dramatic goals in U.S history, and was also awarded the Bronze Ball as the third best player in the tournament. In 2020, Lavelle went overseas to play English football for Manchester City and won the FA Cup that same year. Now in 2024, she’s returned to her new home field at Red Bull Arena, this time to play for Gotham FC.
Fun Facts:
Rose Lavelle loves dogs, specifically bulldogs. So much so that the USWNT Twitter/X account created the hashtag #RoseWithDogs for dogs that people would like Rose to meet.
She also graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Crystal Dunn:
Crystal Dunn, 31, is a defender who has made her mark throughout her soccer career. She was drafted in 2014 as the 1st overall pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft. Her first cap for the USWNT was in 2013 vs. Scotland, and she was later a key player in their 2019 Women’s World Cup victory. In March 2020, she was named captain as she was honored for her 100th USWNT game. Dunn has won three NWSL championships during her NWSL career, two with the North Carolina Courage and one with the Portland Thorns. She’s looking to add another one in her first season with Gotham FC. Dunn has never played in her hometown during her professional career, and she’s excited to do so after joining Gotham FC.
Fun Facts:
Dunn was the first freshman to ever win the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award.
She had her first child, named Marcel, in 2022.
She is known as one of the best dancers on the USWNT.
Her favorite athletes are Serena Williams and LeBron James.
Emily Sonnett:
Emily Sonnett is a 30-year-old midfielder who has achieved a few milestones playing in the NWSL and the USWNT. She started her professional career in 2016 when she was drafted into the NWSL for the Portland Thorns as the 1st overall pick. She had her first cap for the USWNT in 2015 vs. Brazil, and in 2022 she scored her first career goal for the national team against Costa Rica. She won the 2019 Women's World Cup and was a gold medalist in the 2020 Olympics. During her time with the Washington Spirit, in 2017 she helped the club to their first championship. While along the way she played for other teams and won other awards, she’s excited to start her new journey with Gotham FC and is hoping to make a lasting impact with her contract lasting until 2026.
Fun Facts:
Sonnett graduated from the University of Virginia in 2015 with a degree in sociology.
She has an identical twin sister named Emma.
Tierna Davidson:
Tierna Davidson, 25, is a defender who has already had a remarkable career as a rising young athlete. She won the 2017 NCAA Division 1 Championship with Stanford, and left college one year early to play professionally when she was the 1st overall draft pick by the Chicago Red Stars in the 2019 NWSL College Draft, which she led to two championship appearances. Davidson was the youngest player on the USWNT 2019 Women’s World Cup team. She's joining Gotham FC because she likes their unique style of play and is looking forward to being part of the environment and team culture.
Fun Facts:
Before her dreams of playing soccer for the US National Team began to grow, Davidson was looking to become an astronaut.
Her favorite place to go as a kid was the aviation museum.
All four players will look to add to their list of accomplishments and increase their stardom as American female soccer players. They've played together on an international stage, and they will now be able to play together in the NWSL alongside other former teammates in hopes of making a lasting impact with Gotham FC.
Edited by: Emma Habel
Social Media Designs by: Rachel Smith
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