2018 Utah Royals FC season explained

The 2018 Utah Royals FC season was the team's inaugural season, and its first in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top division of women's soccer in the United States.^{[1] [2]}

Background

See main article: Utah Royals FC.

Non-competitive

Preseason

Competitions

NWSL regular season

See main article: 2018 National Women's Soccer League season.

Match results

September

Stats

+ Goals
Rank	Player	Nation	Goals
1	Katie Stengel		6
2	Amy Rodriguez		5
3	Diana Matheson		2
	Brittany Ratcliffe		2
	Christen Press		2
5	Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir		1
	Kelley O'Hara		1
	Erika Tymrak		1

+ Assists
Rank	Player	Nation	Assists
1	Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir		2
	Christen Press		2
	Taylor Lytle		2
4	Rachel Corsie		1
	Katrina Gorry		1
	Diana Matheson		1
	Amy Rodriguez		1
	Erika Tymrak		1
	Katie Bowen		1

+ Shutouts
Rank	Player	Nation	Shutouts
1	Abby Smith		6
2	Nicole Barnhart		3

Honors and awards

NWSL season awards

See also: NWSL awards.

• Defender of the Year: Becky Sauerbrunn^[3]
• Best XI: Becky Sauerbrunn^[4]

NWSL Team of the Month

See main article: NWSL Team of the Month.

Month	Goalkeeper	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards	Ref.
March		Becky Sauerbrunn	Gunnhildur Jonsdottir		[5]
April		Becky Sauerbrunn			[6]
May	Abby Smith	Becky Sauerbrunn			[7]
June		Becca Moros Becky Sauerbrunn			[8]
July					[9]

NWSL weekly awards

Goal of the Week

Week	Result	Player	Ref.
1		Gunnhildur Jonsdottir	[10]
4		Brittany Ratcliffe	[11]
5		Amy Rodriguez	[12]
6		Diana Matheson	[13]
8		Erika Tymrak	[14]
11/12		Brittany Ratcliffe	[15]
19		Katie Stengel	[16]
20		Katie Stengel	[17]
21		Amy Rodriguez	[18]
24		Amy Rodriguez	[19]

Save of the Week

Week	Result	Player(s)	Ref.
5		Abby Smith	[20]
9		Abby Smith and Becky Sauerbrunn	[21]
16		Rachel Corsie	[22]
17		Rachel Corsie	[23]
20		Abby Smith	[24]
24		Nicole Barnhart	[25]

Club

Roster

	Name			Date of birth (age)	Previous team
1			GK	April 14, 2018	Boston Breakers
2			DF	April 14, 2018	Seattle Reign
3			DF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
4			DF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
5			DF	April 14, 2018	Sky Blue FC
6			DF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
7			MF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
8			FW	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
9			MF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
10			MF	April 14, 2018	Seattle Reign FC
11			MF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
12			MF	April 14, 2018	Sky Blue FC
13			FW	April 14, 2018	North Carolina Courage
14			DF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
15			MF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
16			DF	April 14, 2018	Chicago Red Stars
17			DF	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
18			GK	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City
19			MF	April 14, 2018	Brisbane Roar
20			FW	April 14, 2018	Avaldsnes
21			FW	April 14, 2018	Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC
23			MF	April 14, 2018	Vålerenga
24			FW	April 14, 2018	Boston Breakers
25			FW	April 14, 2018	FC Kansas City

Transfers

In

Date			Player	Previous club	Fees/notes
June 18, 2018				Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC	Acquired in a three-team trade with Chicago Red Stars and Houston Dash.	[26]
				Chicago Red Stars
June 28, 2018				North Carolina Courage	Acquired in trade with the North Carolina Courage for the rights to Heather O'Reilly.	[27]

Out

Player	Position	Destination club	Fees/notes	Date
Alexa Newfield	MF	unattached	Released	07/19/18
Maegan Kelly	MF	unattached	Released	06/20/18
E.J. Proctor	GK	unattached	Released	06/20/18
Brooke Elby	MF	Chicago Red Stars	Three team trade with the Chicago Red Stars and Houston Dash	06/18/18

Notes

Trialist

Player	Position	Previous team	Notes	Date	Result
Taylor Isom	Defender	Brigham Young University	2018 NWSL College Draft pick #14	01/18/18
E.J. Proctor	Goalkeeper	Duke University	2018 NWSL College Draft pick #34	01/18/18

See also

• 2018 National Women's Soccer League season

Notes and References

1. News: Utah Royals are off to a fast start at the box office. The Salt Lake Tribune. 2018-01-21. en-US.
2. News: Here’s everything you need to know about the Utah Royals’ women’s soccer league, the NWSL. The Salt Lake Tribune. 2018-01-21. en-US.
3. Web site: Purdy . Jacqueline . 2018 NWSL Awards Finalists . NWSLsoccer.com . NWSL . 24 September 2018 . 16 September 2018.
4. News: 2018 NWSL Best XI and Second XI announced . 24 September 2018 . Nwslsoccer.com . 20 September 2018.
5. Web site: Balf. Celia. March Team of the Month. NWSLsoccer. NWSL. 6 April 2018. 6 April 2018.
6. Web site: Purdy. Jacqueline. April Team of the Month. NWSLsoccer.com. 3 May 2018. 3 May 2018.
7. Web site: Balf . Celia . May Team of the Month . NWSLsoccer.com . NWSL . 6 June 2018 . 6 June 2018.
8. Web site: Purdy . Jacqueline . June Team of the Month . NWSLsoccer.com . NWSL . 6 July 2018 . 6 July 2018.
9. Web site: July Team of the Month. August 3, 2018. August 3, 2018.
10. Web site: Vote: Goal of the Week. National Women's Soccer League. 26 March 2018. 26 March 2018.
11. Web site: Vote: Goal of the Week. National Women's Soccer League. 24 April 2018. 23 April 2018.
12. Web site: Week 5 Goal of the Week nominees. National Women's Soccer League. 2 May 2018. 30 April 2018.
13. Web site: Vote: Goal of the Week. National Women's Soccer League. 14 May 2018. 7 May 2018.
14. Web site: Balf. Celia. Vote: Goal of the Week. NWSL. 22 May 2018. 21 May 2018.
15. Web site: Balf. Celia. Goal of the Week: Brittany Ratcliffe. NWSL. 20 June 2018. 19 June 2018.
16. Web site: Goal of the Week: Katie Stengel. 7 August 2018. 7 August 2018.
17. Web site: Goal of the Week Nominees: Week 20. 14 August 2018. 13 August 2018.
18. Web site: Goal of the Week Nominees: Week 21. 21 August 2018. 21 August 2018.
19. Web site: Goal of the Week Nominees: Week 24. 11 September 2018. 10 September 2018.
20. Web site: Week 5 Save of the Week nominees. NWSL. 2 May 2018. 30 April 2018.
21. Web site: Vote: Save of the Week. National Women's Soccer League. 29 May 2018. 29 May 2018.
22. Web site: Save of the Week: Rachel Corsie. NWSL. 17 July 2018. 17 July 2018.
23. Web site: Save of the Week: Rachel Corsie. NWSL. 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018.
24. Web site: Week 20 Save of the Week nominees. NWSL. 14 August 2018. 13 August 2018.
25. Web site: Week 24 Save of the Week. 11 September 2018. 11 September 2018.
26. Web site: Utah Royals FC Acquire Rights to USWNT FW Christen Press Plus DF Samantha Johnson From Chicago Red Stars. rsl.com . June 18, 2018 . June 18, 2018.
27. Web site: North Carolina Courage sign Heather O'Reilly after trade with Utah Royals FC . June 28, 2018 . August 18, 2018 . September 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200911043222/https://www.nccourage.com/news_article/show/930429 . dead .