Up and Coming Player to Watch 

It feels wrong to say “Up and Coming Player to Watch” because she has established herself as a force in, not only the NWSL but also the USWNT, but because she’s only 20 years old it has to be Alyssa Thompson. I grew up playing club soccer in Los Angeles as did Alyssa so I always knew of her and she is nothing short of incredible. Her ability to puncture opponents' defense and finish with her accurate shooting, she has a bright future and you don’t want to miss it. You could even ask if Alyssa Thompson is a potential MVP pick?

MVP 

My MVP pick was Trinity Rodman but because of some nagging issues with her back, she is out indefinitely. But another standout player is Esther González. She’s the third player since 2013 to score seven or more goals in the first seven games of a season. And the two others? Alex Morgan and Sophia Smith. She joins an elite company and she is an elite player. See just how far she can take Gotham FC this season.

Team 

This might feel like an easy answer because they won the NWSL Shield and Championship last year, but I’m going with the Orlando Pride. This is a team that has to maintain a high standard but they are a talented team, with one of the best offenses in the league, that knows they can adapt to any team they face. They credit a lot of their success to team chemistry and with a team that is returning a majority of their core from last year, of course they are aiming for first place. Stay tuned to see how these picks play out!