Reborn Kansas City pro soccer team unveils roster for 2021 season. It includes ‘A-Rod’
Kansas City’s reborn professional women’s soccer team unveiled a 2021 roster Friday that includes familiar faces, fan favorites and international stalwarts of the game.
Highlighting the lineup that will take the field this coming spring for the organization that’s returning to KC under the ownership of Angie and Chris Long, Brittany Matthews and others are six players who previously played for FC Kansas City — the club’s first incarnation here before its relocation to Salt Lake City, where it was known as the Utah Royals.
The team was bought and relocated back to Kansas City in recent weeks.
The National Women’s Soccer League team will be led by prolific goal scorer and U.S. Women’s National Team World Cup champion Amy Rodriguez — “A-Rod” — and two-time Olympic gold-medal goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, as well as former FCKC standout and Canadian national teamer Desiree Scott.
“We couldn’t be happier with this dynamic and talented group of players,” said Huw Williams, head coach of the revived but still-to-be-named KC club. “They are motivated and eager to represent Kansas City in the NWSL, and I cannot wait to get on the field and get to work with this team.”
In addition to Rodriguez, Barnhart and Scott, Kate Bowen, Lo’eau LaBonta, Brittany Ratcliffe all previously played for FCKC.
The annual NWSL Draft is scheduled for Jan. 13.
Here is the club’s inaugural roster:
- Elizabeth Ball, defender
- Nicole Barnhart, goalkeeper
- Kate Bowen, defender
- Rachel Corsie, defender
- Kate Del Fava, defender/midfield
- Gunnhildur Jonsdottir, midfield/defender
- Tziarra King, forward
- Lo’eau LaBonta, midfield
- Taylor Leach, defender
- Taylor Lytle, midfield
- Michelle Maemone, midfield
- Diana Matheson, midfield
- Madeline Nolf, defender
- Brittany Ratcliffe, forward
- Amy Rodriguez, forward
- Desiree Scott, midfield
- Arielle Ship, midfield
- Abby Smith, goalkeeper
- Raisa Strom-Okimoto, midfield
- Michele Vasconcelos, forward
- Gaby Vincent , midfield
- Mallory Weber, defender