The 2019 Utah Royals FC season marks the team's second year of existence and its second season in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top division of the American soccer pyramid.
In an effort to improve on the team's 5th-place finish in 2018, the Royals signed former Spanish international and Spain's all-time leading scorer Vero Boquete for the 2019 season.
Utah encountered numerous injury problems to start the season as both Brittany Ratcliffe and Taylor Lytle suffered season ending injuries before the season began. Canadian international Diana Matheson suffered a toe injury with the Canadian National Team which would require surgery, this injury would also force her to miss the World Cup. To help deal with these absences, Utah claimed Mallory Weber off waivers from the Portland Thorns FC.
Six members of the Royals would miss games due to their participation at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O'Hara and Christen Press for the United States, Desiree Scott for Canada, Katie Bowen for New Zealand and Rachel Corsie for Scotland.
The Royals would lose another player at the end of June as defender Samantha Johnson announced her retirement from professional soccer.
Defender Kelley O'Hara suffered an ankle injury during the first USWNT victory tour match on August 3, she would miss the remainer of Utah's season due to this injury.
On August 14, Royals forward Christen Press was named NWSL Player of the Week for Week 17, this was the first time a player on the Utah Royals had received this award. Press was also named Player of the Month for August, which was also a first for the club.
The Royals were eliminated from playoff contention on September 28 after their fourth consecutive loss.
Utah defender Becky Sauerbrunn was named 2019 NWSL Defender of the Year, this was her fourth time winning the award, as she had previously won it three times while playing for FC Kansas City.
Competitions Pre Season
NWSL Regular Season
Overall Table
Results summary
Results by round
Match results
Stats
+ Goals Rank Player Nation Goals1 Amy Rodriguez 92 Christen Press 8 3 Lo'eau LaBonta 2 Katie Stengel 5 Makenzy Doniak 1 Rachel Corsie Becky Sauerbrunn Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir
+ Assists Rank Player Nation Assists1 Vero Boquete 6 2 Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir 43 Lo'eau LaBonta 2 Christen Press 5 Michelle Maemone 1 Kelley O'Hara Mallory Weber Erika Tymrak Katie Stengel
+ Shutouts Rank Player Nation Shutouts 1 Nicole Barnhart 10
Honors and awards
NWSL awards Best XI PlayerPositionRef Becky Sauerbrunn Defender Christen Press Forward
Second XI PlayerPositionRef Kelley O'Hara Defender
NWSL Monthly Awards NWSL Player of the Month MonthResultPlayerRef. August Christen Press
NWSL Team of the Month Month Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards RefApril Becky Sauerbrunn Christen Press May Rachel Corsie Vero Boquete Amy Rodriguez June Amy Rodriguez August Lo'eau LaBonta Christen Press Amy Rodriguez
NWSL Weekly Awards NWSL Player of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.17 Christen Press
NWSL Goal of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.2 Lo'Eau LaBonta3 Christen Press4 Amy Rodriguez5 Amy Rodriguez6 Amy Rodriguez7 Makenzy Doniak9 Amy Rodriguez14 Christen Press15 Christen Press17 Amy Rodriguez18 Christen Press21 Becky Sauerbrunn25 Amy Rodriguez
NWSL Save of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.3 Nicole Barnhart4 Nicole Barnhart7 Nicole Barnhart10 Nicole Barnhart13 Nicole Barnhart16 Nicole Barnhart21 Nicole Barnhart24 Nicole Barnhart
Club
Roster
Age calculated as of the start of the 2019 season.
No. Name Nationality Positions Date of birth (age) Signed from Year with club (year signed) 1 Abby Smith GK Boston Breakers 2 (2018) 2 Rachel Corsie DF Seattle Reign 2 (2018) 3 Rebecca Moros DF FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 4 Becky Sauerbrunn DF FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 5 Kelley O'Hara DF Sky Blue FC 2 (2018) 6 Katie Bowen DF FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 7 Mandy Laddish MF FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 8 Amy Rodriguez FW FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 9 Lo'eau LaBonta MF FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 10 Diana Matheson MF Seattle Reign FC 2 (2018) 11 Desiree Scott MF FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 12 Taylor Lytle MF Sky Blue FC 2 (2018) 13 Makenzy Doniak FW North Carolina Courage 2 (2018) 14 Gaby Vincent DF University of Louisville 1 (2019) 15 Erika Tymrak MF FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 17 Sydney Miramontez DF FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 18 Nicole Barnhart GK FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 19 Michelle Maemone DF Pepperdine University 1 (2019) 20 Mallory Weber FW Portland Thorns FC 1 (2019) 21 Verónica Boquete FW Beijing BG Phoenix 1 (2019) 22 Madeline Nolf DF Penn State University 1 (2019) 23 Christen Press FW Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC 2 (2018) 24 Katie Stengel FW Boston Breakers 2 (2018) 25 Brittany Ratcliffe FW FC Kansas City 2 (2018) 42 Raisa Strom-Okimoto FW University of Hawaii 1 (2019) 66 Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir MF Vålerenga 2 (2018) Melissa Lowder GK Santa Clara University 1 (2019)
Player Transactions
Transfers In Player Position Previous ClubFees/Notes Date Verónica Boquete MF Beijing BG Phoenix Signed 01/04/19 Gaby Vincent DF University of LouisvilleSigned 04/17/19 Mallory Weber FW Portland Thorns FCAcquired off the NWSL Waiver Wire 05/13/19 Raisa Strom-Okimoto DF University of HawaiiSigned 07/26/19 Melissa Lowder GK Santa Clara UniversitySigned 07/26/19
Transfers Out Player Position Next ClubFees/Notes Date Alex Arlitt DF unattached option declined 10/01/18 Katrina Gorry MF Brisbane Roar option declined 10/01/18 Elise Thorsnes FW LSK Kvinner option declined 10/01/18 Samantha Johnson DF retired 06/28/19
2019 NWSL College Draft
Source: National Women's Soccer League
RoundPickPlayerPrevious TeamRound 323 D PepperdineRound 326 D Penn StateRound 432 M North Carolina
References