The 2022 Portland Thorns FC season was the team's tenth season as a professional women's soccer team. Thorns FC plays in the National Women's Soccer League, the top tier of women's soccer in the United States.
Background
In the wake of the 2021 NWSL abuse scandal, Thorns FC placed general manager Gavin Wilkinson on administrative leave from his role with the Thorns, but retained him as the president and general manager of the co-owned Portland Timbers. The team hired retired Thorns FC goalkeeper and Canadian international Karina LeBlanc as Gavin Wilkinson's replacement on November 2, 2021.
Following the exit of head coach Mark Parsons to manage the Netherlands women's national football team, Thorns FC hired another of the club's former players during Riley's tenure, Rhian Wilkinson, as his replacement. Wilkinson had also played on the Canadian national team as a teammate of LeBlanc and longtime Thorns FC and Canadian team captain Christine Sinclair. After her playing career, Wilkinson had been an assistant coach for the Canadian and English national teams.
Stadium and facilities Thorns FC continued to play and train in Providence Park, their home since the team's inaugural season in 2013. The team held its preseason training camp in Bend, Oregon.
Broadcasting On May 4, 2022, KPTV agreed to broadcast seven regular season Thorns FC matches locally via FOX 12 PLUS. These matches were in addition to the league's national agreements with CBS, Paramount+, and Twitch.
Team
Staff
Technical Medical
Squad
Name Date of birth (age) Previous team Notes Goalkeepers 1 2018 Oregon State 35 2021 Kansas City Current 43 2021 Providence College Defenders 4 2020 Utah Royals FC 5 2014 Georgetown 14 2020 Kopparberg/Göteborg FC INT 20 2017 DePaul 25 2015 Orlando Pride 29 2022 San Diego Wave FC 39 2020 Georgetown Hoyas Midfielders 8 2022 INAC Kobe Leonessa INT 11 2020 Sky Blue FC 13 2021 17 2021 Penn State 19 2020 North Carolina Courage(via OL Reign) 23 2021 Texas Christian 44 2022 Rutgers 46 2021 UDG Tenerife Forwards 9 2020 Stanford 12 2013 Western New York Flash 16 2022 Manchester City W.F.C. 21 2019 Oregon 22 2020 Washington State 37 2022 Sevilla FC 41 2021 Wake Forest 45 2022 Denver
Competitions
NWSL Challenge Cup
Portland entered 2022 as the defending NWSL Challenge Cup champions. In 2022, the Thorns competed in the cup's West Division during the group stage.
Group stage
West Division standings
2022 Women's International Champions Cup
Regular season
Portland entered 2022 as the defending NWSL Shield champions of the 2021 National Women's Soccer League season.
Matches
Regular season standings
Results summary
Results by matchday
NWSL Playoffs
The top six teams from the regular season qualified for the NWSL Championship playoffs, with the top two teams receiving a first-round bye.
Semi-finals
Championship
Championship Game MVP: Sophia Smith (POR)
Awards
NWSL season awards
NWSL Most Valuable Player: Sophia Smith
Best XI Announced October 25, 2022
Position Player Midfielder/Forward
Second XI Position Player Defender
NWSL monthly awards
Player of the Month
Month Player of the Month Statline June Sophia Smith 5 goals; scored goal or assist in last 5 matches
Rookie of the Month
Month Rookie of the Month Statline June Sam Coffey 85% passing led league in June; 6 shots, 1 assist
NWSL weekly awards
Player of the Week
Competition Week Player Won Challenge Cup 4 Won Regular season 6 Nom. 7 Nom. 8 Nom. 8 Nom. 13 Won
Save of the Week
Competition Week Player Won Regular season 4 Nom. 8 Won 9 Won 10 Nom. 12 Nom. 13 Nom. 14 Nom. 16 Won
Transactions
2022 NWSL Expansion Draft
The 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft was an expansion draft held by the NWSL on December 16, 2021, for two expansion teams, Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC, to select players from existing teams in the league.
On December 8, 2021, the Thorns traded Simone Charley and Tyler Lussi to Angel City FC in exchange for $100,000 in allocation money, a 2022 NWSL Draft natural second-round pick, and immunity from Angel City in the expansion draft.
The Thorns protected nine players, and San Diego selected none of the unprotected players. On the day of the draft, the Thorns traded Christen Westphal and Amirah Ali to San Diego Wave FC in exchange for $50,000 in allocation money, but the Thorns did not officially acquire draft immunity from San Diego.
Protected Unprotected Bella Bixby Amirah Ali Crystal Dunn Nadine Angerer Lindsey Horan Hannah Betfort Natalia Kuikka Celeste Boureille Emily Menges Sam Coffey Olivia Moultrie Marian Dougherty Raquel Rodríguez Britt EckerstromSophia Smith Marissa Everett Morgan Weaver Shelby Hogan Kelli Hubly Meghan Klingenberg Andressinha Nikki Marshall Meg Morris Meaghan Nally Madison Pogarch Hayley Raso Kat Reynolds Yazmeen Ryan Angela Salem Becky Sauerbrunn Christine Sinclair Kat Tarr Rachel Van Hollebeke Christen Westphal Sandra Yu
2022 NWSL Draft
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2022 NWSL Draft was held on December 18, 2021.
Round Pick Player College Status Ref. 2 13 FW South Florida Did not make preseason roster. 22 DF Rutgers Signed a one-year contract with one-year option. 4 48 FW Denver Signed a one-year contract with one-year option.
Transfers in Date Player Previous club Fee/notes January 7, 2022 MF Penn State Nittany Lions 2021 NWSL Draft pick signed a two-year contract. January 26, 2022 MF INAC Kobe Leonessa Signed a three-year contract. Transferred from INAC Kobe for an undisclosed fee. March 18, 2022 MF UDG Tenerife Signed a one-year contract with one-year option. April 1, 2022 FW Manchester City W.F.C. Signed a three-year contract with one-year option. Transferred from Manchester City for an undisclosed fee. Rights acquired in a trade with Racing Louisville FC in exchange for $75,000 in allocation money and an additional $25,000 in allocation money contingent on undisclosed performance conditions. June 28, 2022 MF Diósgyőri VTK Signed as a National Team Replacement player. DF Celtic F.C. FW Kansas City Current July 1, 2022 GK Portland Thorns FC (retired) Signed as a short-term goalkeeper replacement. July 7, 2022 DF Portland Pilots Signed as a National Team Replacement player. July 14, 2022 DF Sevilla FC Signed as a National Team Replacement player; extended to end of season on July 29, 2022 July 25, 2022 DF San Diego Wave FC Acquired in exchange for Madison Pogarch.
Transfers out Date Player Destination club Fee/notes January 26, 2022 MF A.C. Milan Contract expired. January 27, 2022 MF Olympique Lyonnais Loaned until June 2023. February 2, 2022 MF — Retired. July 10, 2022 GK — Short-term goalkeeper replacement contract expired. July 25, 2022 DF San Diego Wave FC Traded for Tegan McGrady. July 29, 2022 MF National Team Replacement player contracts expired. DF FW KuPS
References