The 2024 Chicago Red Stars season was the team's sixteenth as a professional women's soccer team, and eleventh in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. The Red Stars finished the season in eighth place, qualifying for the NWSL playoffs, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the top-seeded Orlando Pride.
Background
Hirings
On December 20, 2023, the Red Stars hired former Jamaica women's national football team head coach Lorne Donaldson to be the club's head coach.
On February 5, 2024, the Red Stars hired Servette FC chief executive officer Richard Feuz to be the club's general manager.
Kit changes
NWSL apparel sponsor Nike redesigned all of the league's home and away kits for the 2024 season. The Chicago Red Stars primary kits were a patchwork of striped blue and white patterns emanating from the club's secondary crest with its traditional four six-pointed stars on its lower front corner. The club's secondary kits consisted of diagonally divided fields of dark and darker blue. The club's front-of-shirt sponsor was Wintrust Financial.
Stadium and facilities
The Red Stars continued to play in SeatGeek Stadium, their full-time home since the team's 2016 season.
Team
Staff
+ Front office President Karen Leetzow Director of operations Michelle Henstock
+ Soccer operations
+ Performance staff
Players
Player Nation
Competitions
Preseason
Regular season
Matches
Regular season standings
Results summary
Results by matchday
Playoffs
The Red Stars finished the regular season in 8th place and qualified for the NWSL playoffs as the lowest-seeded of eight teams.
Matches
NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup
The Red Stars finished second in Group D and did not advance to the tournament semifinals.
Group stage standings
Group stage matches
Statistics
Appearances
Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
! colspan=14 style="background:#42b7e6; color:#fff; width:110px;" text-align:center|Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style="background:#42b7e6; color:#fff; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Defenders
! colspan=14 style="background:#42b7e6; color:#fff; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Midfielders
! colspan=14 style="background:#42b7e6; color:#fff; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Forwards
|colspan="14"|Players who appeared for the club but left during the season:
Goals Name Total 134FWAlly Schlegel70079FW Mallory Swanson 7 007255FW Penelope Hocking 4 00438FW Jameese Joseph 2114414FW Ludmila 3 003524FW Jenna Bike 1 01265MF Julia Bianchi10017FWAva Cook100120MFBea Franklin100113MFLeilanni Nesbeth100128DF Maximiliane Rall10013DF Sam Staab 1 001715FW Sarah Griffith 0 011 Own goals 1 001 Total 31 1 3 35
Assists Name Total 19FWMallory Swanson4004210MF Shea Groom 2 0138FW Jameese Joseph 2 013324FW Jenna Bike 200232DF Taylor Malham 2 0023DF Sam Staab 2 002441DF Hannah Anderson100133FWAlly Cook100115FWSarah Griffith100155FWPenelope Hocking100112DF Natalia Kuikka100113MF Leilanni Nesbeth 1 001 Total 20 0 2 22
Clean sheets Name Total 11Alyssa Naeher6006219 Mackenzie Wood 0 011 Total 6 0 1 7
Disciplinary record NameNWSLPlayoffsSummer CupTotal 3DFSam Staab3000001004004MFCari Roccaro3000000003005MFJulia Bianchi2000000002007FWAva Cook1000000001008FWJameese Joseph 10 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0010MFShea Groom10000010020011MFChardonnay Curran10000000010012DFNatalia Kuikka10000000010013MFLeilanni Nesbeth20000000020014FWLudmila00100000000116MFSophie Jones00000010010020MFBea Franklin20000000020023DFTatumn Milazzo10000000010024FWJenna Bike40000010050032DFTaylor Malham20000000020034FWAlly Schlegel00000010010041DFHannah Anderson30000010040055FWPenelope Hocking500000000500Total 32 0 1 0 0 0 7 0 0 39 01
Transactions Draft selections Draft selections are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2024 NWSL Draft was held on January 12, 2024, in Anaheim, California.
+ 2024 NWSL Draft selections, by round Player College Status 1 10 Leilanni Nesbeth Florida State University Signed to a three-year contract on March 6, 2024. 2 15 Jameese Joseph North Carolina State University Signed to a three-year contract on March 8, 2024 3 31 Hannah Anderson Texas Tech University Signed to a one-year contract with a club option for a second year on March 12, 2024. 41Bea FranklinUniversity of ArkansasSigned to a one-year contract with a club option for a second year on March 13, 2024. 4 45 Celia Gaynor Michigan State University Not signed.
Contracts + Contract expirations Date Player Notes November 20, 2023 Chelsie Dawber Contract option declined. Yūki NagasatoContract option not exercised.
+ Contract re-signings Date Player Notes November 20, 2023 Jill Aguilera Contract option exercised. December 5, 2023 Taylor Malham Re-signed to a two-year contract. December 8, 2023 Cari Roccaro Free agent re-signed to a two-year contract.January 16, 2024 Mallory SwansonFree agent re-signed to a five-year contract.March 22, 2024Sam StaabRe-signed to a three-year contract.
+ Waivers Date Player Notes February 26, 2024 Amanda Fick Released. Addie McCain March 9, 2024 Samantha FisherMarch 11, 2024Jill AguileraSeptember 16, 2024Sami FellerMutual contract termination.
Loans + Loans in Date Player Previous club Fee/notes August 31, 2024 Rosella Ayane Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Loaned through the end of the 2024 NWSL season.
+ Loans out Date Player Destination club Fee/notes February 6, 2024 Mackenzie Wood Stade de Reims Recalled from loan.
Transfers + Transfers in Date Player Former club Fee/notes January 4, 2024 Chardonnay Curran Kansas City Current Acquired via waiver wire and signed to a two-year contract. January 12, 2024 Sam Staab Washington Spirit In exchange for the 3rd overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft. January 17, 2024 Shea Groom Houston Dash Free agent signed to a two-year contract.January 18, 2024 Natalia Kuikka Portland Thorns FC Free agent signed to a three-year contract. January 22, 2024 Camryn Biegalski Washington Spirit Free agent signed to a one-year contract with a mutual option for a second year. Maximiliane Rall FC Bayern Munich In exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed to a one-year contract with a mutual option for a second year.January 29, 2024 Sydney Schneider AC Sparta Prague In exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed to a one-year contract with an option for a second year.March 7, 2024 Nádia Gomes San Francisco Glens Preseason trialist signed to a one-year contract with an option for a second year.March 13, 2024 Ally Cook UCLA Bruins Preseason trialist signed to a one-year contract with an option for a second year.July 8, 2024Julia Grosso Juventus FCSigned to a three-year contract.July 29, 2024Ludmila Atlético MadridSigned to a three-year contract.
+ Transfers out Date Player Destination club Fee/notes January 2, 2024 Tierna Davidson NJ/NY Gotham FC Free agent signing.January 8, 2024Bianca St-Georges North Carolina CourageFree agent signing.January 10, 2024Casey Krueger Washington SpiritFree agent signing.January 11, 2024Yūki Nagasato Houston DashFree agent signing.January 12, 2024Arin Wright Racing Louisville FCIn exchange for the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $125,000 in allocation money.January 22, 2024Ella Stevens NJ/NY Gotham FCFree agent signing.August 31, 2024Penelope Hocking Bay FCIn exchange for a $350,000 transfer fee.
Preseason trialists Player Previous club Ally Cook UCLA Bruins Jenny Danielsson KIF Örebro DFF Mia Fontana California Golden Bears Nádia Gomes San Francisco Glens Erin McKinney Wisconsin Badgers Bridget Rieken Washington State Cougars Paige Webber Indiana Hoosiers
Awards
NWSL monthly awards
Best XI of the Month
Month Player March/AprilGKAlyssa NaeherDFSam StaabMayDFSam Staab (2)JuneFWMallory Swanson
NWSL weekly awards
Goal of the Week
Player Won 1 Ally Schlegel 5 Mallory Swanson 12Mallory Swanson 14Mallory Swanson Won15Mallory Swanson (2) Won16Jameese Joseph Won21Ludmila
Save of the Week
Player Won 1 Alyssa Naeher Won4 Tatumn Milazzo Won5Tatumn Milazzo (2) Won6Natalia Kuikka Alyssa Naeher 13Alyssa Naeher 14Alyssa Naeher (2) WonTatumn Milazzo 18Natalia Kuikka Won24Alyssa Naeher (3) Won
References