The 2025 Utah Royals season will be the team's fifth season of existence in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. It will be the club's second season after returning to the league in 2024. The club plays its home games at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.
Background The Royals returned to the NWSL in 2024 following a three-year absence. Led by head coach Amy Rodriguez, the team had a slow start to the season that saw them at the bottom of the league table after the first half of the season. After a ten-game winless period, the club fired Rodriguez in late June and replaced her with interim head coach Jimmy Coenraets. Coenraets was promoted to a permanent role on October 24 after a more successful run of results and leading the Royals to a group victory in the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The team finished 11th overall at the end of the season, failing to qualify for the NWSL playoffs.
Preseason The Royals kicked off their preseason by announcing their end-of-year roster decisions. The club listed Zoe Burns, Julia Grosso, Shaelan Murison, Darielle O'Brien, Carly Nelson, and Cameron Tucker as players who would not be returning in 2025. Additionally, forward Hannah Betfort was listed as another player out of contract who was in negotiations with the Royals. The next day, the club signed 15-year-old KK Ream using the NWSL Under-18 Entry Mechanism. Ream became the club's youngest signing, surpassing forward Ally Sentnor. The Royals went on to add two more players on December 18 and December 30, trading to acquire Alex Loera and signing former Texas Longhorns goalkeeper Mia Justus to her first professional contract.
Following the turn of the new year, the Royals took to re-signing their current players. On January 7, Paige Monaghan was extended for three years, while Mandy McGlynn signed a five-year contract two days later. On January 10, the Royals announced the signing of Colombian international Ana María Guzmán on loan from Bayern Munich for one season.
Meanwhile, former goalkeeper Carly Nelson spoke out against the Royals on social media, alleging that she was subjected to emotional and psychological abuse in her tenure with the club. The Royals caught wind of Nelson's statement and posted a response to her claims one day later.
On January 13, the Royals announced two incoming players and three outgoings. The club announced the release both Agnes Nyberg and Michele Vasconcelos after buying out their contracts, as well as the official departure of Hannah Betfort. Later, the Royals revealed the signings of forward Aisha Solórzano and Tatumn Milazzo to bolster their roster.
Team
Current squad
NameDate of birth (age)Previous teamNotesGoalkeepers1Mandy McGlynn2024 NJ/NY Gotham FC—23Mia Justus2025 Texas Longhorns—77DeAira Jackson2025 Orlando Pride—Defenders2Tatumn Milazzo2025 Chicago Stars FC5Lauren Flynn2024 Florida State Seminoles—7Janni Thomsen2025 VålerengaINT8Kate Del Fava2024 Kansas City Current—14Nuria Rábano2025 VfL WolfsburgINT15Lauren Gogal2025 Washington Spirit—16Madison Pogarch2024 San Diego Wave FC—17Ana Tejada2024 Real SociedadINT18Kaleigh Riehl2024 San Diego Wave FC—28Imani Dorsey2024 NJ/NY Gotham FC—Midfielders10Claudia Zornoza2024 Real MadridINT12Alex Loera2025 Bay FC22Dana Foederer2024 Fortuna SittardINT32Abby Boyan2025 Fylkir—33Aria Nagai2025 North Carolina Tar HeelsSCEForwards4Paige Monaghan (captain)2024 Racing Louisville FC—9Lara Prašnikar2025 Eintracht FrankfurtINT11Mina Tanaka2024 INAC Kobe LeonessaINT13Brecken Mozingo2024 BYU Cougars—19KK Ream2025 Utah AvalancheU1824Cloé Lacasse2024 ArsenalINT25Cece Kizer2025 Gotham FC—30Aisha Solórzano2025 Club Tijuana—53Bianca St-Georges2025 North Carolina Courage—
Out on loan NationPlayer
Technical staff
+ Technical staffRoleName
Competitions
Friendlies
Regular season
Regular-season standings
Friendlies
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
! colspan=14 style="background:#000833; color:#FDB71A; width:110px;" text-align:center|Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style="background:#000833; color:#FDB71A; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Defenders
! colspan=14 style="background:#000833; color:#FDB71A; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Midfielders
! colspan=14 style="background:#000833; color:#FDB71A; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Forwards
|colspan=14 style="background:#000833; color:#FDB71A; width:110px;" |Players away from the club on loan:
|colspan=14 style="background:#000833; color:#FDB71A; width:110px;" |Players who left the club during the season:
|colspan=14 style="background:#000833; color:#FDB71A; width:110px;" |Own goals for:
Transactions
Contract operations + Contract optionsDatePlayerNotesSeptember 19, 2024 Lauren FlynnOptions exercised for 2025. Cristina Roque
+ Re-signingsDatePlayerNotesJanuary 7, 2025 Paige MonaghanRe-signed to a three-year contract through 2027.January 9, 2025 Mandy McGlynnRe-signed to a five-year contract through 2029.July 29, 2025 Aria NagaiRe-signed to a salary cap-exempt contract through the end of 2025.August 22, 2025 Mina TanakaRe-signed to a three-year extension through 2028.September 4, 2025 Abby BoyanExtended through the end of 2025.
Loans in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesJanuary 10, 2025 Ana María Guzmán Bayern MunichLoaned through the 2025 NWSL season; recalled early on July 10, 2025.
Loans out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesJanuary 28, 2025 Emily Gray Piteå IFLoaned through December 31, 2025.
Transfers in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesDecember 11, 2024 KK Ream Utah AvalancheSigned with NWSL Under-18 Entry Mechanism to a three-year contract.December 18, 2024 Alex Loera Bay FCTraded in exchange for $25,000 in intra-league transfer fees and a 15% sell-on fee.December 30, 2024 Mia Justus Texas LonghornsFree agent rookie signed to a three-year contract.January 13, 2025 Aisha Solórzano Club TijuanaAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed fee and signed to a three-year contract. Tatumn Milazzo Chicago Stars FCFree agent signed to a two-year contract.January 29, 2025 Nuria Rábano VfL WolfsburgAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed fee and signed to a three-year contract with a mutual option.March 4, 2025 Kayla Colbert USC TrojansSigned to a short-term injury replacement contract. Sydney Jones Ohio State BuckeyesSigned to a short-term injury replacement contract. Aria Nagai North Carolina Tar HeelsSigned to a salary cap-exempt contract.March 6, 2025 Bianca St-Georges North Carolina CourageSigned to a one-year contract.March 7, 2025 Janni Thomsen VålerengaSigned to a two-year contract with a mutual option.April 18, 2025 Cece Kizer Gotham FCFree agent signed to a two-year contract.July 11, 2025 DeAira Jackson Orlando PrideFree agent signed to a one-year contract.August 13, 2025 Abby Boyan FylkirFree agent signed to a roster relief contract through August 31, 2025.August 31, 2025 Lara Prašnikar Eintracht FrankfurtAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed fee and signed through 2027.September 12, 2025 Lauren Gogal Washington SpiritFree agent signed through the end of 2025.
Transfers out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesDecember 10, 2024 Hannah Betfort North Carolina CourageOut of contract. Zoe Burns FC Fleury 91 Julia Grosso Fort Lauderdale United FC Shaelan Murison Oakland Soul SC Darielle O'Brien Carly Nelson Cameron Tucker Levante UDJanuary 13, 2025 Agnes Nyberg RosenborgReleased. Michele Vasconcelos Levante BadalonaMarch 14, 2025 Kayla ColbertReleased.May 2, 2025 Sydney Jones Kansas City Current IIReleased.June 4, 2025 Cristina Roque Racing Louisville FCTraded in exchange for $50,000 in allocation money.August 1, 2025 Ally Sentnor Kansas City CurrentTraded in exchange for $600,000 in intraleague transfer funds, a conditional $100,000, and a sell-on clause.September 4, 2025 Macey Fraser Wellington Phoenix FCMutual contract termination.September 6, 2025 Mikayla Cluff Seattle Reign FCMutual contract termination.September 23, 2025 Olivia GriffittsRetirement. Preseason trialists Trialists are non-rostered invitees during preseason and are not automatically signed. The Royals released their preseason roster on January 15, 2025. PlayerPrevious clubStatus Jennifer Blitchok Western Michigan BroncosNot signed. Cora Brendle Utah State AggiesNot signed. Kayla Colbert USC TrojansSigned. Maryn Granger Utah UtesNot signed. Sydney Jones Ohio State BuckeyesSigned. Aria Nagai North Carolina Tar HeelsSigned. Chloe Sadler La Roca PremierU18 trialist. Not signed.
Awards
References