Mar 12, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; OL Reign midfielder Olivia Van der Jagt (33) dribbles during a match at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
With NWSL season right around the corner, it’s time to do a roundup of all the teams competing for the trophy this year and ask them each a very important question.
The NWSL season kicks off on March 25, bringing to a close a wild offseason with numerous high-profile stars changing teams and a deep NWSL draft class finding new teams. Every team has plenty of big questions to answer and we’re tackling the biggest for each to help to get you ready for the new season.
For OL Reign: Can they break the shield curse?
The Reign had a fantastic season last year, finishing the season with 11 wins and winning the NWSL shield at the top of the table with 40 points. There have been jokes in the NWSL about the shield winners being cursed, considering the team that finishes top in the standings rarely goes on to win the championship. But there were high hopes this past season that the Reign would defy the odds.
But their journey ended in disappointment when they fell to the Kansas City Current in the semifinals. They’re a team of extreme talent and depth, which means they haven’t made the biggest moves during this offseason, but they didn’t really need to. Laura Harvey’s squad was pretty much set from the end of last year, and it wouldn’t be absurd to picture them winning the shield again. They might be able to finally earn the championship trophy they’ve been chasing for years.
