With the establishment of the USL W League, more than 1,200 playing opportunities have been created. Of those 1,200 players, we have chosen 15 to keep an eye on this season as they look to lead their teams to success during the inaugural W League season. These players have been selected for All-tournament teams, Best IX teams and some have even represented the U.S. Youth National Team. 

Learn more about each player below: 

Midfielder Anna Haddock is a rising junior at Auburn University who was recently called up to the U.S. U-23 Women’s Youth National Team roster in March, earning her first cap for her country. Last fall collegiately, Haddock led the Tigers in goals (nine) and assists (eight) and was selected for the 2021 All-SEC First Team. 

Clara Robbins capped off her senior season at Florida State University as a NCAA National Champion last fall, during which she recorded six goals and eight assists. The midfielder was selected to the 2021 ACC All-Tournament Team and was also named the ACC Tournament MVP, capping a collegiate career for the Seminoles that saw her record 87 appearances for the school. 

Eliza Turner will represent McLean Soccer this summer after a standout freshman season at Georgetown University. Turner started 18 games for the Hoyas last fall and recorded both a goal and an assist. The midfielder was selected to the 2021 All-Big East Freshman Team having previously been a standout for McLean Soccer’s Academy program in the youth ranks. 

Georgia native Hal Hershfelt will stay in South Carolina with Greenville Liberty SC ahead of her senior season at Clemson University this fall. The midfielder played and started every match for the Tigers last season and finished the 2021 season with seven goals. Hershfelt was named to the 2021 All-ACC Second Team as well as the 2021 United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-Atlantic Region. 

Defender Jayde Riviere joins AFC Ann Arbor ahead of her senior year at University of Michigan, where last season she started 19 matches for the Wolverines. Last summer, Riviere won an Olympic Gold Medal while representing Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A native of Pickering, Ontario, Riviere was also a member of the Academic All-Big Ten in 2021. 

Kings Hammer FC’s Jordyn Rhodes is an upcoming senior forward at the University of Kentucky. Rhodes started all 19 games for the Wildcats last season and recorded 11 goals and five assists, leading the team in both categories. She was also elected to the 2021 All-SEC Second Team as well as the 2020 All-SEC First Team. 

Katie Soderstrom is gearing up for her red-shirt senior season at Butler University. During her time with the Bulldogs, Soderstrom has tallied 16 goals and 16 assists in three seasons. That consistent level of performance has seen Soderstrom voted to the All-BIG EAST First Team in all three of her collegiate seasons (2019, 2020 and 2021).  

Michigan State junior goalkeeper Lauren Kozal averaged 4.5 saves per game last fall, tallying a total of 81 saves across 18 appearances, and will be aiming to provide a strong foundation for Midwest United FC as it competes in the Great Lakes Division. Kozal was voted Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year 2021, while also earning United Soccer Coaches All-America honors last December.  

Upcoming Clemson junior Makenna Morris was called up to the United States U-20 Women’s National Team this past December having previously gained experience with the U-15 and U-17 teams. The defender was named to the 2021 Third Team All-ACC team after recording 19 starts and six goals last season for the Tigers. 

Megan Bornkamp recently completed her sophomore year as a Clemson Tiger, claiming a spot on the 2021 First Team All-ACC, as well as on the 2021 United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team. The midfielder started 20 matches and led the Tigers in goals (10) and assists (10) and has now scored 18 goals over two seasons in the collegiate ranks. 

Midfielder Molly McLaughlin recently completed her senior season at Xavier University. A native of Granger, Indiana, McLaughlin started 20 matches and recorded three goals during the 2021 season. The midfielder was named to the 2021 All-BIG EAST First Team and was a part of the All-BIG EAST Second team in 2020 and 2019 while making 67 appearances for the Musketeers in her collegiate career. 

Minnesota native Morgan Turner recently wrapped up her fifth year representing the DePaul Blue Demons. The forward recorded nine goals during the 2021 season, completing her career at DePaul with 31 goals. In 2021, Turner was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team for the second consecutive season as she now returns to her home state to compete for Aurora FC. 

Raena Childers will be in familiar territory as Kaw Valley FC kicks off its inaugural W League season at Rock Chalk Park after making 18 starts for Kansas University during her freshman campaign. A local product from Grain Valley, Mo., on the outskirts of Kansas City, Childers tallied three goals and an assist for the Jayhawks last fall and was named to the 2021 Big 12 All-Freshman Team. 

A native of Atlanta, forward Renee Lyles will play close to home at Peachtree City MOBA after an impressive freshman campaign at Clemson University last fall. Lyles recorded 19 starts and tallied seven goals for the Tigers, which earned her 2021 All-ACC Freshman team honors, having previously been the 2021 Georgia 5A Player of the Year during her high school career. 

A Texas native, goalkeeper Sarah Fuller completed her collegiate career at the University of North Texas in 2021 as she recorded eight shutouts in 17 starts for the Mean Green. She had previously gained the national spotlight at Vanderbilt University, where in 2020 she both helped the Commodores women’s soccer program to their first SEC Tournament title since 1994 and became the first woman to score in a Power Five college football game as the football program’s kicker.