The 2025 W League season kicks off this weekend with many returners and newcomers ready to take the pitch. Here’s our list of 12 players to watch for this season. 

Abby Droner – Paisley Athletic FC 

Last season’s Young Player of the Year is returning for another run with Paisley Athletic after leading the team to its first winning season. Droner scored 12 goals last summer, tying for second-most in the league, and started all 10 matches played, totaling 861 minutes on the field. 

Addie Chester – Indy Eleven 

The Indiana native is back for her fourth W League season with the 2023 champs Indy Eleven. Chester started nine of ten matches played last year and recorded three goals to bring the team back to the postseason. 

Amalia Villarreal – Union FC Macomb 

Great Lakes Division expansion side Union FC Macomb has a roster full of names to watch, including Amalia Villarreal. The forward was named 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year after her first year at the University of Texas and was most recently called up to the USYNT U-19 squad for a camp in February. 

Devin Lynch – River Light FC 

Lynch helped River Light to the playoffs in its inaugural W League season last year with six goals, two assists and 761 minutes played. The forward is coming off an ACC regular season title and a 2024 College Cup appearance with Duke, where she finished the year with seven goals and 10 assists. 

Georgia Brown – Sporting JAX 

The 2024 W League Defender of the Year will hold down the backline for Sporting JAX this upcoming season. Brown helped Florida Elite to a perfect 12-0-0 record and a first-place finish in the Southeast Division in 2024, while conceding only six goals all season. The 6’1 defender also recorded nine goals and an assist.  

Joy Okonye – Hudson Valley Crusaders 

Expansion club Hudson Valley Crusaders will be bringing Brown University standout Joy Okonye to the W League this upcoming season. The midfielder is coming off a First-Team All-Ivy season and has recorded 10 assists and a goal, totaling 2,200 minutes played in her two years with the Bears. 

Luciana Setteducate – TLH Reckoning 

In one of the biggest offseason moves, 2024 Golden Boot winner Luciana Setteducate will be making her debut with TLH Reckoning this summer. The striker led the Long Island Rough Riders to a Metropolitan Division title last year behind her 18 goals, and she scored another in the team’s first-ever postseason win, a 2-1 victory over Eagle FC. 

Megan Santa Cruz – Santa Clarita Blue Heat FC 

The new SoCal Division will feature many fresh new faces, including SC Blue Heat’s Megan Santa Cruz. After two impressive years at Washington State, where she recorded four goals and seven assists, the midfielder will compete with Purdue in 2025. Santa Cruz was also called up to the USYNT U-20 training camp in March. 

Mia Hamant – West Seattle Rhodies FC 

The California native will make her W League debut with the Rhodies this summer following her breakout season at the University of Washington. Hamant made 75 total saves, recorded seven clean sheets and posted the third-lowest single-season goals against average in program-history at 0.66. She led the Big Ten and ranked third in the nation with a 0.882 save percentage. 

Olivia Woodson – Richmond Ivy SC 

Along with many returners, Richmond Ivy has also brought in new players like forward Olivia Woodson, for its second season. The Auburn Tiger was named to the 2024 All-SEC Second Team following her sophomore season, where she started all 21 matches and recorded 11 goals and three assists, becoming the first player in eight seasons to finish the year in double-digit scoring figures. 

Sheridan Michel – One Knoxville 

Coming off a redshirt season, Michel will be back in action this summer with expansion club One Knox before returning to the University of Tennessee. The center back has logged over 5,000 minutes played in her first three collegiate seasons at both Tennessee and Oklahoma and was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team in 2022. 

Tessa Dellarose – Pittsburgh Riveters SC 

Dellarose was announced as the Riveters' first player ahead of its inaugural season. The outside back most recently played last W League season with Racing Louisville but is an alum of the Riverhounds Academy and will return to her hometown. Dellarose is also coming off a national championship with the UNC Tar Heels, finishing her junior season with four goals and seven assists.