In advance of the start of preseason training, OL Reign have announced its preseason roster and its technical staff for the upcoming season. The preseason roster includes 23 players under contract, one unsigned player selected by OL Reign in the 2020 NWSL College Draft, and seven non-roster invitees.

The preseason roster includes 18 players from OL Reign’s 2019 roster and includes five new signings: defender Julia Ashley, who was acquired in a trade with Sky Blue; defender Amber Brooks, who was acquired in a trade with Houston; forward Sofia Huerta, who was acquired in the same trade with the Dash; midfielder Dani Weatherholt, who was acquired in a trade with Orlando; and midfielder Kelcie Hedge, who signed with the club on Friday after being selected in the first round of the 2020 NWSL College Draft.

“This offseason has obviously been one of significant change in nearly every area of the club, including our roster. Given that we ended the 2019 season with more than 30 players under contract, we knew changes would need to occur. We also identified several areas where we wanted and needed to improve, and pursued a plan to make that happen,” said OL Reign CEO Bill Predmore. “We feel good about the group we have assembled and expect to add at least one additional player before the first match of the regular season.”

“I am very excited for the preseason. It will give me an opportunity to evaluate the players of OL Reign and start building our identity from day one,” said OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti. “I am very happy with the squad. We have a strong group of players that it is well balanced with youth, enthusiasm, and experience. We highlighted some keys areas of the field that we wanted to improve on, and our off-season recruitment shows that. While we may not be finished building our squad, I am very happy with the potential for the team and the club.”

2020 OL Reign Preseason Roster by Position

Goalkeepers (3): Michelle Betos, Shelby Money (NRI), Casey Murphy

Defenders (12): Julia Ashley, Lauren Barnes (NYR), Amber Brooks, Steph Catley (INT/NYR), Steph Cox, Machaela George (NRI), Madison Hammond (NRI), Jazmin Jackmon (NRI), Celia Jiménez Delgado (INT/NYR), Kristen McNabb, Rebecca Quinn (INT/NYR), Taylor Smith

Midfielders (9): Morgan Andrews, Meg Brandt (CDP), Jess Fishlock, Kimberly Hazlett (NRI), Kelcie Hedge (CDP), Allie Long (FED), Brenna Ochoa (NRI), Dani Weatherholt, Rosie White (INT/NYR)

Forwards (7): Bethany Balcer, Sofia Huerta (NYR), Darian Jenkins (NYR), Mariah Lee (NRI), Megan Rapinoe (FED), Jasmyne Spencer, Jodie Taylor

Key:

INT – International Slot

NRI – Non-Roster Invitee

CDP – 2020 NWSL College Draft Pick

NYR – Not Yet Reported to Camp

FED – U.S. Soccer Federation Player

“Last year we began a process to add both quality and youth to the squad,” said Predmore. “We feel good about our efforts in this regard, as over the last twelve months we have added some great young talent—all of whom are 26 or younger—in Casey Murphy, Bethany Balcer, Taylor Smith, Rosie White, Celia, Julia Ashley, Rebecca Quinn, Darian Jenkins, Dani Weatherholt, and most recently, Kelcie Hedge. We think this group will make a significant impact this season and far into the future.”

Three players – Celia Jiménez Delgado, Rosie White, and Rebecca Quinn – will report to camp on March 11 following the conclusion of the FIFA international break. Midfielder Megan Rapinoe is expected to report on March 17 after a short break following the conclusion of the SheBelieves Cup. Lauren Barnes, Steph Catley, Darian Jenkins, and Sofia Huerta will arrive following the conclusion of their club’s Australian W-League season.

“There were several significant injuries last season, so the return of Betos, Fishlock, Spencer, and Smith will feel like new signings and will improve our quality and competition for places,” said Benstiti. “We also have some interesting young trialists that we expect to do well for us and anticipate that they can offer something to the team now or in the near future.”

OL Reign is led by head coach Farid Benstiti, who was named as the third coach in club history on January 17. Benstiti has claimed eight domestic championships in 20 years as a head coach, including four straight titles with Olympique Lyonnais Féminin from 2006-2010.

Benstiti replaces 2019 NWSL Coach of the Year Vlatko Andonovski, who accepted the head coaching job with the U.S. Women’s National Team last October. Assistant coach Milan Ivanovic also left the club to join Andonovski’s staff at U.S. Soccer.

Assistant coach Sam Laity returns for his eighth season with OL Reign. An experienced, well-respected coach, Laity has been with the club since its inaugural season and has been integral to the club’s success.

Laity will be joined by assistant coach Carrie Kveton. Kveton spent the past seven and a half years at Danish Elitedivisionen side Fortuna Hjørring, serving as an assistant coach from 2012-14, and a co-head coach from 2014-17, before helming the side from 2017-2019. During that span the club secured three league titles and two second-place finishes, as well as two Danish cups. Kveton holds a UEFA “Pro” license.

Goalkeeper coach Ljupco Kmetovski returns for a second season with OL Reign. The Macedonian keeper coach, who holds a UEFA “A” License and a UEFA “Pro” goalkeeper license, oversaw a keeper corps that kept seven clean sheets and maintained a 1.125 goals against average in 2019.

Reign Academy head coach Matt Dorman has joined the first team staff as the club’s video analyst. Dorman joined Reign Academy in 2017 and previously served as an assistant coach at Saint Martin’s University from 2016-17. Dorman was previously named to the United Soccer Coaches’ 30-under-30 class of 2015.

Nick Leman returns to the club for a fifth year in his role as Director of High Performance. Leman, who previously served as a physiotherapist for Melbourne City FC, joined OL Reign ahead of the 2016 season. Leman is a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

OL Reign will open the 2020 season on the road against Washington Spirit on Saturday, April 18. The club will host the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday, May 3 in its home opener at Cheney Stadium.