The setting might have been the 2018 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft, but it was a multi-team trade that sent the 2017 NWSL Most Valuable Player, two World Cup Champions and a Canada federation player to new clubs that set the women’s soccer world afire.
Midway through the draft’s opening round, Sky Blue FC was involved in a three-team trade that sent Sam Kerr and Nikki Stanton to Chicago, Christen Press to Houston, and Carli Lloyd and Janine Beckie to New Jersey. Another Red Star was also sent to Sky Blue as part of the trade, although that player’s name was not released at the time of publication.