ORLANDO, Fla. — Ali Riley wanted to do this a long time ago.
The defender debated coming to the NWSL for years, ever since the league was founded in 2013. Each time, she was held back by the memory of the league’s precursor — the WPS, which folded dramatically in 2012.
The WPS was Riley’s home for her first two seasons as a professional athlete, which were stuffed with celebration as she racked up Rookie of the Year accolades and a pair of league titles.
But the league’s demise gutted Riley, ultimately marking the rest of her career.