The Wait Is Over

Breaking Up the Band

Following the 2020 season, all NWSL teams submitted their protected player lists ahead of the upcoming expansion draft, where the LA Olympias and the Philadelphia Charge would select 10 players each. Prior to the draft, both LA and Philadelphia were allocated foundational players for their clubs by US Soccer, with the Olympias given Christen Press and the Charge given Julie Johnston Ertz. The Chicago Red Stars were compensated for losing Press and Ertz, being given two selections at the end of round one of the 2021 NWSL draft and the #1 spot in the allocation order for new national team players.

After a less-than-stellar season brought on by unplanned call-ups for the Tokyo Olympics, Paul Riley, head coach of the North Carolina Courage, decided not to protect either of his club's fringe national teamers, center back Abby Dahlkemper and forward Lynn Williams, knowing that he could only lose one and expecting LA to pick Williams as a strike partner for Press. He also believed that Dahlkemper's concussion history would make her a risky selection for either expansion team.

The Philadelphia Charge, sensing a chance to build up their roster through some wheeling-and-dealing after the draft, took Dahlkemper with their third-round selection. Following this, Riley protected Williams.

A week after the draft, Dahlkemper was traded to the Washington Spirit along with Philadelphia's first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL draft for defender Caprice Dydasco and forward Cali Farquharson. Coach Jim Gabarra of the Spirit stated that this trade for Dahlkemper was part of an all-out effort to win the 2021 NWSL title.

NWSL

Washington Spirit - Traded defender Caprice Dydasco and forward Cali Farquharson to the Philadelphia Charge for defender Abby Dahlkemper and Philadelphia's first round pick in the 2022 NWSL draft.