Welcome to the 2024 NWSL college draft. Even before the first pick hit the floor, trades aplenty hit the wires. The Washington Spirit sent defender Sam Staab to the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for the No. 3 pick and midfielder Ashley Sanchez to the NC Courage for No. 5 and allocation money. Elsewhere the Red Stars traded Arin Wright to Racing Louisville for the No. 15 pick and $125,000.
Once things got started, expansion side Utah Royals FC selected 19-year-old Ally Sentnor of the University of North Carolina as the first overall pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif. Sentnor was a red-shirt sophomore for the UNC program, but announced on her Instagram she planned to depart early to pursue a professional career. She scored 11 goals for the Tar Heels in 2023, and added seven assists. She departed the college game as ACC midfielder of the year and has U.S. youth national team experience having served as the team captain for the Under-20s at last year’s World Cup, though she has not yet debuted for the senior national team.
Sentnor, who shares a hometown with Sam and Kristie Mewis in Hanson, MA, said that Sam Mewis texted her good luck before the draft and said she was always available to talk. Utah also selected Brecken Mozingo of BYU with the No. 4…
