Commentary: Aggies gone pro

Sports writer breaks down former students’ path to NWSL

By Kylie Stoner @sportsbystoner

Six Aggies play in the National Women’s Soccer League, or NWSL, including one on loan expiring at the end of the month and another with a season-ending injury. As the second half of the season approaches, the four active Aggie players’ teams sit below the playoff line.

The Houston Dash currently sit at the No. 7 spot just below the play-off line. The Dash have Shea Groom, Class of 2015, and Barbara Olivieri, Class of 2024.

Oliveri began her professional career after the conclusion of her sophomore season, so she did not complete her degree. She began professional play in Feb. 2022 with C.F. Monterrey Femenil in Liga MX Femenil, but Olivieri signed with the Dash in Feb. 2023.

The midfielder has a 100% tackle success rate. In the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup match against the Chicago Red Stars on May 3, Olivieri scored her first Dash goal.

Unfortunately for Groom, she sits on the season-ending injury list due to an ACL tear on June 2. This injury comes after her only appearance of the season on May 26 which was her return to play from a MCL tear in mid March.

Below the Dash in the standings is the No. 9 Orlando Pride who acquired Ally Watt, Class of 2019, in a trade with OL Reign in August

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Applications are available in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center or at tx.ag/applyBatt of 2022. The Pride’s most recent match was a 3-1 victory over No. 3 Portland Thorns in which Watt played 66 of her 338 total minutes so far this season.

Watt scored two goals in the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup. She played the full 90 minutes in two games where she scored a goal in each against the Washington Spirit and the North Carolina Courage.

The Seattle, Washington-based team, OL Reign, sits within the play-offs margin at No. 4. Texas A&M’s Class of 2021 defender Jimena López currently plays for an Icelandic club in UMF Selfoss as she is on loan from OL Reign. López’s loan began March 24 and lasts until June.

Angel City FC recently fired their head coach Freya Coombe due to a six-match winless streak as they sit at tenth on the table.

The last game the expansion side played was against fellow Southern California team the San Diego Wave, winning 2-1 to force their way up one spot in the rankings.

The only Aggie on the Los Angeles based team is Class of 2012 Merritt Mathias, who hasn’t played a minute since signing with Angel City on January 19.

Sitting second from the bottom of the standings is the Chicago Red Stars, who played A&M Class of 2021 Addie McCain for 45 minutes in 2023. In her only appearance, the former Aggie midfielder was subbed out of the match with a 93.3% pass success rate in a 4-0 loss to her former squad, the Kansas City Current. The Red Stars have won three matches, and they have been against fellow teams below the play-off line.