Most NWSL teams released their preseason rosters today, and Racing Louisville was no exception. Christy Holly will have 30 women in camp this week, with others possibly arriving later. Not all players on this roster will be on the first team when the Challenge Cup starts in April. Some players whose rights Racing owns will not be in camp.
Here’s the roster:
Goalkeepers (4): Brooke Ballinger (NRI), Michelle Betos, Katie Lund, Shelby Money (NRI)
Defenders (8): Julia Ashley, Molly Dwyer (NRI), Emily Fox (CDP), Brooke Hendrix, Nealy Martin (NRI), Addisyn Merrick, Kaleigh Riehl (NYR), Erin Simon
Midfielders (8): Chinyelu Asher (NRI), Grace Bahr (NRI), Lauren Milliet, Noelle Higginson (NRI), Alex Kimball (NRI), Freja Olofsson (NYR), Taylor Otto (CDP), Savanah Uveges (NRI)
Forwards (10): Jorian Baucom (NRI), Vanessa Kara (NRI), Emina Ekic (CDP), Alex Genas (NRI), Anika Kallash (NRI), Cece Kizer, Cheyna Matthews (NYR), Katie McClure, Savannah McCaskill, Yuki Nagasato
Key:
CDP – 2020 NWSL College Draft Pick
NRI – Non-Roster Invitee
NYR – Not Yet Reported to Camp
Notably not yet reporting to camp are Emily Fox, Freja Olofsson, Yuki Nagasato, and Cheyna Matthews. Fox was called up to the USWNT’s training roster for the SheBelieves Cup, though she won’t feature in any games absent injuries or departures from the 23 permanent spots. Nagasato should arrive in a week. I’m not sure about what’s going on with Matthews, perhaps she’s finishing out maternity leave. I have no idea what Olofsson’s status is.
Not expected to report are Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Alanna Kennedy, and Caitlin Foord.
Sooo, that being behind us, let’s look at the NRIs, shall we?
GK: Brooke Ballinger, Shelby Money. Ballinger is a Florida State grad who won a national title with the ‘Noles in 2018. Shelby Money has what is presently the best name of anyone in the Racing organization and that will surely weigh in her favor when she competes for a spot on the first team roster.
Money might also be eyeing a spot on the coaching staff, as after her collegiate career at Rowan University ended, she served as goalkeeper coach at The Keeper Institute and Saint John’s University.
D: Molly Dwyer, Nealy Martin. Dwyer might be a coaching candidate, too, as she most recently served as an assistant at UNC Asheville. She was also a four-year member of the Furman University women’s soccer team (2014-2017). During her time there, she aided Furman in a Southern Conference Tournament Championship (2015) and a Southern Conference Regular Season Championship (2017).
Nealy Martin is an Alabama native and graduate, captaining the Crimson Tide in her senior season in 2019. She’s reputedly a really high-character individual, which is something Christy Holly values.
M: Chinyelu Asher, Grace Bahr, Noelle Higginson, Alex Kimball. Midfield is the shallowest position for Racing at the moment, with only three players actually signed to the team.
Asher is a Jamaican international who has recently been playing for Staebek in Norway. She’s also a former UofL Cardinal.
Grace Bahr is listed as a midfielder but is likely one of the defensive variety, something this squad could definitely use. She recently graduated from Xavier University, and previously played at Wisconsin. She earned the Big East Championship Most Outstanding Defender award in 2019.
Noelle Higginson is a former Yale Bulldog, and a former NCAA Woman of the Year nominee. Again, probably a high-character individual. She wore No. 6 in college but has some offensive chops, apparently.
Kimball is another former Tar Heel with an offensive mindset, playing winger and some backup forward in Chapel Hill. She was selected by Utah Royals in the 2019 draft and counts now-US Soccer president Cindy Parlow-Cone as one of her former youth coaches. Check out this Medium article written about her when she was drafted.
F: Jorian Baucom, Vanessa Kara, Alexa Genas, Anika Kallash. This list is a little longer than I would have expected, as Racing already has five forwards signed.
Jorian Baucom most recently played for Duisburg in Frauen Bundesliga, and is actually listed on their current roster, having scored three goals in seven matches this season. She played at Houston Dash and University of Colorado, and LSU previously.
Vanessa Kara is a former Drexel Dragon and Florida Gator who most recently played for Tikkurilan Palloseura (aka TiPS) in Finland’s second division.
Alexa Ganas had a solid collegiate career as a forward at Campbell University.
Anika Kallash scored, like, a ton of goals in college for NAIA’s Central Methodist University, bagging 34 in her 2019 season. That’s a ton.
So those are the trialists (that we know about). Good luck to all of them and Christy Holly and JOC steering Racing toward success in their first season!
