CHICAGO – Racing Louisville FC added the franchise’s first roster additions prior to its 2021 debut season, the National Women’s Soccer League announced Monday.
In a trade with the Chicago Red Stars, Louisville acquired forwards Yuki Nagasato and Savannah McCaskill, the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft and an international roster spot for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
In return, the Red Stars received full roster protection in the Nov. 12 expansion draft.
Nagasato signed with Chicago in 2017 and made 52 regular season and playoff appearances, recording 13 goals and 18 assists over three seasons. She was an integral part of the Red Star’s first NWSL championship game appearance in 2019, finishing the season with a league-leading eight assists.
The Atsugi, Japan native has earned 132 caps and scored 58 goals for the Japanese national team. She was a member of the 2011 Women’s World Cup team and of the silver medal-winning London Olympic team in 2012. On Sept. 10, 2020, the forward joined Hayabusa Eleven of the Kanagawa Prefecture League in Japan on loan, becoming the first woman to play for the team in club history.
McCaskill was selected second overall by the Boston Breakers in the 2018 NWSL college draft and was acquired by Sky Blue FC in the 2018 dispersal draft. The Chapin, S.C. native joined Chicago in 2019 via trade and scored one goal in 18 matches. McCaskill made five starts in seven games at the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, recording one goal and two assists. She also scored one goal in three appearances during the 2020 NWSL Fall Series.
The 24-year old made her U.S. women’s national team debut on January 21, 2018 during an international friendly with Denmark and was named to the senior roster for the 2018 SheBelieves Cup.
