Sky Blue’s Carli Lloyd was left unprotected for the NWSL expansion draft. (Photo courtesy of Sky Blue FC)
Sky Blue FC Thursday announced its protected and unprotected list for the Nov. 12 NWSL expansion rdaft.
U.S. women’s national team forward Carli Lloyd was left unprotected.
Age might have had something to do with it because Lloyd will turn 39 on July 16, 2001. Even though Lloyd has a name and still can be an impact player, she is ending near the end of her career and expansion teams usually prefer to build their squads around younger players who will be around for several years.
Teams are permitted to protect a total of 11 Players/U.S. Allocated Players, which may include up to two U.S. Allocated Players from the 2020 NWSL season. All remaining U.S. Allocated Players must be left Unprotected. Individuals on the Discovery List of any team are not eligible to be selected in the Expansion Draft.
Racing Louisville FC can select up to two players, or one U.S. Allocated Player, from each NWSL team, and a total of two U.S. Allocated Players in total from all teams. On October 26, 2020, Chicago sent forwards Yuki Nagasato and Savannah McCaskill to Louisville in exchange for full roster protection in the expansion draft and were not required to submit a protected list. For the full 2020 Expansion Draft process and procedures, click here .
Katherine Reynolds, Jaelene Daniels, Rebecca Tweed and Nadine Angerer have announced their retirement and their playing rights currently remain with their most recent NWSL club.
Racing Louisville’s selections will be revealed at the expansion draft Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. ET
SKY BLUE FC
Protected Players
Imani Dorsey
Nahomi Kawasumi (International)
Amanda McGlynn
Paige Monaghan
Ifeoma Onumonu
Mallory Pugh (US Allocated)
Margaret Purce
Kailen Sheridan (CAN Allocated)
Evelyne Viens (International)
Sarah Woldmoe
McCall Zerboni
Unprotected Players
Nicole Baxter
Melanie Booth (Playing Rights)
Jennifer Cudjoe (International)
Julie Doyle (Playing Rights)
Caprice Dydasco
Elizabeth Eddy
Sabrina Flores
Mandy Freeman
Christina Gibbons (Playing Rights)
Didi Haracic
Megan Hinz
Jennifer Hoy (Playing Rights)
Estelle Johnson
Gina Lewandowski
Carli Lloyd (US Allocated)
Jill Loyden (Playing Rights)
Manya Makoski (Playing Rights)
Dominique Richardson
Kaleigh Riehl
Erica Skroski
Chantelle Swaby (College Protected)
Madison Tiernan (Playing Rights)
Rebecca Tweed (Playing Rights)
Kenie Wright