Following the 2023 season, Penn State had five players declare for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). All five were selected, breaking an eight-year program record for the amount of selected individuals. Kate Wiesner and Payton Linnehan led the group, both going in the first draft round.

Outside of the five rookies, though, Penn State already had 13 players in the league. Here is a look at how the players and their teams did as the 2024 regular season ends.

Portland Thorns

The Portland Thorns lead the league, in terms of Nittany Lions, with four alumni. United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) star Sam Coffey led a group that included Marissa Sheva, Linnehan, and Kat Asman.

The Thorns finished the regular season in sixth place with 34 points, more than enough to make the playoffs.

Coffey graduated with her master’s from Penn State in the spring of 2022. Since, she has been one of the nation’s best soccer players as a main stand on the USWNT. This season, Coffey scored twice and added three assists in 24 games played. Outside of the NWSL, she won the Olympic gold with the United States this summer.

Linnehan also played a role for the Thorns up front, adding two goals and one assist in 19 games as a rookie.

Neither Sheva nor Asman played a big role for Portland this season.

Chicago Red Stars

The Chicago Red Stars boast three Nittany Lions on their 2024 roster, including USWNT captain and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

Naeher played spectacularly in 2024, helping the Red Stars sneak into the playoffs in eighth place with 32 points. The Nittany Lion played in 24 matches, allowing 34 goals against and making 80 saves. Her efforts for the Red Stars and the USWNT saw her ranked No. 17 at the Ballon d’Or Feminin ceremony in October.

Along with Naeher, the Red Stars also add 2022 draftees Penelope Hocking and Ally Schlegel.

Schlegel continued her prominent attacking ways from when she was at Happy Valley scoring six times in 21 games.

Hocking requested a move during the season and Bay FC paid a $350,000 transfer fee to bring the forward in. While she was limited to just eight games this season, she did score in one of them.

Kansas City Current

The Kansas City Current also held a trio of Penn Staters when Ellie Wheeler joined the team after being selected fourth in the second round of the 2024 draft.

Kansas City had a great year, earning 55 points and finishing in fourth place in the regular season.

Wheeler helped secure the Kansas City back line playing in 22 games for the club as a rookie. She also added a goal despite being defensive-minded. Wheeler was a four-year starter for the Nittany Lions and won the Penn State Freshman of the Year award.

Elizabeth Ball also helped the Current this season. Ball played in 19 games and started in 12. She scored once and added three assists.

Mallory Weber is a 10-year professional for the Current but did not see any time this season.

Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride had a season to remember, finishing first in the NWSL with 60 points. They clinched first place with three game weeks still to be played. Most notably, the Pride allowed just 20 goals this season, close to the record of 17.

The season’s success was in large part due to the performances of rookie Cori Dyke and veteran Kerry Abello.

Both played a part in the defensive record. Abello started in 25 of the 26 matches in the backline. She also added an offensive prowess, scoring once and assisting twice.

Dyke played a similar role but was moved into the midfield occasionally, something she did very well while at Penn State. The Nittany Lion started in 11 games and made 21 appearances.

Utah Royals

The final team in the NWSL to have more than one Nittany Lion is the Utah Royals, a team in its inaugural season.

Kaleigh Riehl and Frankie Tagliaferri both joined the expansion side this year. The Royals struggled in their first season, picking up 25 points and missing the playoffs.

Riehl started in 14 games in 2024 in the defense and recorded an assist this season. Tagliaferri had no stats as she only made six appearances with just 265 minutes played.

Individuals

Four Nittany Lions made the rosters of other NWSL teams where they weren’t joined by a fellow Penn State alumni.

Nittany Lion legend Rocky Rodriguez led the way in this group playing for Angel City FC. The midfielder made 20 appearances this season, scoring once.

Another Nittany Lion playing by herself this season was Ellie Jean for Racing Louisville. Jean made eight appearances.

Finally, recent Penn State graduates Morgan Messner and Wiesner both signed their first contracts in the NWSL.

Messner joined the San Diego Wave as the goalie. She did not make any appearances.

Wiesner, the first Nittany Lion taken in the 2024 draft, signed with the Washington Spirit. The Spirit finished second in the regular season with 56 points. Wiesner made 15 appearances, bouncing between the backline and playing up front. She scored once.