Portland Thorns: A Year in the Life - Part I

What a year, huh?

Photo: Thorns FC/ Craig Mitchelldyer

It’s almost 2024 and another NWSL season came and went. Many things happened that shaped how the Thorns finished their run and how they did overall.

Winter

The year started with the club and fans having to say goodbye to Yazmeen Ryan, one of the most promising Thorns of 2022. The deal brought money to the club — 200k — and the no. 5 pick in 2023 in addition to a second-round pick in 2024. As hard as it was to say goodbye to such a great player, she ended up as a back-to-back champion first with Portland and then with Gotham. Congrats to Yaz, she thoroughly deserved it.

After her departure, the Thorns were still coachless but one of the Thorns’ assistant coaches, Mike Norris, was rumored to be ready to step up for the job which the club confirmed on January 9.  It was a necessary appointment since the college draft was happening in just a matter of days. New Thorns were added and Portland welcomed Reyna Reyes, Izzy D’Aquila, Lauren DeBeau, and Lauren Kozal. Three out of those four rookies remain with the club, although Kozal didn’t get any minutes this year and suffered an injury.

Amid that news, US Soccer announced in January that Sophia Smith was named the 2022 U. S. Female Player of the Year, becoming at 22 years old the youngest player to win that award since Mia Hamm in 1994.