Racing Louisville on Friday announced several roster updates at the National Women’s Soccer League deadline to update the status of the team’s free agents ahead of the upcoming offseason and free agency period.
The club exercised the 2024 options in the contracts of forwards Kirsten Davis and Thembi Kgatlana and defender Julia Lester.
“Kirsten, Thembi and Julia have been instrumental in Racing’s success this season,” Racing Louisville general manager Ryan Dell said. “Their growth on and off the pitch has been outstanding.”
Defender Zaneta Wyne and Racing agreed to mutually terminate her contract as she pursues a player/coach opportunity overseas.
On the free agency front, forwards Emina Ekic, Jess McDonald and Nadia Nadim and midfielder Taylor Aylmer are all eligible to become free agents at the conclusion of the 2023 season. Their contracts run out this year and do not include options for 2024, though they could still re-sign with Racing.
More information on the status of Racing’s restricted and unrestricted free agents will come after the 2023 campaign. NWSL clubs may speak to free agents still rostered on other teams starting Sept. 22 and must also provide their own final roster updates by Nov. 20, which is the first day when free agents may officially sign with new teams.
Because they have played five or more years in the NWSL and are out of contract at the end of the year, McDonald and Nadim qualify for unrestricted free agency. Unrestricted free agents may sign a new contract with any club, including their current team, at the end of the 2023 season.
Players with three years of experience who are out of contract at the end of the season are eligible for restricted free agency, an addition to NWSL policy this year as part of the league’s CBA with the NWSL Players Association. Restricted free agents may field offers from interested teams, but their current team then gets seven days to match an offer. At Racing, Aylmer and Ekic qualify as restricted free agents.
“We have had conversations with our upcoming free agents and will continue to do our due diligence as the free agency period approaches,” Dell said. “All four players have made great contributions to our club over the past year and beyond.”
Wyne has spent the past year with Racing, initially joining the club on a temporary National Team Replacement Player deal before signing through 2023. Wyne, 33, appeared in 11 games across all competitions for Louisville. This season, California native made three regular-season starts and one UKG NWSL Challenge Cup start, playing 385 minutes in lavender.
“We want to thank Zaneta for her hard work and dedication to Racing Louisville,” Dell said. “She has a great opportunity for her to further her career, and I am excited to see the strides she takes in her playing and coaching career.”
A second-round pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, the 25-year-old Davis is having a standout second season with Louisville. The St. Louis native is tied for second on the team in scoring with four goals across all competitions, adding two assists. Both are career-highs for Davis, who has started 19 games this year between the regular season and UKG NWSL Challenge Cup.
Kgatlana, whose two goals at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup helped South Africa reach the knockout stage for the first time in the nation’s history, is playing for Racing this year after missing the second half of last season because of a torn Achilles. The 27-year-old has made seven starts in 15 appearances across all competitions, with two goals and an assist.
In her second year with Racing, defender Julia Lester has started each of the 15 games she appeared in this year, featuring at center back. The Florida native played in 25 games last year, starting 21. She is second in the NWSL in blocked shots per 90 minutes, tied with fellow defender Abby Erceg.
