New year, new name, same Reign: Here’s a look at the 2020 OL Reign as they begin the NWSL season
Entering 2019, the Seattle Reign had gone under a rebrand, announced a relocation from Seattle to Tacoma, and more than a year later change has once again hit the franchise.
In more ways than one.
Reign FC’s Megan Rapinoe was the darling of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and a new star for the NWSL hit the scene in the form of forward Bethany Balcer. As Reign FC begins the 2020 season on Tuesday night, there are more changes for the second year in a row.
New ownership and team name
On Dec. 19, OL Groupe acquired Reign FC from Bill and Teresa Predmore and now own 89.5% of the franchise. The Predmores still own 7 percent of the franchise, and new minority owner Tony Parker owns 3 percent. On March 6, another change came with the re-brand of Reign FC as OL Reign. The Tacoma-based organization now takes on the same type of branding and team colors as the other teams on the OL Groupe brand. Here’s a look at the team’s new kits they’ll debut on Tuesday night.
New coach
After leading Reign FC for two seasons, Vlatko Andonovski was named the head coach of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team. His departure from Tacoma has ushered in a new era for someone very familiar with the OL brand. Former Lyon midfielder Farid Benstiti was named the third coach in team history on January 17 of this year.
Before heading to Tacoma, Bensititi has been the head coach for Olympique Lyonnais Féminin for nine seasons before making stops in Russia and most recently China.
No Pinoe, still lethal
Megan Rapinoe will not be with the club in Utah for the tournament, but no worries. OL Reign will still be in very good shape. The club returns Bethany Balcer for her second season with the team. While the team dealt with many absences due to World Cup obligations last summer, Balcer emerged as a major scoring threat for the club. Balcer was named NWSL Rookie of the Year scoring six goals in 24 appearances.
In addition to youth, some more experience will return as well. Although she will not be in the lineup for the season opener on Tuesday night, OL Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock is expected to make a key contribution for the team this season alongside other vets like Allie Long, Lauren Barnes, and Jodie Taylor.
Current Roster
Here’s a look at the current roster that will suit for the tournament starting Tuesday night.
Goalkeepers (3): Michelle Betos, Casey Murphy, Carly Nelson
Defenders (10): Lauren Barnes, Amber Brooks, Alana Cook, Steph Cox, Machaela George, Madison Hammond, Celia Jiménez Delgado, Adrienne Jordan, Kristen McNabb, Taylor Smith
Midfielders (8): Morgan Andrews, Shirley Cruz, Jess Fishlock, Kelcie Hedge, Allie Long, Rebecca Quinn, Dani Weatherholt, Rosie White
Forwards (7): Bethany Balcer, Sofia Huerta, Darian Jenkins, Mariah Lee, Nicole Momiki, Jasmyne Spencer, Jodie Taylor
NWSL Tournament
So, how does the NWSL Challenge Cup work? Each of the eight teams participating in the tournament will play four matches and all eight advance to a knockout stage starting July 17-18 and conclude with the final being played on July 26.
Here’s a look at the OL Reign tournament schedule and opponents. All games will be broadcast on CBS All Access.
June 30
OL Reign vs. Sky Blue FC (7 p.m.)
July 4
OL Reign vs. Houston Dash (7 p.m.)
July 8
OL Reign vs. Utah Royals FC (9:30 a.m.)
July 13
OL Reign vs. Portland Thorns FC (9:30 a.m.)
This story was originally published June 30, 2020 at 10:00 AM with the headline "New year, new name, same Reign: Here’s a look at the 2020 OL Reign as they begin the NWSL season."
