Gotham FC announced the signings of Crystal Dunn, Tierna Davidson, Emily Sonnett and Rose Lavelle, four members of the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT). The additions came after Gotham FC won their first ever NWSL Championship last season in front of a record-breaking crowd at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA.
Crystal Dunn previously played for the Portland Thorns, a squad she led to the 2022 NWSL Championship, and was officially announced as a new Gotham FC player on Dec. 31. Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amorós expressed his excitement at this signing and how much Dunn will help the team build from their success of last season.
“Crystal is an exceptional player who can play anywhere at any time and have an incredible impact on the game,” he noted.
Dunn has played 140 games for the USWNT, where she has recorded 24 goals and 19 assists to help them in their winning ways. Before the Thorns, Dunn played for the North Carolina Courage, Chelsea FC and Washington Spirit.
Defender Tierna Davidson previously played for the Chicago Red Stars after being selected as the first overall pick by them in 2019. Her signing was announced by Gotham FC on Jan. 2.
“Tierna is a very smart and versatile center back that has had incredible experience in the league and at the international level,” said Amorós. “Tierna is a great addition to the club, and we are very excited to work with her.”
She has played 51 games for the U.S. and was named U.S. Young Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2018. In college, Davidson played for Stanford, leading the Cardinal to a National Championship Title in 2017. She was named the 2017 College Cup Most Outstanding Defensive Player for her efforts.
Gotham FC announced their two latest signings, Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett, on Jan. 4. Emily Sonnett, a midfielder, previously played for OL Reign, Washington Spirit, Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, Orlando Pride and the Portland Thorns. She has two NWSL Championships under her belt, one with the Washington Spirit in 2021 and one with the Portland Thorns in 2017. Lavelle, also a midfielder, is known for her sweet left foot, the one that scored the winning goal for the USWNT against the Netherlands in the 2019 Women’s World Cup Final. She was the first overall pick of the 2017 draft by the Boston Breakers, who folded by the end of her first season. For her second season in the league, she joined the Washington Spirits, then continued her career at Manchester City FC, and OL Reign the team she won the 2022 NWSL Championship with. Both players have signed multiyear contracts with the club until the 2026 season. Amorós expressed his enthusiasm at these signings.
“We are incredibly excited to have two exceptional talents like Rose and Emily join the club,” he told the media. “Rose is a crafty and entertaining player, and our fans and club will be very excited to watch her at Red Bull Arena, and Sonnett is a true professional and competitor, who understands what success in the league looks like. The club and our fans are extremely excited to have players of their stature as we build upon the success of last season.”
With the addition of these four players, Gotham FC now has six players who were part of the 2019 Women’s World Cup Champions Team, already rostering Allie Long and Kelley O’Hara. With these four new signings, Gotham FC have the opportunity to further elevate their defense and midfield from the previous season. This gives them a great chance to become the third team to take home two consecutive NWSL Championships and join the North Carolina Courage (2018, 2019) and FC Kansas City (2014, 2015).