NWSL Utah Royals FC

Utah Royals FC Sign FW Addisyn Merrick

Published on December 18, 2023 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Utah Royals FC News Release


HERRIMAN, Utah - Utah Royals FC today signed former NC Courage, Racing Louisville and KC Current DF Addisyn Merrick, bringing the 2024 preseason roster for Head Coach Amy Rodriguez' side to 14 players. Merrick's new contract covers the 2024/25 NWSL seasons in Utah.

"I cannot wait to take this next step in my career, I'm beyond thankful for Utah for the chance to pursue this opportunity," said Merrick, who made her NWSL debut in Utah during the 2020 Challenge Cup for the Courage. "In speaking to the leadership of the club, I'm so so excited to learn and seize this chance to grow. Amy has such an impressive resume, and Kelly has a ton of different experiences in her history in the sport.

"I've heard nothing but great things about those two and everyone else there that is looking to build and establish a great culture. The facilities are amazing, in talking to the other signings I know that we all feel fortunate to experience world-class surroundings. The detail that Amy and ownership have put into their plan, the women-specific thought that has gone into this project is simply amazing.

Merrick, a native of Lee's Summit, Missouri, played four years at the University of Kansas, notching 87 appearances for the Jayhawks from 2016-19, logging a program-record 7,630 minutes for KU. During her senior campaign, Merrick was named the Big 12 Defender of the Year and earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors, while helping lead Kansas to the conference title.

"From the top down, it's obvious to me that Utah is going the extra length in every possible endeavor to make the athletes feel comfortable," continued Merrick. "We can feel their passion for development, implementing the values of hard work and creating a supportive atmosphere is all we could ever expect.

"I've heard nothing but amazing things about the fan support in Utah and how the community rallies around its teams, and I cannot wait to get out there and get started for our 2024 season."

Utah Royals FC will see its players report to the Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, Utah, in late January, with the 2024 NWSL reg. season kicking off on March 16. Here's Utah's roster by position - along with each player's 2023 NWSL side - as it currently stands:

GK: Mandy Haught (Gotham FC), Carly Nelson (Orlando Pride)

DF: Kaleigh Riehl (San Diego Wave), Madison Pogarch (San Diego Wave), Kate Del Fava (KC Current), Addisyn Merrick (KC Current)

MF: Mikayla Cluff (Orlando Pride), Michele Vasconcelos (Portland Thorns), Emily Gray (North Carolina Courage), Frankie Tagliaferri (North Carolina Courage)

FW: Hannah Betford (Portland Thorns), Imani Dorsey (Gotham FC), Paige Monaghan (Racing Louisville), Cameron Tucker (Houston Dash)

The 2024 NWSL Draft, presented by Ally, will take place Friday, January 12 at 6 p.m. MT during the United Soccer Coaches Convention at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. For the full list of draft rules and procedures, please click here.

Currently, Utah Royals FC's 2024 draft picks (round / overall) are as follows:

1st Round - No. 1, No. 4 (KC)

2nd Round - No. 16, No. 20 (WAS), No. 21 (WAS), No. 26 (ORL)

3rd Round - No. 29, No. 33 (POR)

4th Round - No. 44

Live coverage of the 2024 NWSL Draft, presented by Ally, will be televised on ION from 6 to 8 p.m. MT. All rounds of the draft will be streamed on ION Plus. Viewers can find access to ION in their area by visiting https://iontelevision.com/find-us.

2024 UTAH ROYALS ALPHABETICAL ROSTER (as of 18 DECEMBER 2023)

No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate Age Hometown College Status INTL

-- Hannah Betfort FW 5-10 4 Jan 1999 24 Charleston, SC Wake Forest

-- Mikayla Cluff FW 5-8 25 Feb 1999 24 Kaysville, UT Brigham Young

-- Kate Del Fava DF 5-9 23 July 1998 25 Kenosha, WI Illinois State

-- Imani Dorsey FW 5-7 21 Mar 1996 27 Elkridge, MD Duke

-- Emily Gray MF 5-4 5 Oct 2000 23 Sewell, NJ Virginia Tech

-- Mandy Haught GK 5-9 3 Nov 1998 25 Jacksonville, FL Virginia Tech

-- Addisyn Merrick DF 5-5 4 March 1998 25 Lee's Summit, MO Kansas

-- Paige Monaghan FW 5-7 13 Nov 1996 27 Succasanna, NJ Butler

-- Carly Nelson GK 5-6 11 Feb 1998 25 Lindon, UT Utah

-- Madison Pogarch DF 5-6 5 Nov 1997 26 Hartland, MI Central Michigan

-- Kayleigh Riehl DF 5-8 21 Oct 1996 27 Fairfax Station, VA Penn State

-- Frankie Tagliaferri MF 5-6 18 Jan 1999 24 Red Bank, NJ Rutgers (Penn St)

-- Cameron Tucker FW 5-9 15 July 1999 24 Highland, UT Brigham Young

-- Michele Vasconcelos FW 5-5 11 May 1994 29 Sandy, UT Brigham Young

KEY UPCOMING NWSL DATES:

Fri., Jan. 12 - NWSL Draft, presented by Ally

Mon., Jan. 22 - Earliest possible preseason report date

Mon., Jan. 29 - Latest possible preseason report date

Fri., March 15 - NWSL Challenge Cup - Gotham FC v San Diego Wave FC

Sat., March 16 - NWSL Regular Season Kicks Off

Mon., July 8 - Sun., July 14 - CBA-mandated League Break

Mon., July 15 - Sun., Aug. 18 - Reg. Season Hiatus Due to Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

Fri., July 19 - Sun., July 21 - Summer Tournament Kickoff

Nov. 9/10 - NWSL Playoff Quarterfinal Stage

Nov. 16/17 - NWSL Playoff Semifinals

Nov. 23 - NWSL Championship 2024

Check out the Utah Royals FC Statistics

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from December 18, 2023


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