NWSL Washington Spirit

Washington Spirit Signs Midfielder Ashley Sanchez to New Contract

September 7, 2023 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release


Washington, D.C. - Washington Spirit and U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT) midfielder Ashley Sanchez has re-signed with the team on a new three-year contract, the club announced today. The new contract will take effect following the expiration of her current contract this offseason and is set to run through the 2026 season.

Approaching the end of her fourth year with the Spirit, Sanchez has been one of the most consistent parts of the Washington starting 11 over the past several seasons. After playing a crucial role in the Spirit's 2021 championship campaign, Sanchez earned her spot as a mainstay of the USWNT roster. She competed at the 2022 Concacaf W Championship and was called up for this summer's World Cup, the first of her career. With the Spirit, Sanchez has tallied 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions since joining the club in 2020 while, at the senior international level, she has three goals and four assists in 25 caps.

"I've been fortunate to take a lot of strides in my game during my first four years in DC," said Sanchez. "I'm looking forward to continuing my professional career with the Spirit as we build something special with this club."

Originally from Monrovia, California, Sanchez was drafted by the Spirit with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft. Before turning pro, Sanchez played three seasons at UCLA, tallying 23 goals and 42 assists across 69 matches. A three-time First Team All-Pac-12 honoree, Sanchez also set various school records during her tenure with the Bruins, including career assists (42), career NCAA Tournament assists (14), consecutive games with a goal or assist (13), assists as a freshman (12) and single game assists (4) among others.

"Keeping Sanchez with the Spirit is critical for this club," said Head Coach Mark Parsons. "Her world-class technical ability and goal-scoring quality are very important to the success of our team."

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