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Blue Devils Head Into 2021 NWSL Campaign
4/14/2021 3:56:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C. – The 2021 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) season began on Friday, April 9, with several former Duke women's soccer standouts in playing and coaching roles across the league.
This season features a new competition format, led off by the NWSL Challenge Cup that began on Friday. A 24-match regular season will kick off on May 15 and conclude on October 30, one week before the start of the NWSL Playoffs, which are expanding from four to six teams.
Quinn – Duke '17
OL Reign – Midfielder
The highest draft selection in Duke program history, Quinn enters their fourth NWSL season, but just their second full campaign. After appearing in 17 matches with the Washington Spirit in 2018, they signed with Paris FC of the French women's first division. In 2019, Quinn returned to the NWSL, inking a deal with OL Reign (formerly Reign FC) and playing six matches. With the 2020 regular season replaced by the Challenge Cup, Quinn competed in each of Reign's four matches. They have logged 1,944 minutes of action in the professional league, since being selected third overall in the 2018 NWSL Draft.
Quinn has also become a mainstay in the Canadian Women's National Team lineup. The Toronto, Ontario native has represented their country in two matches in 2021, picking up an assist against Wales in an international friendly on Friday, April 9.
OL Reign opens the 2021 Challenge Cup on Friday, April 16, when it takes on the Houston Dash at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Wash. Kickoff is set for 10 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Imani Dorsey – Duke '17
NJ/NY Gotham FC – Forward
The 2018 NWSL Rookie of the Year enters her fourth season in the league with NY/NJ Gotham FC, which rebranded from Sky Blue FC on April 6. Dorsey has played in 44 NWSL games with six goals and one assist, and in 2019 was called up from the U.S. Women's National Team training camp roster to compete in the squad's final two matches of the calendar year.
NY/NJ Gotham FC gets its Challenge Cup slate started on Wednesday, April 14, when the team faces the Orlando Pride at 7 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Schuyler DeBree – Duke '17
NC Courage – Defender
DeBree made her NWSL debut and first career start for the NC Courage on Friday, April 10. She logged a full 90 minutes on the back end, helping her team earn a season-opening, 3-2, win over the Washington Spirit. The 2017 ACC Defensive Player of the Year inked a two-year deal with the Courage in late March, after spending over a year away from soccer. She was originally drafted 11th overall by the Spirit in 2018, and played for AC Sparta Praha in the Czech First League for 10 months before a stint with OL Reign.
DeBree and the Courage are back in action on Tuesday, April 20, when they travel to Montclair, N.J., for a matchup with NY/NJ Gotham FC at 6 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Ella Stevens – Duke '20
Chicago Red Stars – Midfielder
Stevens enters her second NWSL season after seeing limited action during the 2020 Challenge Cup and Fall Series. The 24th overall selection in the 2020 NWSL Draft, who finished her Duke career ranked sixth in program history with 82 points, Stevens has logged 95 minutes over two career games.
The Red Stars opened the 2021 season with a 0-0 draw against the Houston Dash on Friday, April 9. Their home debut is set for Thursday, April 15, when they face Portland Thorns FC at 7:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Alli Lipsher – Duke '08
Kansas City – Goalkeeper Coach
Lipsher joined Kansas City's staff as goalkeeper coach in January, and heads into the team's inaugural season in her first role in the NWSL coaching ranks. She spent two-plus seasons as the women's soccer director of goalkeeping at the University of Minnesota, following stops as Trinity College, East Carolina and Arizona. This past fall, Lipsher also served as the first director of goalkeeping for Minneapolis City Soccer Club of the National Premier Soccer League. In 2018, Lipsher's debut season at Minnesota, the Gophers won the Big Ten Tournament Championship, while goalkeeper Maddie Nielsen earned Defensive Most Outstanding Player honors.
Lipsher ended her Duke career as one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in program history. She was a three-time All-Southeast Region selection and her 33 shutouts rank second at Duke and fourth on the ACC career charts.
Kansas City came up short in its inaugural match, falling 2-1 to Portland Thorns FC on Friday, April 9. The club's next match is at the Chicago Red Stars on Tuesday, April 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Becca Moros – Duke '07
NY/NJ Gotham FC – Assistant Coach
Moros was added to the then-Sky Blue FC staff in March of 2020, and enters her second season in her current role, after spending over a decade as a player in professional women's soccer leagues. Within the NWSL, she appeared in 105 total matches in stints with Sky Blue FC (2012), Portland Thorns FC (2014), FC Kansas City (2015, 2017), the Houston Dash (2016) and Utah Royals FC (2018-19).
At Duke, Moros was a third-team All-American in 2006 and three-time All-ACC performer. She finished her career with 15 goals and 20 assists for 50 points in 86 appearances.
For more information on Duke women's soccer, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC."
#GoDuke
This season features a new competition format, led off by the NWSL Challenge Cup that began on Friday. A 24-match regular season will kick off on May 15 and conclude on October 30, one week before the start of the NWSL Playoffs, which are expanding from four to six teams.
Quinn – Duke '17
OL Reign – Midfielder
The highest draft selection in Duke program history, Quinn enters their fourth NWSL season, but just their second full campaign. After appearing in 17 matches with the Washington Spirit in 2018, they signed with Paris FC of the French women's first division. In 2019, Quinn returned to the NWSL, inking a deal with OL Reign (formerly Reign FC) and playing six matches. With the 2020 regular season replaced by the Challenge Cup, Quinn competed in each of Reign's four matches. They have logged 1,944 minutes of action in the professional league, since being selected third overall in the 2018 NWSL Draft.
Quinn has also become a mainstay in the Canadian Women's National Team lineup. The Toronto, Ontario native has represented their country in two matches in 2021, picking up an assist against Wales in an international friendly on Friday, April 9.
OL Reign opens the 2021 Challenge Cup on Friday, April 16, when it takes on the Houston Dash at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Wash. Kickoff is set for 10 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Imani Dorsey – Duke '17
NJ/NY Gotham FC – Forward
The 2018 NWSL Rookie of the Year enters her fourth season in the league with NY/NJ Gotham FC, which rebranded from Sky Blue FC on April 6. Dorsey has played in 44 NWSL games with six goals and one assist, and in 2019 was called up from the U.S. Women's National Team training camp roster to compete in the squad's final two matches of the calendar year.
NY/NJ Gotham FC gets its Challenge Cup slate started on Wednesday, April 14, when the team faces the Orlando Pride at 7 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Schuyler DeBree – Duke '17
NC Courage – Defender
DeBree made her NWSL debut and first career start for the NC Courage on Friday, April 10. She logged a full 90 minutes on the back end, helping her team earn a season-opening, 3-2, win over the Washington Spirit. The 2017 ACC Defensive Player of the Year inked a two-year deal with the Courage in late March, after spending over a year away from soccer. She was originally drafted 11th overall by the Spirit in 2018, and played for AC Sparta Praha in the Czech First League for 10 months before a stint with OL Reign.
DeBree and the Courage are back in action on Tuesday, April 20, when they travel to Montclair, N.J., for a matchup with NY/NJ Gotham FC at 6 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Ella Stevens – Duke '20
Chicago Red Stars – Midfielder
Stevens enters her second NWSL season after seeing limited action during the 2020 Challenge Cup and Fall Series. The 24th overall selection in the 2020 NWSL Draft, who finished her Duke career ranked sixth in program history with 82 points, Stevens has logged 95 minutes over two career games.
The Red Stars opened the 2021 season with a 0-0 draw against the Houston Dash on Friday, April 9. Their home debut is set for Thursday, April 15, when they face Portland Thorns FC at 7:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Alli Lipsher – Duke '08
Kansas City – Goalkeeper Coach
Lipsher joined Kansas City's staff as goalkeeper coach in January, and heads into the team's inaugural season in her first role in the NWSL coaching ranks. She spent two-plus seasons as the women's soccer director of goalkeeping at the University of Minnesota, following stops as Trinity College, East Carolina and Arizona. This past fall, Lipsher also served as the first director of goalkeeping for Minneapolis City Soccer Club of the National Premier Soccer League. In 2018, Lipsher's debut season at Minnesota, the Gophers won the Big Ten Tournament Championship, while goalkeeper Maddie Nielsen earned Defensive Most Outstanding Player honors.
Lipsher ended her Duke career as one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in program history. She was a three-time All-Southeast Region selection and her 33 shutouts rank second at Duke and fourth on the ACC career charts.
Kansas City came up short in its inaugural match, falling 2-1 to Portland Thorns FC on Friday, April 9. The club's next match is at the Chicago Red Stars on Tuesday, April 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Becca Moros – Duke '07
NY/NJ Gotham FC – Assistant Coach
Moros was added to the then-Sky Blue FC staff in March of 2020, and enters her second season in her current role, after spending over a decade as a player in professional women's soccer leagues. Within the NWSL, she appeared in 105 total matches in stints with Sky Blue FC (2012), Portland Thorns FC (2014), FC Kansas City (2015, 2017), the Houston Dash (2016) and Utah Royals FC (2018-19).
At Duke, Moros was a third-team All-American in 2006 and three-time All-ACC performer. She finished her career with 15 goals and 20 assists for 50 points in 86 appearances.
For more information on Duke women's soccer, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC."
#GoDuke
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