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Portland Thorns FC Announce Opening Day Roster

By Scott Sinclair

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The Portland Thorns FC have announced the team’s season-opening roster for the 2015 NWSL campaign. Thorns FC open the 2015season a t home Saturday against the Boston Breakers.

Led by second-year head coach Paul Riley and assistant coaches Skip Thorp and Scott Vallow, Thorns FC enter their third season in the league with perhaps their deepest and most experienced roster, featuring 11 players who have played with their respective national teams and eight with FIFA Women’s World Cup experience.

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The current roster is highlighted by a number of high-profile national team players, including U.S. Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan, midfielder Tobin Heath and defender Rachel Van Hollebeke; Canada Women’s National Team forward Christine Sinclair and defenders Kaylyn Kyle and Rhian Wilkinson; Germany Women’s National Team goalkeeper Nadine Angerer; and England Women’s National Team forward Jodie Taylor. Taylor, the newest international addition, was acquired as part of a 2015 NWSL College Draft-day trade. In 2014 with the Washington Spirit, Taylor tallied 11 goals and two assists, earning NWSL Second XI accolades. One of the top goals scorers in the NWSL in 2014 midfielder Allie Long returns for a third season in Portland after a career-best year in 2014, recording nine goals and three assists and earning NWSL Second XI honors.

Portland also acquired several key players through key offseason trades, including defender Kat Williamson, who played for Thorns FC during her rookie season in 2013, experienced midfielder McCall Zerboni and defender Kendall Johnson, while also signing midfielder Sarah Robbins, who previously played with Finnish club Åland United.

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    • Australia Women’s National Team defender Steph Catley returns to Portland for her second season and will join Thorns FC after competing at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Equatorial Guinea National Team forward Genoveva (Ayo) Añonma will join the team in May after the conclusion of her season with Turbine Potsdam in Germany’s Frauen Bundesliga.

    In addition, six other players return as part of Portland’s roster for the 2015 campaign, including midfielders Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly and defender Emily Menges, who appeared in more than half of Portland’s regular-season matches in 2014.

    2015 Portland Thorns FC Roster
    (as of April 6, 2015)
    GOALKEEPERS (2): Nadine Angerer, Michelle Betos
    DEFENDERS (8): Steph Catley, Kendall Johnson, Kaylyn Kyle, Emily Menges, Courtney Niemiec, Rachel Van Hollebeke, Rhian Wilkinson, Kat Williamson
    MIDFIELDERS (6): Sinead Farrelly, Tobin Heath, Allie Long, Sarah Robbins, Mana Shim, McCall Zerboni
    FORWARDS (5): Genoveva (Ayo) Añonma, Alex Morgan, Christine Sinclair, Jodie Taylor, Hanna Terry

    Thorns FC start the 2015 NWSL regular season with back-to-back home matches, playing host to the Boston Breakers in their home opener on Saturday, April 11, at Providence Park; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (Pacific). Portland takes on the Western New York Flash on Saturday, April 18, at Providence Park; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (Pacific).

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