Women & Sport: Despite FC Gotham absence, plenty of NJ-grown talent in NWSL playoffs

The National Women’s Soccer League postseason is here — and, already, it’s been one for the books.

In the first round of the playoffs, the league broke its playoff attendance record — twice. Just hours after the Houston Dash announced a record crowd of 21,284 in Texas, San Diego Wave topped that with 26,215 fans in California. This year’s NWSL Championship game on Oct. 29 will also air during prime time for the first time ever, which will likely draw record viewership numbers.

Players are also taking to the pitch with a heaviness around the league after the bombshell Yates report published earlier this month. For a second year in a row, players entered the postseason having to relive some of the most traumatic experiences of their lives. Though the aftershocks from the Yates report are still being felt — with the NWSL and NWSLPA joint-investigation still pending — it’s important that players continue to be celebrated. The NWSL social team said it best: “As playoffs begin this weekend, giving our athletes the spotlight and recognition is essential.”

As the season draws to a close, there’s still plenty of great soccer to watch. The Portland Thorns and San Diego Wave kick off the playoff weekend on Saturday at 5 p.m., followed right after with OL Reign and Kansas City Current at 7:30 p.m. The winner of each will then head to Audi Field in Washington D.C. for the title game the following weekend.

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Though New Jersey’s local club Gotham FC finished in the bottom of the league, there are still plenty of athletes with deep ties to the Garden State who will square off in this weekend’s semifinal round worth watching.

Gabby Provenzano, Portland Thorns

The 23-year-old midfielder who hails from Sergeantsville in Hunterdon County is a familiar name for Rutgers Scarlet Knight fans. She was part of last year’s squad that made history by earning the university its first Big Ten regular season conference title by going undefeated in conference play. Provenzano, a five-year member of the Scarlet Knights, was key to helping Rutgers punch its tickets to the 2021 Women’s College Cup.

When Provenzano signed with the Portland Thorns, this is what head coach Rhian Wilkinson had to say: “Gabby arrived into our environment completely unflappable. Calm under pressure, hardworking, ready to learn, she has been a pleasure to coach and has seamlessly integrated into the team.”

Amirah Ali, San Diego Wave

Amirah Ali, 23, was also a member of last year’s historic Rutgers Scarlet Knights team. A nominee for Big Ten Woman of the Year, Ali is one of the most decorated athletes in Rutgers women’s soccer history. Though this season was her debut in the NWSL, Ali was drafted in 2021 by the Portland Thorns while still in college. The Voorhees native was later traded to San Diego.

Ali will be squaring off against her former teammate, Provenzano, this weekend. That game is sure to be a good one to watch, but for Rutgers fans it will be a special moment to see the dynamic pair reunite on the pitch. After all, this is what Ali said in her final post-game press conference as a Scarlet Knight: “One thing we like to stress is ‘Forever Rutgers. Forever family.'”

Kristen McNabb, San Diego Wave

The 28-year-old forward most recently played with OL Reign, where she played for five seasons. The Montville native was drafted by the club, then called Seattle Reign FC, during the 2017 NWSL College Draft. She also played for the Australian Club Melbourne Victory while on load for the off-season. San Diego selected McNabb in the NWSL Expansion Draft. She also has played with the United States under-18 and under-23 national teams.

McNabb played for the University of Virginia for four years, after redshirting her first season due to an injury. Though she did not go to Rutgers, she has a close connection to the state school: her older sister, Lindsey, played for the Scarlet Knights.

Kristen Edmonds, Kansas City Current

Kristen Edmonds is an eight-year veteran of the NWSL with more than 100 career appearances in the league. The 35-year-old is a defender – but can play midfield or forward interchangeably. Edmonds’ soccer resume is impressive: she has played professional in Iceland and Russia, before signing with the Western New York Flash in the NWSL for the 2014 season. The following year she was traded to expansion team Orlando Pride, where she stayed until she was signed by Kansas City in 2021.

The Metuchen native is also a former Scarlet Knight. Edmonds cemented her legacy in program history for becoming the first rookie to lead the team in scoring since Carli Lloyd.

Sydney Schneider, Kansas City Current

If you watched the 2019 World Cup, then you probably remember Sydney Schneider. At just 19 years old, the South Brunswick native made her World Cup debut as the keeper for the Jamaican national team. The 5’10” Schneider had such an impressive performance in her debut with the Reggae Girlz, some of the most iconic names in sports praised her on social media — like when fellow Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt tweeted at her with “yes, mi keeper.”

Schneider is in her second professional season with Kansas City, after being drafted by the Washington Spirit last year. In college, she played for the UNC Wilmington Seahawks, setting her mark in program history as only the second goalkeeper to play every minute in her freshman year.

Tobin Heath, OL Reign

Tobin Heath is one of those players who need no introduction. The 34-year-old New Jersey native — born in Morristown and raised in Basking Ridge — has been a longtime member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, having won gold in two Olympics and two World Cup titles. She played for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels in college and helped the team secure three national championships.

Her professional playing career is expansive. She was the first overall pick in the Women’s Professional Soccer 2010 College Draft and was selected by the Atlanta Beat. She spent many years with the Portland Thorns when the NWSL was then just a newly established league. She has also played oversees for Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Arsenal. She returned to the states in June, when she signed with OL Reign.

Tziarra King, OL Reign

The 24-year-old forward was raised in Sicklerville and is a former member of the Winslow Township High School varsity team, where she set a record as the all-time leading scorer for both boys and girls. King attended North Carolina State University, and finished her collegiate career ranked third all-time in career goals and points.

King was drafted eighth overall in the 2020 NWSL College Draft by the Utah Royals — becoming the first-ever player to be drafted in the league from North Carolina State University’s women’s soccer program. She made her debut in the league during the 2020 Challenge Cup, scoring her first goal in less than 20 minutes on the field as a second-half sub. She was later traded to OL Reign in January 2021, and was an instrumental in helping the team secure its first place finish during the regular season.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: FC Gotham out, but plenty of NJ-grown talent in NWSL playoffs