The 2026 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season kicked off with 27 former athletes from current Big 12 member institutions.
Texas Tech led the list of Big 12 alumni with six players on five rosters, followed by TCU with five players rostered. BYU and West Virginia tied with four former players, while Utah and Colorado had two players named to NWSL rosters. Cincinnati and Iowa State garnered one selection apiece.
Following the 2025 NCAA season, eight players who competed on Big 12 rosters a season ago earned spots on 2026 NWSL rosters. Colorado’s Jordan Nytes (Goalkeeper of the Year), TCU’s Seven Castain (Scholar-Athlete of the Year) and Macy Blackburn (Defender of the Year) were 2025 Big 12 season award winners who were signed to NWSL rosters.
Additionally, UCF’s Rajanah Reed (Angel FC), Cincinnati’s Camryn Miller (Bay FC), Texas Tech’s Faith Nguyen (Angel FC) and Molly Skurcenski (Washington) and West Virginia’s Taylor White (Racing Louisville) competed in the NCAA a season ago. Seven of the eight first-year NWSL players received All-Big 12 honors during the 2025 campaign.
On the defensive end, the list includes the last four winners of the Big 12’s Goalkeeper of the Year in CU’s Jordan Nytes (2022, 2024-25) and TTU’s Madison White (2023). The Red Raiders have garnered the Conference’s last three selections in Defender of the Year with Hannah Anderson (2023) and Macy Blackburn (2024-25). Boston Legacy FC defender Bianca St-Georges captured the Big 12’s Defender of the Year award in 2018 after earning the Newcomer of the Year in 2015.
The 2024 Big 12 Midfielder of the Year, Oli Pena, joins former teammate Messiah Bright (Newcomer, 2018) as Big 12 award winners now in the NWSL.
The NWSL regular season ends Nov. 1.
Big 12 Alumni on 2026 NWSL Rosters
Angel FC
Faith Nguyen, Texas Tech
Rajanah Reed, UCF
Bay FC
Jamie Shepherd, BYU
Camryn Miller, Cincinnati
Jordan Silkowitz, Iowa State
Maddie Moreau, West Virginia
Boston Legacy FC
Bianca St-Georges, West Virginia
Chicago Stars
Nadia Gomes, BYU
Denver Summit FC
Jordan Nytes, Colorado
Houston Dash
Caroline DeLisle, UCF
Messiah Bright, TCU
Yazmeen Ryan, TCU
Kansas City Current
Gabrielle Robinson, West Virginia
North Carolina Courage
Oli Pena, TCU
Ryan Williams, TCU
Carly Wickenheiser, Texas Tech
Madison White, Texas Tech
Orlando Pride
Seven Castain, TCU
Hannah Anderson, Texas Tech
Racing Louisville
Taylor Flint, Colorado
Macy Blackburn, Texas Tech
Katie O’Kane, Utah
Taylor White, West Virginia
Utah Royals
Brecken Mozingo, BYU
Courtney Brown, Utah
Washington Spirit
Ashley Hatch, BYU
Molly Skurcenski, Texas Tech
* italicized denotes players on Big 12 rosters during the 2025 season