Kristie Mewis is now a member of Seattle Reign FC after being traded from FC Kansas City for Amy Rodriguez. (Photo Copyright Thad Bell for www.womens.soccerly.com | http://www.tpbphoto.com/)
FC Kansas City have traded Kristie Mewis to Seattle Reign FC in exchange for forward Amy Rodriguez.
Rodriguez missed the entire 2013 National Women’s Soccer League season due to pregnancy, but gave birth in August and is back to training on her own. Tom Sermanni said last month that he expects to have Rodriguez in the United States’ December training camp.
Mewis had one goal in 20 starts for FC Kansas City in her rookie season after being drafted No. 3 overall in the 2013 NWSL College Draft. Mewis played primarily as a wide midfielder in the beginning of the season before shifting to outside back.
Seattle officials told The Equalizer that they plan to use Mewis as an outside forward.
“Kristie is a young, bright and talented player who we feel can benefit our long-term plan,” said Reign FC coach and general manager Laura Harvey. “She has proven that she can be a high-level player in this environment and we feel we have the structure to help push Kristie to the next level.”
Given that NWSL rules require an allocated player to be traded for an allocated player of the same nationality, the news unofficially firms up what Seattle was expecting: That Rodriguez will be subsidized by U.S. Soccer in 2014. Mewis became subsidized somewhere in the middle of the 2013 season.
“I was surprised when I heard that Kansas City was interested in me,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “I watched them play in Seattle last season and from a soccer standpoint I’m very excited about the prospects. I love the style and strategy they use in their play.”
The trade also comes following a report this morning that FC Kansas City has signed Nikki Krzysik. The Equalizer has confirmed the signing as well.
Seattle has been busy this offseason trying to rebuild a team that went 5-14-3 (18 pts.) and finished seventh in the eight-team NWSL. They acquired defensive midfielder Mariah Nogueira and defender Carmelina Moscato from Boston as they parted ways with Kaylyn Kyle, and Seattle locked up Keelin Winters to a two-year deal following her removal from U.S. Soccer’s subsidized players program.
Nikki Marshall and Mexican international defender Alina Garciamendez are also under Seattle’s roster now, though it is unclear if either will play in 2014.
