OL Reign Acquires Midfielder Rose Lavelle
OL Reign today announced that it has acquired midfielder Rose Lavelle in a trade with the Washington Spirit. In exchange, Washington will receive OL Reign’s natural first round draft pick in the 2022 NWSL College Draft, $100,000 in allocation money, and additional allocation money conditioned upon Lavelle’s future playing status in the NWSL.
The agreement with Washington was made with the understanding that Lavelle is expected to sign an agreement to play outside the NWSL with immediate effect. As a result of the trade, OL Reign will control Lavelle’s future playing rights in the NWSL.
“Rose is an incredible talent that we believe has all the attributes to be the best player in the world. While we would have loved to have Rose join our club today, she fits perfectly into our long-term vision for the squad,” said OL Reign CEO Bill Predmore. “It was the vision of Jean-Michel [Aulas] and the support of OL that made this deal this possible for our club. We are willing to make the necessary short-term sacrifices, exercise the needed patience, and do whatever work is required to realize our goal of bringing Rose to OL Reign in the future.”
Lavelle played her college soccer at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Lavelle scored 22 goals in 84 matches for the Badgers and was a four-time First Team All-Big Ten selection. The midfielder was also recognized as an NSCAA First Team All-American as a junior and a Second Team All-American as a sophomore and senior.
The Cincinnati, Ohio native spent the last three seasons with the Washington Spirit, where she made 21 appearances across all competitions. Most recently, the 25-year-old helped the Spirit to the NWSL Challenge Cup quarterfinals, scoring a goal in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars on June 27.
Lavelle is a regular fixture on the U.S. Women’s National Team since making her debut in 2017. She was a key part of the U.S. WNT’s 2019 World Cup campaign, starting six matches and scoring three goals—including one in the final against the Netherlands—en route to winning the Bronze Ball. In total, Lavelle has scored 12 goals and added seven assists in 45 appearances for the national team.
“Our project with OL Reign is ambitious, which requires taking smart, strategic risks to achieve our objectives,” said OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti. “We all know that Rose is a special player, so for me this is a chance we had to take. I very much hope that we will have the chance to work with Rose in the future, and I am excited about supporting her as she works to achieve her destiny as one of the best players in the world.”