Seattle Reign FC Signs Rutgers Defender Emily Mason

Mason, who was named to the 2025 USWNT Futures Camp today, becomes the Reign’s first collegiate signing since the NWSL has transitioned away from the NWSL Draft

Seattle Reign FC today announced that the club has signed Rutgers defender Emily Mason through the 2025 NWSL season. The signing of Mason marks the first college athlete to sign with the Reign following the league’s transition away from the NWSL Draft.

“We are excited to welcome Emily Mason to the Reign for the 2025 season,” said Seattle Reign FC General Manager Lesle Gallimore. “Emily is a smart, versatile and highly skilled defender with tremendous potential as a professional. Her impressive collegiate career and reputation as a leader and teammate speak volumes about her character and talent. We can’t wait to see her in a Reign jersey, and we’re confident she will make a significant impact both on and off the field.” 

Mason, 22, joins the club from Rutgers University where she started in 72 of her 82 total appearances and recorded six goals and seven assists across four seasons. In her collegiate debut with the Scarlet Knights in 2021, the defender helped lead Rutgers to its first Big Ten Conference title for the program and University. 

“I’m so excited to be joining Seattle Reign and making the move to the West Coast,” said Mason. “It’s an incredible club and I can’t wait to get started and begin this new chapter in my career!” 

Throughout her collegiate career, Mason was named to the All-Big Ten First Team (2022, 2024), All-Big Ten Second Team (2023), United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Second Team (2023), United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team (2022) and United Soccer Coaches All-North Region First Team (2022, 2024).

On the international stage, the New Jersey native was selected today for the 2025 USWNT Futures Camp. While representing the United States, she has won a gold medal with the U.S. Youth National Team at the Sud Ladies Cup in 2022 and the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship in 2022 and 2020. During the 2022 competition, Mason started five of seven games, scoring three goals and adding an assist. She was named to the Concacaf U-20 Championship Best XI for her efforts to help the defense record seven straight shutouts during its run to the title. In the 2020 Concacaf U-20 Championship, Mason earned an assist to help the United States defeat Mexico, 4-1.

In 2022, Mason was also called up to represent the United States at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.

Prior to attending Rutgers, Mason was named the 2019-20 Gatorade National Player of the Year and was a back-to-back New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year (2019-20, 2020-21). In 2019, she won the ECNL National Championship with PDA and served as captain of the club at the U-15, U-17 and U-19 levels.