NWSL MVP Tracker 4.0: Can Rodman catch Banda and Chawinga?

September 19, 2024, 08:00 AM US Eastern Time

Pumpkin spice lattes and cool night temperatures can only mean one thing for American football fans: awards season is upon us.

The NWSL is in the home stretch with just six rounds of play remaining in the regular season. As teams vie for a playoff spot, the race for the MVP award has narrowed. Thus, the fourth and penultimate edition of ESPN's NWSL MVP Tracker is also a shorter list.

In each of the first three editions of this tracker, we named a shortlist of 15 players, but this time we narrowed it down to 10. Realistically, it's probably a two-player race and there are usually five finalists, but there's still time for other players to climb the rankings with a late-season boost.

Here's a closer look at the 10 MVP candidates heading into the final stretch of the NWSL season.

10. Ann-Katrin Berger, NJ/NY Gotham FC (Previous: 11)

Ann-Katrin Berger makes a great save

Gotham is interesting right now: it's third in the standings and is starting to live up to expectations of being a “superteam,” but for all that star power, there isn't necessarily one standout player. That's where Berger comes in.

Berger leads the NWSL in expected goals after shots minus goals against (PSxG-GA) — and the same measure per 90 minutes — while ranking second behind Orlando's Anna Moorhouse in save percentage and goals against per 90 minutes. Like Orlando, Gotham is offensively loaded but thrives on strong defense. Berger is a big reason for that.

9. Mallory Swanson, Chicago Red Stars (Previous: 6)

The Red Stars remain the team with the most possession in the entire league, and they can do so in large part because they have Swanson, the ultimate danger in moments of transition.

Swanson's seven goals and three assists this season remain solid and necessary for the Red Stars, and it's easy to forget that she's doing all of this (including leading the U.S. women's national team's line to an Olympic gold medal) a year removed from a major knee injury.

8. Vanessa DiBernardo, Kansas City Current (Previous: 15)

A brief midseason injury halted the 32-year-old DiBernardo's early-season renaissance. He continues to prove his value to Kansas City's entire operation by oscillating between attacking and defensive midfield roles (see: last week's scoreless draw in Orlando, when he clogged the midfield channels).

The reality when it comes to the MVP race is that she doesn't play a glamorous position and has the league's leading scorer as a teammate. Still, she's been quietly phenomenal.

7. Ashley Sanchez, North Carolina Courage (Previous: 9)

Ashley Sanchez scores in the 55th minute

Sanchez’s game-tying goal against Bay FC last week made her the first player to score a goal against all 14 active NWSL clubs (including the Courage, whom she only joined this offseason). That’s not a reason on its own to be on an MVP list, but what makes Sanchez stand out is what she does for a Courage team that is about to spend its entire season chasing goals by committee.

She's a playmaker and a finisher, and her off-season arrival is a big reason why North Carolina (still without last year's MVP, Kerolin) sits in fifth place in the standings.

6. Croix Bethune, Washington Spirit (Previous: 3)

As if this writer needed another reason not to be interested in baseball, the NWSL’s clear Rookie of the Year suffered a season-ending injury while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch for the Washington Nationals. Bethune had already dropped the “rookie” label in the MVP race (age doesn’t matter, quality doesn’t) and tied the NWSL single-season record for assists (10, set by Tobin Heath in 2016).

She likely would have set that record and been an MVP finalist had she not had to end her season prematurely. Her stellar form had already earned her a trip to France for the Olympics and a gold medal after being promoted from backup status. Bethune will ultimately not win this award due to injury, but she had an incredible season that was cut short somewhat.

5. Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns (Previous: 4)

Sophia Smith scores a goal for Portland Thorns FC

Where would the Thorns be without Sophia Smith? To be blunt, they probably wouldn't be in playoff contention.

Smith’s 11 goals and six assists have buoyed a Portland team that otherwise appears to be in another late-season free fall. There’s no shortage of talent in Portland, and Smith is the Thorns’ biggest talent. She’s the reigning Golden Boot winner and 2022 MVP for a reason, and she’s shown why many times this season. She’s sensational in 1-on-1 battles or even when she’s outnumbered, and she frequently makes something out of nothing.

She's fallen in this ranking by just one goal since returning from the Olympics, but much of that struggle is a product of what's happening around her (Portland has lost four straight, a club record).

4. Emily Sams, Orlando Pride (Previous: 7)

If you didn't trust our July rankings, you can trust U.S. women's national team head coach Emma Hayes, who days later called Sams “perhaps the best-performing player in the entire league.” Sams' performance earned her a spot on the Olympic roster as an alternate and, ultimately, a gold medal after she was included on match rosters due to Tierna Davidson's injury.

Orlando’s scoreless draw with Kansas City last week was a testament to how good Sams has been in one-on-one play this year. The Pride lead the league with just 12 goals against in 20 games, and goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse is now tied for the NWSL record with 11 shutouts. All of that speaks to the defense of the entire team, but Sams stands out the most among many of the best.

3. Trinity Rodman, Washington Spirit (Previous: 5)

Trinity Rodman scores a magnificent game-tying goal and celebrates a dunk with Magic Johnson

Trinity Rodman scores for Washington Spirit

There's no Olympic bias here, we promise. Yes, Rodman was one of the mainstays of the spectacular “Triple Espresso” threat that helped the U.S. women's team to an Olympic gold medal last month, and that has her on everyone's radar globally. She moves up this list for her continued superlative work for the Washington Spirit.

Last week's brilliant goal against the Houston Dash is the best example of how she can beat multiple players on her own, but the goal and assist she scored off the bench the week before in a 2-1 win over the Thorns were equally important. Rodman has three goals and two assists in four games since the Olympics, and she was already in great form in the first half of the season.

According to TruMedia, Rodman leads the NWSL with 43 chances created. Add to that the defensive work she brings (eight goals and six assists this season), and she's one of the most complete forwards you can find. Washington has a chance to chase Orlando for the NWSL Shield (the award for the best regular-season record) and Rodman is the star in that quest.

2. Barbra Banda, Orlando Pride (Previous: 1)

It's tough to say Banda is on a scoring slump, and that's all relative to his ridiculous pace of 12 goals in his first 12 games in this league, but he hasn't scored in four starts since returning from the Olympics. That lull has caused Banda to lose pace in a tight Golden Boot race, and it also affects the MVP award.

In fact, Banda is still arguably the best player in the NWSL (three general managers agreed in ESPN's anonymous poll). She might also be the league's most complete forward, capable of beating defenders off the dribble, in the air or from behind with an overhead ball.

Still, MVP season is all about timing, and right now, that's favoring their friendly rival…

1. Temwa Chawinga, current Kansas City (Previous: 2)

Temwa Chawinga places himself in goal for the Kansas City Current

Chawinga scored a goal in eight straight regular-season games, a league-record streak that ended with last week's scoreless draw against Orlando. Her 15 goals remain on pace and put her within realistic range of breaking Sam Kerr's single-season record of 18 (which she accomplished in just 21 games).

Kansas City has struggled since the Olympic break, but Chawinga remains the steady, unstoppable force that changes games in an instant. She can do so from multiple positions on the field, too, giving Kansas City attacking options on the left wing or as a center forward.

Chawinga is more than just a goal scorer, too. You'll often find her defending deep in her own half when Kansas City needs coverage or is cornered. She ranks seventh in the NWSL in ball recoveries, according to TruMedia. She's a star goal scorer who also does the dirty work.