NWSL’s Most Impactful 2024 U18 Signings

Taylor Vincent
Taylor Vincent, Resident NWSL ExpertMay 21, 2024
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What is the U18 Entry Mechanism?

The U18 Entry Mechanism was new to the NWSL for the 2023 season, and expanded upon in the 2024 offseason as seven players joined squads using the mechanism compared to three for the entirety of the 2023 offseason and regular season. 

Any player 17 years old or younger can enter the NWSL via the U18 Entry Mechanism. The league maintains a non-public U18 Entry List. Each team is limited to four players between their U18 Entry List and Roster. Once a player turns 18, they no longer count towards that total of four. These spots are not tradeable and a player must be signed to a guaranteed contract within 30 days of being placed on the Entry List.

Most Impactful 2024 Signings

1. Claire Hutton

Signed Team: Kansas City Current

Current Age: 18 years old

Contract: Through the 2026 season

Hutton is the sole U18 player signed this offseason who has started in every single regular season match for her team, earning 10 starts and playing 9 full matches for the Kansas City Current. Hutton’s outstanding play during the season has led to her earning a callup to the U.S. Under-20’s Youth National Team who will play two games against South Korea in the coming weeks. Last year Hutton helped the U.S. U19 WNT win the bronze medal at the 2023 Pan American Games. 

2. Emeri Adames

Signed Team: Seattle Reign

Current Age: 18 years old

Contract: Through the 2027 season 

Adames wasn’t planning on going pro this year, but after spending some time during preseason training with the Reign, decided to make the leap. Since then she has played in all 10 games for the Reign and started in three. The Reign have had a rough start to the year, currently sitting in 13th out of 14 teams, but Adames has performed well when starting and been a boost of energy when she comes in off the bench. Prior to joining the Reign Adames won a bronze with the U.S. U-19’s in the Pan Am games, and played with for the U.S. in the 2022 U-17 Women’s World Cup. She also got a call up for the U20's friendlies against South Korea at the end of the month.

3. Kimmi Ascanio

Signed Team: San Diego Wave

Current Age: 16 years old

Contract: Through 2026 season 

The youngest of the U18 Entry players, Kimmi Ascanio’s limited minutes are no surprise with San Diego Wave head coach Casey Stoney’s view on making sure not to overburden young players and putting them in positions to challenge them but where they can succeed. This season she’s tallied 137 minutes over two starts and five games played. When she’s played Ascanio has shown her prowess on the ball with an 82.5% passing accuracy and an assist. In February, Ascanio was the youngest player on the U.S. U17 youth national team roster during the 2024 Concacaf Women’s U17 Championship. In the semifinal Ascanio scored three goals in eight minutes in the semifinal against Haiti and followed that performance with a goal in the final where the U.S. took home the Championship. 

4. Kennedy Fuller

Signed Team: Angel City FC

Current Age: 17 years old

Contract: Through 2026 season 

Fuller began the season with three straight starts for Angel City, and in their nine matches, she has started five and played in seven. Fuller played brilliantly for the LA-based side in the season opener but hasn’t had super consistent performances across matches, which is partially expected for a 17-year old. Angel City’s depth in the midfield position is especially low with the departure of Amandine Henry on Deadline Day back in April so for Fuller, the opportunity to get minutes and continue to grow and develop will continue. 

5. Alex Pfeiffer

Signed Team: Kansas City Current

Current Age: 16 years old

Contract: Through 2026 season 

The sole of this year’s class of U-18 Entries with a goal this season, Pfeiffer scored in her professional debut in the season opener. She may not have a start yet for the unbeaten Kansas City but she has played in seven of their ten matches. Pfeiffer joined Ascanio on the U17’s at the Concacaf U17 Championship in February and scored in both the semifinal and the final, tallying six goals throughout the tournament. 

Wait and See: 

Gisele Thompson

Signed Team: Angel City FC

Current Age: 18 years old

Contract: Through 2025 season 

Thompson’s season began with a rocky start as after getting in a late game debut in the season opener, she picked up a knock on her ankle and would proceed to be mentioned as ‘OUT’ on the Angel City availability report for the next four matches. Thus far this year, the young defender has only tallied 100 minutes and one start in four matches. Her sole start was this past weekend against the Washington Spirit where she played a solid 76 until a collision in the box that led to treatment on the pitch and then being subbed out. Thompson got the call for the U20’s end of the month friendlies against South Korea, helped the USA qualify for the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup last summer as well as aiding the U19’s win the bronze at the 2023 Pan Am Games.

Casey Phair

Signed Team: Angel City FC

Current Age: 16 years old

Contract : Through 2026 season 

Casey Phair is the sole U18 player who has yet to appear in a single regular season match and simultaneously has not been injured. She has however been away with the South Korean U17 women’s national team at the U17 Asian Cup since the beginning of the month, and scored a brace in the third medal match to put her side up 2-1 over China and take home a medal. Phair was the youngest player in history to appear in a FIFA Women’s World Cup last summer, but is still awaiting her NWSL debut. 

 


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