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SALT LAKE CITY — The NWSL Expansion Draft technically doesn't happen until Friday, but the Utah Royals got a head start by adding five players from five different teams via trade Tuesday.
Every trade the Royals made so far this offseason has come with the promise that the Utah expansion team will not take a player from that team in the expansion draft when teams can protect just nine players and leave the rest open to selection by the Royals and fellow expansion team Bay FC.
Utah has made the deal with nine of the 12 teams that are forced to participate in the draft, essentially conducting its own private expansion draft ahead of the actual event. The five players added Tuesday — including the first two goalkeepers on the team — bring the roster total to 12 players.
Three of Tuesday's additions have played soccer in Utah before, with former Royal Kate Del Fava returning from Kansas City, Lindon native and University of Utah alum Carly Nelson coming from Orlando, and Lone Peak and BYU alum Cameron Tucker acquired from the Houston Dash to join her former Cougars teammate Mikayla Cluff.
"So excited to be coming home, this is a dream come true!" Tucker said on X. "Can't wait to get started."
Carly Nelson joins the @UtahRoyalsFC GK squad! pic.twitter.com/FIoeyounpD
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) December 13, 2023
Nelson called her return to Utah "a full circle moment," and added: "There's no place like home." She was one of two goalkeepers acquired Tuesday, joining Virginia Tech alum Mandy Haught from Gotcham FC.
Forward Hannah Betfort was also announced Tuesday in a trade from the Portland Thorns, becoming the third Royals striker, alongside Tucker and fellow BYU alum Michele Vasconcelos, who was signed in free agency.
A BYU women's program that has made the Sweet 16 in four of the last five seasons is well-represented on the Royals with three players so far.
Other Utah free-agent acquisitions, in addition to Vasconcelos, include defenders Imani Dorsey and Madison Pogarch. The Royals also acquired four picks in January's NWSL draft in their deals Tuesday, including the No. 4 overall pick to pair with the No. 1 overall pick the team already possesses.
The NWSL Expansion Draft will be broadcast Friday at 5 p.m. MST on CBS Sports Network.
