Utah Royals 'version 2.0' is 'bigger, better' and 'finally' here

SANDY — Amy Rodriguez just wants the games to begin already.

It's hard to blame the Utah Royals head coach and former team captain who took her current position one year ago as coach of "a team that didn't exist."

"I took on a coaching role that wasn't on the grass quite yet, but it was in the conference room, on the Zoom calls and in the offices, just trying to plan out and build a team from scratch," Rodriguez said ahead of the team's opener Saturday. "So it finally feels like it's here, and it's the moment we've been waiting for."

The Royals returned to Utah for their second iteration as an expansion team, instead of a relocation as was previously the case in the inaugural 2018 season. Utah Royals 2.0, as newly-minted captain Paige Monaghan put it, was put together via trades, free agency, the expansion draft and the college draft.

The result is a 22-player roster released Wednesday that features five athletes from the state of Utah and just one senior U.S. women's national team appearance despite all but five players being from the U.S. The average age of the team is 24, with seven players making their NWSL debuts this season.

Starting from scratch with a blank slate allowed Rodriguez to watch the team develop and shape itself organically, with players like Monaghan rising to leadership roles without predetermined pressure or expectations.

"From a young age, my parents just taught me to be a servant leader and help others, empower others, and encourage others, so that's just what I did," Monaghan said. "I think that was noticed by the team and appreciated, so when they said my name, I was like, 'OK, yeah, I'm just gonna keep being me.'"

Imani Dorsey, Kate Del Fava and Mandy Haught are the other members of the team's "leadership group," with Dorsey owning the lone senior USWNT cap in 2021.

Rodriguez has said many times that each player on the roster was "hand-picked" and interviewed to make sure they fit the desired culture and wanted to be in Utah.

And what is it that attracted the 22 players to Utah? Rodriguez's name is always at the top of the list as a respected former player, along with the investment from ownership and the community in the form of new and improved resources and initiatives.

A new "multimillion-dollar" Royals-specific training facility is under construction in Herriman, and the team joined Real Salt Lake in a partnership with Intermountain Health to promote mental health and well-being, especially among youth, in the Salt Lake area.

Several players mentioned being passionate about mental health and healthcare overall during preseason interviews, creating a natural attraction.

"I think what's special is that Utah has been very vocal and just very upfront about it that like, 'Hey, we're doing everything we can to make it about you guys,'" Monaghan said. "And what can you bring to the table for the community, for each other and for the Royals?"

For a team that didn't exist a year ago, a lot has taken shape in a short time for the Royals, but there are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to the on-field product.

Monaghan will be there — that much was made certain with her captaincy — along with Dorsey, Del Fava and Haught (after she serves a one-game suspension for a red card to end last season).

Fans will need a seat at America First Field to find out the rest.

"I have a feeling that the Salt Lake City community is going to show up bigger and better than ever," Rodriguez said. "And that's a really great feeling to go into this game with."

The club announced the season-opener against Chicago is sold out, with over 20,000 spectators expected at 5:30 p.m. MDT at America First Field on Saturday.

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