NWSL Team of the Week: Players and clubs stamp their tickets to playoffs, Racing Louisville in for first time

That’s a wrap on the 2025 NWSL regular season after a wild Decision Day. The playoff bracket is finally set, and the postseason brings out a new energy for teams in the mix. Players battled for final spots and to generate as much momentum as possible for the new journey ahead, which means it’s time for Attacking Third’s team of the week. 

After weekly fixtures across the 2025 NWSL campaign, Attacking Third analysts select a team of the week, head coach, and honorary captain based on performances across the weekend. If you’re keeping track of who has been on our past lineups, make sure to look back at our team selections from week 25.

NWSL playoff weekend gears up Friday with Orlando Pride and Seattle Reign. The quarterfinal will conclude on Sunday as first-place Kansas City hosts eighth-place Gotham FC, and No. 3 Portland Thorns FC faces No. 6 San Diego Wave FC.

Racing Louisville clinched its first-ever postseason birth with a nail-biting, 1-0, win over Bay FC on Sunday. The final result lifted them up into seventh place, and they’ll face No. 2-seeded Washington Spirit on Saturday (Nov. 8, 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS). 

CBS is the home of the NWSL Championship, and teams will compete for a spot in the final on Nov. 22. Fans can watch select NWSL playoff matches across CBS platforms, including CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, and CBS Sports Golazo Network.

Take a look at our best XI:

Goalkeeper: Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals)

In a season of highs and lows for the Utah Royals, Mandy McGlynn has been a bit of calm and consistency for the club this year. While it took the group some time to get going, they were nearly unstoppable in the second half of the season, and a clean sheet against the No. 2 seed will just be more momentum for this squad to build off next year. 

Defender: Carson Pickett (Orlando Pride)

As the Orlando Pride begin their title defense, the 2024 NWSL Champions will need all hands on deck to make a deep playoff run. Veteran fullback Carson Pickett has become a go-to x-factor for the squad off the bench, and she scored a big goal on decision day for the team to keep them at home for the quarterfinals.

Defender: Arin Wright (Racing Louisville)

Defender Arin Wright has stepped up for the group with leadership and experience, and aided the team once again by helping maintain a clean sheet in front of goalkeeper Jordan Bloomer. She led the team in clearances (five) and shots (four). 

“The beginning of the season, we came out, we found our identity. We knew who we were. And we were bought into it. And every team has their slump throughout the season. We had that slump. We kept getting scored on, in the 90th minute of games, and it was just so defeating, game after game,” Wright told Attacking Third after Louisville’s playoff clinch. 

“But I think it just really is a testament to this group and the individuals here and the resilience that they have as players to go through that spell of games and then at the back end of the season, pull through and have the games that we have and finish the way that we did still within that identity that we had on the front end of the season.”

Defender: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC)

The 19-year-old center back has taken a huge step in development this year as a crucial piece of Seattle’s iconic five-back.  She’s found herself on the end of big goals from distance this season, and decision day was no different, with her equalizer off a recycled set piece.

Defender: Janine Sonis (Racing Louisville FC)

When Racing Louisville needed a big adjustment on the backline, a former forward stepped up. Janine Sonis’ ability to direct attack from a lower position has paid off, and games for Racing have often flowed through her. She led the team in chances created (eight) and touches (69) on decision day.

Midfielder: Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage)

North Carolina Courage came up just short of the 2025 NWSL postseason, but they went out with a bang and plenty of positives to end on. Japan international Manaka Matsukubo went on a complete tear in the second half of the season, scoring seven of her 11 regular-season goals, including this long-distance goalkeeper chip. 

Midfielder: Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns FC)

A massive performance by Canadian international Jessie Fleming for Portland Thorns on Decision Day, with a goal and an assist. They’ll need her playmaking skills as they begin the playoffs, especially if she’s scoring daggers from distance like this one:

Midfielder: Claudia Zornoza (Utah Royals)

The end of the regular season brought plenty of excitement but also a slew of farewells. Midfielder Claudia Zornoza is retiring after a 17-year career and led the team in recoveries (five) and chances created (three).

Forward: Debinha (Kansas City Current)

The 2025 NWSL Shield winners were without Temwa Chawinga on decision day and lost Bia Zaneratto early in the final regular-season game. It didn’t matter because the Current have Debinha on the roster. The Brazilian international scored a clinical free kick that froze everyone in the box.

Forward: Jordan Huitema (Seattle Reign FC)

It’s no secret that the Wave have been in a drought in front of goal, but that’s finally changing now that Delphine Cascarino is back in the mix. She’s back on the active roster after nursing a knee injury and setting up teammates for crucial goals.

“Jordan Huitema for me, and when she came on and what she did for Seattle, she just changed the picture,” Attacking Third analyst McCall Zerboni said.

“Her aerial presence, her hold up play, and by the way, she had this one moment where she sprinted off the ball, and I was like, ‘girl, when did you get fast?’ Like she is actually quite quick, she can move, and so I wish she would stretch the line a little bit more. She’s always checking back to give her a hold-up play, but she shows that she can also run in behind, and I feel like if they had done that more tonight, they would have had more chances against Orlando, but anyway, she was a standout, did great.”

Forward: Ella Hase (Racing Louisville)

First-year players stepping up in big-time moments and making even bigger plays are just part of Racing Louisville’s story this season. Rookie Ella Hase helped the club achieve playoff history with her game winning goal on decision day.

Coach: Bev Yanez (Racing Louisville FC)

It’s no secret that Racing Louisville is stepping into the playoff spotlight as everyone’s underdog favorite, and a big part of their journey is head coach Bev Yanez. Whether it’s making positional adjustments by converting Janine Sonis or giving the group time to form their identity, Yanez is also making history of her own as the first former NWSL player to turn head coach and appear in NWSL playoffs. 

Honorary captain: Decision Day

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. After a one-year absence from the schedule, decision day made its return in 2025 and delivered plenty of big moments. Despite only one playoff spot up for grabs, table seeding was still on the line, and players took the opportunity to showcase their talents. Here’s to more wild moments together in the future.