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NJ/NY Gotham FC has had an incredible 2026 season. The Bats won the NWSL Challenge Cup over the summer. Then, they recently lifted the NWSL Shield for the first time, securing first place in the NWSL standings with an 18-5-7 record. And now, they are chasing their third NWSL Championship in four years.
This has been a magical year, and the talent on the roster and the ability to adjust to adversity have led the Bats to a great season. So, it is not shocking that the team has multiple 2026 NWSL End-of-Year Awards. It was announced that Gotham FC is up for six awards, and there is a high likelihood that the NJ/NY side will come away with a few winners.
Gotham FC's NWSL Award nominees
Juan Carlos Amorós- Coach of the Year
It is no shock that Juan Carlos Amorós is nominated for Coach of the Year. He led Gotham FC to their best season and continues to lead the team to hardware. While it is easy to root for Utah Royals FC's head coach, Jimmy Coenraets, as he led the team to the postseason and a seventh-place finish after his side ended in 12th last year, Amorós is just at another level. He should be the clear front-runner based on what he has done with the Bats.
Ann-Katrin Berger- Goalkeeper of the Year
This is an easy one. Ann-Katrin Berger is up against Jane Campbell of the Houston Dash and Jordan Silkowitz of Bay FC. The reason they are there is that they had the most saves in the NWSL. However, their teams did not make the postseason, and they also conceded 42 and 43 goals, respectively.
Berger, on the other hand, had a stronger backline in front of her. Still, of goalkeepers who played most of the season, she had the lowest goals-against average, at 0.82. Plus, she gave up the least amount of goals, with 23. She also ended the regular season with 87 saves, which puts her in sixth place. So there is really no competition with the Gotham star. She should win the Goalkeeper of the Year, just like she did in 2024.
Tierna Davidson- Defender of the Year
Tierna Davidson is one of the best defensive players in the league. She is brilliant with recoveries and does well at winning the ball back from opposing players. Nobody wants to go 1 v 1 with her, as the center-back will more than likely win the battle. Statistically, this has not been her best season. However, her cohesion with her teammates and defensive work helped Gotham to a first-place finish.
She is going up against Janine Sonis, though, who has been fun to watch as an attacking fullback. Her 12 goals might give her an edge over Davidson. However, if the center-back wins, then more than likely it will be due to the NJ/NY team's defensive success as a whole.
Rose Lavelle- Midfielder of the Year
Attacking midfielders do not always need to find the back of the net. Rose Lavelle scored four goals in the NWSL regular season, but her biggest contribution to Gotham was how she played on the pitch. She controlled the pace of play and changed the Bats' movement up the pitch. She was the key who directed everyone else where to go.
However, when one compares Lavelle to previous seasons, she was great this year, but not at her best. There are other players who are more deserving of the Midfielder of the Year award, like Croix Bethune, who was critical to the Kansas City Current's season, and she broke the record for the most assists in a regular season with 11. Also, Lavelle's teammate is a little more deserving of the award.
Jaelin Howell- Midfielder of the Year
That leads to Gotham's second nominee for Midfielder of the Year, Jaelin Howell. The defensive midfielder is the type of player that a lineup completely misses when she is not on the pitch. Thankfully, she played in all 30 regular-season games, but when she was not on the pitch, there was an emptiness in the lineup. Her defensive work was critical in the fight for the Shield, as she is one of the best disruptors in the league. She was second in the league in tackles won, with 65.
If Lavelle is the key, then Howell is the lock in the midfield. She locked things down all season long and really deserves the award. The question is whether the NWSL will give it to a defensive midfielder. That is unknown.
Jordynn Dudley- Rookie of the Year
Sadly, Jordynn Dudley was not able to finish her rookie season, as she was put on the SEI list last month due to a foot fracture. Nevertheless, she is still up for Rookie of the Year thanks to her fantastic work on the wings. She had five goals and three assists in all competitions. Her statistics might not scream that she should win this award, but there is no question that she made a difference and made things happen in the attack.
Truthfully, she replaced Midge Purce well, who had to play the majority of the season as the right-back. The success on the right side of the pitch is another part of the story of why the Bats won the Shield. With that said, Mimi Van Zanten's defensive work and Kat Rader's ten NWSL goals really make this more of a toss-up than some people would like to admit. Dudley has been great for Gotham FC, but all three deserve the award.
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