What can we expect from Gotham FC's 2025 college signings?

When the NWSL announced the abolishment of the College Draft in late summer 2024, there were plenty of questions about how the teams would react to this drastic change, including NJ/NY Gotham FC. Some teams relied heavily on being able to trade their draft picks to acquire more experienced players in order to win, while others preferred drafting players and building their teams from the ground up. The removal of the draft subsequently meant clubs had to change their way of thinking.

While all 14 teams made at least one college free agent signing this past offseason, Gotham FC, along with the Washington Spirit, ended up being the most active with five signings in total. This starkly contrasts the team's philosophy regarding the College Draft under current General Manager Yael Averbuch West. Under her GM tenure, Gotham had only made six draft picks across three drafts, with only three of those players ultimately being signed.

Going from signing three college players over three years to five in one offseason is a big change in how the team has decided to build a roster. Part of it may have been a forced change in philosophy as Gotham had to bear the consequences of last season both on and off the field, but part of it may have been fueled by the fact that top-end players were now more readily available to them.

Whatever the reasoning is, Gotham FC will be relying on their rookie class, specifically the college signings, to provide them with key minutes, maybe more than ever before. Let's look at what one could expect from these rookies this upcoming season.

The possible impact of Gotham FC's rookies

Ryan Campbell: goalkeeper

Ryan Campbell is probably the easiest to nail down of all the Gotham FC rookies. She will most likely go into this season as the third-choice goalkeeper behind Ann-Katrin Berger and Shelby Hogan. It is not expected that Campbell will be on the field much at all this year as she, more than any of the other college signings, seems to be more for the future rather than the present.

The scenarios where she could see the field this year, excluding injuries to the two goalkeepers above her, include potential friendlies Gotham may schedule during the mid-season break in July, as well as a potential CONCACAF W Champions Cup Group Stage games later in the season against lower-level competition.

Lilly Reale: defender

Defender Lilly Reale is a prime example of the change in landscape that moving from the draft to a free agency system can have for teams to acquire college players. Barring a trade up in the draft, Gotham most likely would not have had a chance at getting her, as she probably would have been picked way before the Bats' pick would have come around. Now, teams and players have more control in finding mutually beneficial situations in a way they couldn't in past years.

Reale was a four-year starter at one of the premier women's soccer schools in UCLA and seems to be the most pro-ready of all of Gotham's college signings. Minutes might be hard to come by since she sits behind the center-back starting pair Tierna Davidson and Emily Sonnett. Then, Jess Carter and Mandy Freeman will likely be the next options.

Despite these two factors, expect Reale to eventually find her way into a decent amount of minutes. As mentioned earlier, she is probably the most pro-ready of the rookies, and head coach Juan Carlos Amorós has a propensity to rotate his lineup and spread minutes around when need be. Expect these minutes to come towards the end of the season when injuries become a factor, Amorós figures out his preferred personnel and tactical vision, and possibly the start of the Champions Cup group stage coming around with the additional games that competition brings.

All of those factors will bring additional opportunities for Reale to start as the season progresses. And don't be shocked if she ends up making the most of those opportunities and causes some selection dilemmas on the Gotham FC backline for Amorós.

Sofia Cook: midfielder

Sofia Cook was the final college free agent to join the NJ/NY side and is the only underclassman of the five signees. Cook had a strong freshman season at UCLA with seven goals and four assists in 24 appearances with only seven starts but failed to match those numbers again in her subsequent two seasons. Some of the underlying statistics still suggest that she will be a good player, but it may take time for her to reach those heights, especially on a team like Gotham that is in win-now mode.

There may be opportunities for Cook to get some minutes early on in the season with Rose Lavelle's offseason surgery forcing her to miss the start of the season. She can play as a number ten and in the forward line if need be, but given that Gotham's forward group is probably their deepest, expect her to get the vast majority of her minutes as a midfielder. And given her profile as a strong dribbler and passer, she could be brought on late in games as a dynamic player who can open up a defense and help Gotham score a late goal.

Khyah Harper: forward

After just three goals combined in her first three years at the University of Minnesota, Khyah Harper exploded for 17 goals in her senior season, good enough for ninth most in NCAA Division 1 women's soccer.

Harper, a natural winger who can play on both the left and the right, will get her opportunities to play, but it may not end up being on the forward line where she saw so much success in her senior season. Per Amorós, the player has reportedly been playing a fair amount of fullback in the preseason, given Gotham's lack of depth in the position. While Freeman and Carter are the presumptive starters at fullback come week one, the only natural fullback on the roster is Bruninha.

This also wouldn't be the first time under Amorós that he's taken a college attacker and converted her to a fullback. 2023 first-round pick Jenna Nighswonger was one of the best attackers in college during her time at Florida State University but saw the vast majority of her Gotham career at left-back. Despite this transition, it was successful for Nighswonger. She won 2023 NWSL Rookie of the Year, 2024 Best XI honors, a 2023 NWSL Championship, and a Gold Medal at the 2024 Olympics with the USWNT, all as a left-back.

Expecting Harper to immediately live up to that standard is a little unfair, but it might be what she has to do to earn a spot in the starting lineup. Like the other rookies mentioned, Harper probably will not be a starter early on, but if she can show herself as being a capable fullback, then she could be one of those players that works her way up the depth chart and into a starting spot towards the end of the season. This is something that has become a common occurrence during Amorós' tenure as the Gotham FC head coach.

Sarah Schupansky: forward

Perhaps the most intriguing college signing, Sarah Schupansky was a four-year starter at the University of Pittsburgh who led all Division 1 players in assists with 15. A playmaking winger with strong dribbling skills and an eye for goals, Schupansky has real potential to be the biggest contributor amongst all of the rookies this upcoming season.

While she played primarily as a winger in college, she has been playing as the number ten during preseason with Lavelle sidelined. She could be in line to start the first game against Seattle Reign FC. While Gotham's forward group is pretty deep, especially on both wings, Schupansky's dynamicism and ability to create offer something different than most of the other wingers on this team. She probably has the best chance of any rookie to work her way into a starting role come the end of the season.

And even if she does not end up starting consistently later on in the year, she could very well end up being one of the first attacking options off of the bench and be this club's super-sub. Hence, Schupansky could provide much-needed time and creativity when Gotham FC needs a goal late in a game. Whatever role she ends up holding, she'll be one of the most exciting players to watch on this team.