Wasatch Soccer Sentinel

Utah Royals FC selected seven players at the 2024 NWSL Draft on Friday evening, including the number one overall draft pick, Ally Sentnor from the Univeristy of North Carolina. Led by Head Coach Amy Rodriguez and Sporting Director Kelly Cousins, along with President Michelle Hyncik, Director of Talent, Strategy & Development Mirelle Van Rijbroek and Recruitment Analyst Caterina De Bacco, Utah Royals FC selected an overall impressive draft class heading into the 2024 NWSL pre-season.

How Utah drafted

Round 1, number 1 With the number one overall pick, Utah selected Ally Sentnor, a midfielder from the University of North Carolina. Sentnor is also a U-20 U.S. National Team standout, considered to be one of the top attackers in the country.

“It is absolutely unreal. It is surreal. I'm still wrapping my brain around it. I'm still in shock and awe. I'm just so grateful that Utah believes in me and wants me. I think it's a great opportunity and I can't wait to help the team and just be a part of that group of players that have been the number one pick," Sentnor on being the number one pick.

Round 1, number 4 Forward Brecken Mozingo from BYU. Mozingo is from Utah and a former Alta High School star. According to Chris Henderson from the WoSo Independent , Mozingo is an "exemplary passer as a winger and could start from day one."

“Oh my goodness. It means the absolute world to me. There's no feeling to describe it. My parents the whole time were literally praying that I would be staying here in Utah. And my brothers, obviously they want their older sister to be staying in, so it just really means a lot to me because I know I have a lot of little girls that I even look up to that are a part of the community. They say they look up to me, but in reality, I look up to them and how hard they work, and I'm so excited to stay and watch them progress and what they do. I can’t wait to give back to my community in any way that I can." Mozingo said on being able to remain in Utah.

Round 2, number 16 Defender Lauren Flynn from Florida State University. Flynn is coming off a national championship season with Florida State and a strong center back for the team. Flynn ended her career with seven goals and three assists, five of those goals which came in 2023.

Round 2, number 20 Defender Olivia Smith-Griffitts from BYU. Utah's second pick from BYU and primarily played right back.

Round 2, number 21 Traded the No. 21 overall pick to Houston Dash in exchange for $120,000 in Allocation Money.

Round 2, number 26 Midfielder/Forward Emma Jaskaniec from Wisconsin. "An impact player wherever she lines up, which was up front as a senior," Henderson.

Round 3, number 29 Defender/Midfielder Zoe Burns from USC. Burns can play left or right back according to Henderson. She has already played under Rodriguez, who used to be an assistant coach at USC. Burns is also from Canada.

Round 3, number 33 Goalkeeper Cristina Roque from Florida State. Another player from Florida State's 2023 national championship team. Roque allowed 0.67 goals per game and set a Florida State all-time record for wins and shutouts in the NCAA Tournament.

Round 4, number 44 Traded to Angel City in exchange for $15,000 in allocation

Utah Royals FC will begin the 2024 NWSL preseason in late January as players report to the Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, Utah. Currently, Utah has a 24-player roster.

Goalkeepers: Mandy Haught (Gotham FC), Carly Nelson (Orlando Pride), Cristina Roque (Florida State)

Defenders: Kaleigh Riehl (San Diego Wave), Madison Pogarch (San Diego Wave), Kate Del Fava (KC Current), Addisyn Merrick (KC Current), Lauren Flynn (Florida State), Olivia Smith-Griffitts (BYU), Zoe Burns (USC)

Midfielders: Mikayla Cluff (Orlando Pride), Michele Vasconcelos (Portland Thorns), Emily Gray (North Carolina Courage), Frankie Tagliaferri (North Carolina Courage), Agnes Nybert (IK Uppsala – Sweden), Dana Foederer (Fortuna Sittard – Netherlands), Ally Sentnor (Univ. of North Carolina), Emma Jaskaniec (Wisconsin)

Forwards: Hannah Betfort (Portland Thorns), Imani Dorsey (Gotham FC), Paige Monaghan (Racing Louisville), Ify Onumonu (Gotham FC), Cameron Tucker (Houston Dash), Brecken Mozingo (BYU)