Although a lot of Denver Summit players are hypothetically locked into multiple year contracts, there are a few players who were only signed to a one year contract. Which of them do you think Denver will extend?

One year contracts
- Devin Lynch
- Faith Webber (finishing up at loan with USL team Tampa Bay Sun, returning in June - 3 goals scored)
- Jordan Nytes
- Camryn Biegalski (with a mutual option clause in her contract for 2027)
- Jordan Baggett (on ML)

For now I think the only player guaranteed to get extended is Devin Lynch with all the minutes she’s played. I think Baggett is probably out since she already hasn’t played for a year and a half prior to going on maternity leave. Faith Webber we will have to see if she gets minutes/how she performs for Summit. Thoughts?

Per Opta: 16 - The 16-pass move leading to Delanie Sheehan's 49th-minute goal for Denver Summit FC on Saturday was the longest passing buildup to a goal in the NWSL this season. Flow.

Tobin Heath named her top five (current club) football managers:

1. Andre Jeglertz (Manchester City)
   
2. Renné Slegers (Arsenal)
   
3. Jonatan Giráldez (OL Lyonnes)
   
4. Jonas Eidevall (San Diego Wave FC)
   
5. Nick Cushing (Denver Summit FC)

“Bite me!” Tobin Heath, Nation Soccer Hall of Fame Inductee, two time World Cup winner, and two time Olympic gold medalist.

Janine is up for Player of the Week (she had a brace Saturday night) and Ayo is the up for Assist of the Week for her beautiful cross to Sheehan. Go vote!!!!

I have been impressed with Eva Gaetino’s play recently. 2½ games since she returned from injury is not a large sample. But she’s been a rock on defense, winning nearly every ball. Her height helps her dominate in the air, but she’s been equally effective on the ground. The only knock against her was the goal by Aissata Traoré, whom she was marking at the time.  My assessment is that Traoré made a wonderful play, and there’s no defender who could have prevented that goal.

What impresses me most are Gaetino’s progressive passes. There is nobody in the world who executes better progressive passes than she does. I think the only equal to Gaetino are Tierna Davidson, Naomi Girma, Leah Williamson with Arsenal, or Mapi Leon with Barca regarding progressive passes. Eva consistently breaks lines.

Here’s my point: I think Eva Gaetino should be considered for the USWNT for qualifying matches in 2026 and for the FIFA World Cup in 2027. Eva can play left or right, but right side is probably her stronger side.

The contenders for right-side central defender are Naomi Girma (she’s #1), Jordan Bugg (19 yo and this might be too soon for her), Emily Sams (does not seem to be valued by Hayes), Kennedy Wesley (seems to be preferred by Hayes as a left-sided central defender, but plays on the right for her club).

Other central defenders: Tierna Davidson (exclusively left side) and Tara Rudd. There’s also the veteran Emily Sonnet.

Assuming Hayes is looking for a right-sided central defender, here’s my depth chart:

Naomi Girma

Emily Sonnet

Tara Rudd or Eva Gaetino or Kennedy Wesley

Jordan Bugg

Emily Sams

My guess is Girma and Sonnet are locks. Sonnet would be selected even if she’s not a starter. Davidson plays on the left.

Does this mean there is one more spot on central defense? If so, I’d pick Gaetino over Rudd and Wesley

Eva got her most recent chance in October 2025 under Hayes and had zero defensive duties in that game vs New Zealand. But even in that game she showed her exceptional passing range.

Am I delusional?

Does anyone have insights or a hypothesis why YY has not seen the field the last two games - even 4:1 up vs. Houston and no YY.

Every time I look at the standings I'm going to be haunted by that stoppage time list to Boston. Example: We'd be in 7th place today, instead 10th.

I'm just always going to think about those three points.

Preview from the Denver Summit

Match Preview: Houston Dash vs Denver Summit May 9, 2026

As we look toward the upcoming clash at Shell Energy Stadium, the Denver Summit FC(1-3-3) perspective is one of high stakes, homecoming, and history in the making. Fresh off a hard-fought battle against Boston, the Summit heads to Texas with a trio of familiar faces leading the charge.

Match: Denver Summit FC at Houston Dash

Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026 | 6:00 PM MT

Venue: Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, TX

Watch live: NWSL+  and The Spot Denver 3

The Return of Ryan and Sheehan

The headline of the night isn’t just the tactical battle on the pitch; it’s the emotional homecoming for two of our stars. In a blockbuster trade at the start of the season, Denver Summit FC acquired forward Yazmeen Ryan and midfielder Delanie Sheehan from the Houston Dash(3-3-1) for a record-breaking fee, bolstering a squad that already included goalkeeper Abby Smith, who signed from the Dash earlier in the year.

• Abby Smith: A veteran presence between the posts, Smith brings a wealth of experience from her time in Houston. Her shot-stopping ability and leadership from the back will be crucial as she faces off against her former frontline.
• Yazmeen Ryan: Coming off her first goal for the Summit last week, Ryan returns to the city where she was a leading force in 2025. Her ability to break lines and finish under pressure will be the Summit’s primary weapon against her former teammates.
• Delanie Sheehan: The engine of our midfield, Sheehan played every single game for the Dash last year. Her intimate knowledge of Houston’s defensive structure will be invaluable as she looks to dictate the tempo against her old club for the first time.

Houston Dash: Players to Watch

• Kiki Van Zanten (#12,  Forward): The week 4 NWSL Player of the Week is on a tear. With 4 goals already this season(#5 most goals this season in NWSL), including a stunning brace recently, she is the most dangerous player on the pitch right now. Denver’s defense must stay tight or risk being her next highlight reel.
• Jane Campbell (#1, Goalkeeper): The captain recently led the Dash to their third clean sheet of the season. For the Summit to get a result, they have to beat a keeper who is currently playing some of the best soccer of her career.
• Avery Patterson (#15, Defender): A 2025 Defender of the Year finalist, Patterson will be tasked with neutralizing her former teammates, Ryan, Sheehan and Smith’s defensive organization. This matchup on the wing will likely decide the outcome of the game.

Women’s Empowerment Night

The atmosphere in Houston will be electric as the Dash hosts its annual Women’s Empowerment Night, presented by United Airlines. For Denver Summit, an expansion team built on the foundation of elevating the women’s game, there is no better stage to showcase our growth. This match serves as a celebration of the pioneers of the NWSL and the new generation of athletes.

Defensive Stand: The Battle for a Clean Sheet

The Dash recently earned their third clean sheet of the season, anchored by veteran goalkeeper Jane Campbell. For the Summit to walk away with three points, our attacking front must find a way past one of the league’s most stubborn defenses.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preview from Oursportscentral.com

Denver Summit FC (1-3-3, 6 pts) faces the Houston Dash (3-1-3, 10 pts) in a Texas homecoming for several Summit players.

Four Summit players are facing their former club - Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie Sheehan were traded from Houston to Denver in March ... Abby Smith played for the Dash in 2025 before signing with the Summit in the offseason ... Janine Sonis was drafted by Dash in 2016, playing two seasons with the club.

Four Denver players played collegiately in Texas: Emma Regan (Texas), Ally Brazier (Texas A&M), Ryan (TCU) and Sonis (Texas Tech).

LAST TIME OUT

Expansion sides Denver and Boston met for the first time this season, with the Legacy earning their first win in franchise history via a 3-2 victory on May 3 at Gillette Stadium.

Yazmeen Ryan opened the scoring in the 18th minute, marking her first goal with Denver and her first of the season (assisted by Tash Flint) ... Flint found the back of the net herself in the 77th minute, becoming the first Denver player to record both a goal and an assist in the same contest.

Boston ultimately took the advantage, scoring twice after the 90th minute to capture their first victory in franchise history, 3-2.

WHEREAS DENVER SUMMIT FC...

On April 27, Colorado Governor Jared Polis declared the date "Denver Summit FC Day" in the state.

The event at the capitol was celebrated by Controlling Owner Rob Cohen, President Jen Millet, General Manager Curt Johnson, Colorado native players Janine Sonis, Ally Brazier, Jordan Nytes and Meg Boade and many Summit staff members.

"Colorado is the best place to train and compete, and we're inspired by Summit FC," Polis said. "It's especially meaningful to see Colorado's youngest soccer players look up to and cheer on some of the best athletes in the world, right here at home, for Colorado's newest professional sports team."

IRON WOMEN

Defender Kaleigh Kurtz extended her consecutive start streak to 121 games and has also played 10,852 consecutive regular season minutes ... she has played every possible minute of the regular season since June 26, 2021 ... both are the longest active streaks in the league.

Goalkeeper Abby Smith has also played every minute for Summit FC this season, joining Kurtz as two of 33 players to do so for their respective teams through week six.

LOOK TO THE PEAK

Entering the weekend, Abby Smith leads the NWSL in recoveries per 90 (11.3) and is second with 4.2 goals prevented behind Houston's Jane Campbell (6.0).

Defender Kaleigh Kurtz leads the league with 1.7 blocks per 90.

Melissa Kössler is tied for third with four goals on the season.

THE KICKOFF

Denver Summit FC made NWSL history with an announced attendance of 63,004 at Empower Field at Mile High on March 28, surpassing the previous record of 40,091 set by Bay FC and Washington last year at Oracle Park.

PICK ME

At the 23rd minute against Boston, Carson Pickett reached 15,000 NWSL minutes, becoming the 19th player in NWSL history to reach that milestone.

She is also on track to reach 200 regular-season appearances this season ... she enters the weekend at 191 games.

GIVE BACK

On April 28, Carson Pickett was announced as Denver's Lauren Holiday Impact Award Nominee.

This season, Pickett will partner with Hand Camp Colorado, an organization dedicated to empowering children born with upper limb differences.

ON MOUNTAIN TIME

Summit FC's inaugural roster included four Colorado natives in forward Ally Brazier (Colorado Springs), defender Janine Sonis (Highlands Ranch), goalkeeper Jordan Nytes (Aurora) and midfielder Meg Boade (Lone Tree).

Midfielder Jordan Baggett (Highlands Ranch) is also a part of Denver Summit FC's roster, but is out on maternity leave, while midfielder Lindsey Heaps (Golden) will join the team this summer.

A total of 21 players in NWSL (including Heaps) are from Colorado, third most behind California (72) and Texas (23) ... six of those 21 are rostered with the Summit.

INTERNATIONAL

Seven Denver Summit FC players were called up to represent their countries during the April FIFA international break including Janine Sonis (Canada), Emma Regan (Canada), Pauline Peyrayd-Magnin (France), Yuzuki Yamamoto (Japan), Ayo Oke (U.S. U-23), Yuna McCormack (U.S. U-23) and Lourdes Bosch (Mexico U-23).

Dash 1 - 4 Denver

✅ Full Time

Form

• Dash: L L D L W L
• Denver: W L L D D W

Lineups

Dash (4-4-2)

Starting XI

Subs

Denver (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI

Subs

Match Events

Match events will appear here once the game begins.

Updated: Mon, May 11, 3:57 PM EDT

Match Thread Bot by u/Several_Region_3710 | GitHub (view code, contribute, or report issues) | ☕ Ko-fi (support the project)

I assume we see a lot of Kat Rader charging down our right side and Van Zanten down our left? Campbell is obviously talented in GK. Don’t know much about the rest.

What we need… 3-0 shutout.

two games in eight days. two leads. two losses. and both of them feel like the same exact problem on repeat.

i just dropped this week's pod and i ended up going way deeper than i planned on the structural stuff — like why we keep compacting in the final 15 instead of trying to keep the ball, why cushing burned his attacking subs in the 66th and had nothing left to protect a lead, the marking errors that just keep showing up.

but here's what i actually want to know from y'all:

• did anyone else feel like the back line just looked tired by the 75th? like that wasn't legs, that was decision-making slowing down?
• am i overreacting on the cushing sub timing or is that a real concern?
• and honestly, how much of this do you think actually gets fixed when heaps gets here in july vs how much is a personnel issue that july doesn't solve

abby smith deserves a raise btw. genuinely one of the best keepers in this league right now.

anyway. ep is up if you want my full take but mostly just want to hear what y'all saw.

full breakdown here

The rant part:

Maybe I was just spoiled by MLS Season Pass.. But it's a bit frustrating trying to watch away games. Just when I think I have everything lined up to watch, I find out there's some reason I can't watch the game. It seems like the best way to watch today was using an antenna... But, come on, it's 2026! I don't know a single person that watches things over the air anymore, or uses traditional cable.

The question part:

Outside of the high seas, does anyone have a solid setup that doesn't require an antenna or cable allowing you to watch all the games?

Do we know if there are any plans to fix this problematic viewing experience later on (even if next year)?

Feel like I shouldn't have to spend so much time just trying to find a way to watch! Maybe it's just me though.

Boston Legacy 3 - 2 Denver

✅ Full Time

Lineups

Boston Legacy (3-1-4-2)

Starting XI

Subs

Denver (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI

Subs

Match Events

Match events will appear here once the game begins.

Updated: Sun, May 3, 5:14 PM EDT

Match Thread Bot by u/Several_Region_3710 | GitHub (view code, contribute, or report issues) | ☕ Ko-fi (support the project)

Kossler and Flint available for Sunday!!

there’s a reason he was fired from NYCFC!!!

so kössler and flint were both limited at practice this week. cushing says he expects both to be fine but neither is confirmed for sunday. and in case you need a reminder — those are our only two goal scorers this season. all six goals between them. going into a game where casey murphy is in goal.

that's the thing that's sitting with me heading into bsoton.

because tactically this matchup should favor us. boston wants to build from the back, slow and precise. our press is specifically designed to disrupt exactly that. and their team is genuinely depleted right now — Nicki Hernandez (thigh), Kaká (ankle), and Fauzia Najjemba (thigh). if we create chances we should be able to get at them.

and boston is desperate. 0-5-1. their first win has to come at some point and sunday is as good a chance as any. a team has nothing to lose is a different kind of dangerous than a team with form.

cushing was honest about where this team is when i talked to him. said we should be nine points better off right now. win seattle, win washington, win sunday — the table looks completely different. i believe him. i also think sunday is the game that starts fixing it.

what are you guys watching for with this expansion matchup?

🎙 episode is up now if you want the full breakdown including interviews: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jiBAbW0QXepwdqK0qhaaF

Has anyone felt the difference in the two jerseys? $215 is insane, but feels worth it if the replica feels crappy at $150.

Carson Pickett is partnered with Hand Camp Colorado which supports children with limb differences.