KANSAS CITY, Mo. — During its inaugural season, the rebranded Kansas City Current scored the fewest goals and had the fewest assists in the National Women’s Soccer League.
The club, which finished 3-14-7, managed only 15 goals and eight assists in 24 games. Racing Louisville FC had the second-fewest goals (21) and assists (12).
But help is on the way after the Current traded for former NWSL MVP Lynn Williams, a U.S. Women’s National Team veteran and three-time NWSL champion.
“The Courage has given so much to me and has been my home for the last five years, but in order to grow you have to challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone,” Williams said. “I am grateful to KC for giving me the opportunity to do so. I’m excited for a new journey, with a new organization and to grow into the best Lynn I can be.”
The North Carolina Courage traded Williams, who won the NWSL MVP in 2016, along with their 2023 second- and fourth-round picks in exchange for the Current’s 2023 first-round pick, goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland and $200,000 in allocation money.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Lynn to the Current,” Co-Owner Chris Long said in a statement Monday, announcing the trade. “Without question, she is one of the most talented forwards in the world. Lynn is a game-changer who has proven herself to be a dominant player in the NWSL and on the world stage. Kansas City is going to absolutely love watching her play.”
The trade reunites Williams with former Courage midfielder Sam Mewis, who was acquired earlier in the offseason in a separate trade.
Williams won the NWSL Golden Boot, tying with a league-best 11 goals and adding five assists, and had the game-tying goal in the 124th minute for the Western New York Flash in the 2016 NWSL Championship Game.
She joined NWSL as the sixth overall pick by the Flash, which moved to North Carolina and became the Courage after the 2016 season, in the 2015 draft from Pepperdine University.
Williams scored nine goals in 2017, a career-high 14 in 2018, 12 in 2019 and seven in 2021 with North Carolina. She spent the 2019-20 season on loan with the West Sydney Wanderers in Australia’s top soccer league.
Williams also helped the Courage win the 2018 NWSL championship.
Her 57 career goals and 26 assists both rank second in NWSL history.
“It was important for us to get a proven goal scorer this off season. Lynn Williams is simply one of the very best strikers in the world,” Current Director of Soccer Operations Huw Williams said in a statement. “We are absolutely thrilled to add such a talented player to our club. We could not be happier.”
From 2017-19, Williams also registered five assists each season. She had two last season with the Courage. She had two assists last season and also spent the last month on loan to the Melbourne Victory in Australia’s top league.
Williams has scored 14 goals with 10 assists in 45 career appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
She also had a goal and assist against the Netherlands to help the national team advance to the semifinals last summer in Tokyo, where the U.S. women won a bronze medal.
Rowland, who was drafted by FC Kansas City in 2015 and spent her first two professional seasons with the club, returned to Kansas City as part of a midseason trade with the Courage last season. She made 12 saves in four appearances with KC NWSL last season.
