Today, Angel City Football Club (ACFC) confirmed the signing of NWSL Defender of the Year nominee Sarah Gorden. ACFC obtained Gorden's playing rights through a trade with the Chicago Red Stars.
'Sarah is a strong addition to our defense, especially coming off of an incredible season that saw her play the most minutes of any outfield player in the league, achieving a nomination for NWSL Defender of the Year, and reaching the league final. Sarah's experience, tenacity, and consistency will be key for Angel City, and her drive off the field as well is a perfect complement to what we are building. We are delighted to welcome Sarah to Angel City,' said Eniola Aluko, ACFC Sporting Director.
Gorden played with the Red Stars from 2016 to 2021 and appeared in 78 matches. In her last season, she appeared in 27 games, including the NWSL Championships, and became Chicago's first Iron Woman, playing every minute of the 2021 season - the only NWSL player to play every minute of competition this season.
A Chicago native, Gorden graduated from DePaul University as a dual-sport athlete in soccer and track-and-field. She played in all 20 matches at DePaul and earned All-Big East first-team honors in her senior year. She is the first DePaul player to be drafted by the NWSL.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Angel City FC in their inaugural season and I can’t wait to be in the city of Los Angeles,” said Gorden. “What this club is building on and off the field makes this move a dream scenario and I will wear the crest proudly. I’m so excited to get to work with Freya and the staff to continue my development as a player and to work to win some championships!”
In Chicago, she founded HoodSpace, a foundation with a mission to help girls of color find their space of flow through meditation, yoga, and sport. Sarah plans to bring HoodSpace to Los Angeles and will have the full support and resources of the Angel City team to help make the most significant impact.
Gorden will debut with the forthcoming Angel City roster under Head Coach Freya Coombe in Spring 2022 in Los Angeles at The Banc of California Stadium.
Today's news precedes Angel City's roster-building milestones of the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft on December 16 and the 2022 NWSL Draft on December 18.
