They’re only just beginning their pro careers, but NWSL rookies Elise Evans, Kat Rader, and Jordynn Dudley have what seems to be limitless potential. Rader and Dudley are already attracting attention and thrilling fans at the Houston Dash and Gotham FC, respectively. Evans hasn’t yet appeared for the Chicago Stars, but fans who are familiar with her college career are chomping at the bit to see her play.
Evans, who graduated from Stanford and helped lead the Cardinals to three Final Fours while playing from the school, is looking forward to “developing as a player in this environment with some really great teammates around me” and “earning my opportunity to play a game,” she told The IX Sports in the week after Chicago’s season opener.
The move to Chicago was part of a decicion-making process that included weighing the pros and cons of beginning her professional career across the country. Ultimately, it wasn’t too difficult to do. “I’ve lived in the Bay Area my whole life, so I think I was excited to spread my wings and go somewhere new,” Evans added. “Definitely new weather for sure for me, but it has been exciting to explore some place new.”
But she was also drawn to what the Stars are building, and “where they’re going is really exciting,” Evans said. The front office’s “commitment to the team and their innovation was also a draw. “I think a lot of the time, sometimes you hear things and just like, that’s hopes and dreams. ‘Oh, maybe one day we’ll get that.’ But having the real commitment from the ownership and the front office all the way down to the coaches and the players was something I was really excited about to be able to play in a world-class place and train there,” she added.
Dudley also made a big jump when she signed with Gotham after playing for Florida State. She left college after three seasons, a choice she arrived at out of a desire to keep growing and extend herself. “I think the main reason for me was wanting to get into a new environment and kind of push myself,” Dudley told The IX Sports the day before Gotham’s game against Denver, which she played in as a substitute. “I thought maybe I was getting a little bit too comfortable in college, so getting into the pro environment to push myself a little bit better.”
She also prioritized a team where she felt she could learn from others, something that’s been happening since before the season began. Dudley said all of her teammates have made an impact, which includes “people either giving you reminders or telling you what to do, that’s really helpful — and it’s not just letting me figure it out, it’s helping me because they want the team to be better.”
For Rader, who graduated from Duke before joining the Houston Dash this season, the jump to the pro level is exciting. She told reporters last week she’s “just super excited with the opportunities I’ve been given and just trying to take it all in. I feel like for me personally from the first game to the second game, I already have a bit more of comfortability of ‘Okay, I can do this. I fit in here.'”
She’ll spend the rest of the season “just trying to build confidence each game and know that yeah, this is my dream but it’s also like somewhere I can play and succeed and help my team get wins.”
The physicality of the NWSL is obvious
All three players cited one key difference between the collegiate and pro level of play: there’s a big jump in terms of physicality. That’s to be expected, but the reality can be a lot to adjust to.
“I think every time you make a jump like going from club to college, you definitely see a physicality difference as well as speed of play,” Evans said. “So there’s always an adjustment there. I think this league is so competitive and you see some incredible players on every team that are known for their speed and physicality.”
Dudley agreed. “I think this might be obvious, but the speed of play is a lot different and a lot faster and everyone’s fast and stronger and I think that’s the main difference for me,” she explained.
During her press conference, Rader said much of the same: “I think the biggest change for me has definitely been the physicality of the league. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s super similar to college in that way,” she explained. “I think there’s some other aspects of it. I would say applying the ACC, the speed of play has been pretty similar. That hasn’t been too big of an adjustment. But definitely the physicality of the league, and then also the tactical adjustments we have to make playing a big time game every weekend.”
Evans also pointed out that it’s one thing to play against other athletes who are 17 to 21 years old, but playing against women who are 34 or 35 is “definitely a big jump. So I think that’s definitely something to adjust to, but also exciting because you’re getting better every day playing against girls that are much older than you.”
Evans, Rader, and Dudley each have full seasons ahead of them (and, presumably, many more to come). The Stars will play the Utah Royals on Friday, April 3; the Dash will go up against Racing Louisville the same day; and Gotham FC will next meet the KC Current on April 4.
