Summit FC: What I know about Denver’s NWSL Expansion Team and What I Want To See

The Denver expansion team for the National Women’s Soccer League, now in its 13th season, was announced in 2023. The new Women’s Soccer Park at Sante Fe Yards was announced last year. It is a massive multi million undertaking to expand women’s soccer in America. Being born in Colorado and a massive fan of Women’s soccer, I have never been more excited for anything in my life. This expansion is a long time coming for the ever growing soccer market in Colorado, which helped the success of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and the Switchbacks in Colorado Springs. We are arms wide open for the NWSL and their wealth of talent. The Denver NWSL team was fan voted to be “Summit FC”, as well as the truly fitting logo and color selection. I absolutely love everything their doing with Summit FC and I am proud to be a Coloradoan again. Below is what you need to know about Summit Fc, and also some players I would like to see and events I look forward to in the future. This marketing campaign and already inaugural “Pride Fan Day” have impressed me immensely. The support is there. Now, we just need the talent.

Denver Summit FC was announced as an NWSL Expansion ‘Team in 2024

The Women’s Soccer Complex at “Sante Fe Yards” will be completed in 2028 in a $28 million dollar venture. Sante Fe Yards will be the official home of NWSL Denver. It will be a 14,500 seat open air stadium. No word on whether it’ll be turf or real grass.

Team Will Play at a temporary location until the new stadium is finished

Team Investors include big names like Peyton Manning, Mikaela Shiffrin, Robert Cohen are team owners. The “grassroots” organization Denver FC, a group of private Colorado investors put forth the bid for the expansion

“We are pleased to unveil Denver Summit FC as our name and to share our crest and colors with Colorado and the world,” said Denver Summit FC President Jen Millet. “It was vital for us to name our club in collaboration with our community. Our crest, colors, and brand are representative of Denver and all of Colorado. It embraces our aspirational goals and pioneering spirit to build the best soccer club in the world.”

“This announcement is a game-changer for the NWSL and a bold statement about where women’s sports are headed. Santa Fe Yards will set a new standard for what professional athletes deserve – a purpose-built stadium and entertainment district that reflects the passion of this city and our league’s continued growth,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “Denver is helping to shape the future of women’s soccer, and we can’t wait to see the impact this world-class venue will have on players,
fans, and the community.”

“This will be the largest overall investment in a women’s professional sports team in history. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leverage this massive private investment to revitalize and transform Santa Fe Yards into a new hub of thriving
community activity, a place for outdoor recreation, restaurants, retail and for building connections with our community,” said Denver NWSL controlling owner Rob Cohen.

Denver Summit FC has also broken ground on a 12,000-seat temporary stadium and state-of-the-art 20,000-square-foot training facility in Centennial, Colorado, that is purpose-built for women’s sports. It will include soccer fields, recovery facilities like hot and cold plunge and red-light therapy, a video analysis theater, a family lounge, and elite strength and conditioning spaces.

What I Want To See:

I know everyone is wondering about the team: Who’s going to be head coach? What are we looking at for a roster pool? What is the feel of the team going to be like? Right now, with no signings yet, we have no idea. BUT, as a speculator and huge soccer nerd, I have thought extensively about this team, and here’s what I want to see moving forward: I want this team to be “rough and ready”. I don’t want the team to rest on their laurels with big name investors and get massive names like Lindsay Heaps, Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith. I want it to be local, and yet very international to represent the diversity of Colorado. I’d like to see internationals come in, especially those who are maybe inclined to play in high altitude like from Mexico City and Switzerland and Peru. This team is going to have to be competitive and use home games to their advantage. They should have access to the Olympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs. I want to see this team be aggressive in attack, tall, scrappy, and dynamic. I also want BIG Personalities to represent this team and welcome in fans and be gregarious in person and on social media. Maximum engagement is what the NWSL needs, and the players should reflect the welcoming community of Colorado.

Head Coach Pick: This might be off-the-wall. But has anyone watched Chicago Red Stars or Kansas City in 2022? If you have, you might know about Ella Masar on the coaching staff. Ella Masar was an American-Canadian international player who had a long career on teams all over the world including the United States Women’s National Team. She played from 2007 to 2019 and has served as an assistant coach since 2022. She’s currently the interim coach for Chicago Stars in the NWSL, and she is making a huge impact on a team in need of a reboot. She is technically savvy. Ella was an absolutely fantastic center back and winger that put in 90 minutes every game and ran grooves into the field. She knows what it takes to be an impactful player and work as a team to achieve greatness. The players love her empathetic, direct, and knowledgeable approach to the game. I want her as Summit FC’s head coach. She matches the values I would portray as a coach. I know her leaving her beloved Chicago is a long shot, but this job has the potential for her to be Emma Hayes replacement in the future as USWNT head coach.

Runner up head coach: Freya Coombe

Players:

The player pool in Colorado alone is massive. This is a great soccer state with extensive youth programs. Talent is everywhere, and no doubt recruiters have endless possibilities to pick up young players. Obviously, I would love a big Colorado alumni here. One of my favorite players of all time, Sophia Smith, is from Colorado. She’s locked in with Portland Thorns right now and starting a family, but who knows what the future holds. My college soccer knowledge is lacking, so I don’t know who will be available next year from Colorado. So, I am going to plug some international names and add some probably wild off-base hopefuls.

Defender Nadine Riesen- Summer 2026?: Nadine Riesen was one of the players that impressed me most at the UEFA Women’s Tournament. She is impossibly fast, aggressive on and off the ball, and has great positioning. I am big on defense, and I think she is one of the best defenders in the world. She had a great performance against the top teams, despite Switzerland failing to make it to the end stage. She even scored on Norway in group stage. I think she is an all around defender that would even be a great captain

Forward Leicy Santos 2027?: Colombian dynamite forward Leicy Santos had an insane performance in the Copa America. I’ve been watching her with Washington Spirit and I’m truly amazed by this player. She had a 81% passing accuracy, 2 goals, and 1 assist in 10 matches in 2024. I like her explosive style. It reminds me of Claudia Pina or Ally Sentnor; flying off long distance shots with insane bending balls. She can take on defenders and quickly fire up the attacking side. This combined with a great passing winger or a one touch forward would be deadly. She isn’t afraid to take on challenges and take tackles in stride. I like her work ethic and would fit my ideal Summit FC team.

Midfielder Sam Coffey 2027?: Sam Coffey has been referred to as the best player in the world right now. She controls the speed of the game with her passing accuracy, physicality of play, vision to see where the ball needs to be played, and her commanding presence. I think she is the best midfielder since Julie Ertz, and before that, Lauren Holiday. She can play defense, score off Free kicks and corners, and cut off opposing passes. She reads the game fluently. Ali Krieger recently said Sam Coffey is the best player in the world, and I never really thought about Coffey in that way. Upon reviewing stats, footage, peer reviews, and watching the opposing teams put three defending players on her, I have realized how impactful she can be. It’s the subtle players that put in all the hard work and make the quick perfect passes that impact the game the most. Coffey’s hard working American values would be absolutely perfect on Summit FC. She could make a great captain and poster player for our new Denver team. I don’t know how attached she is to Portland, but I know she is under underutilized on a team still rebuilding. She could become the center of Denver Summit.

Goalkeeper Casey Murphy: The NWSL has no shortage of amazing goalkeepers with impeccable stats and work ethic. One of my favorites is Casey Murphy of North Carolina Courage. Murphy is an aggressive goalkeeper who’s not afraid to come off her line and punch out dangerous crosses no matter who’s in her way. She knows how to organize a back line in any situation. Her presence is huge in goal at 6’1 with insane reach. She makes excellent saves on a regular basis. I love her presence and fearlessness in goal. She already has 40 saves on the year. While NC is having a rough year, I think she’s done great work and made key saves to keep the game in their favor. I honestly don’t know why NC is releasing her, but it’d be great for Denver!

Midfielder Lo LaBonta: “Lo” LaBonta is possibly one of the best midfielders in the NWSL on the dynamic Kansas City Current. She is the captain and driving force of the team since 2021. She just recieved her first Cap on the USWNT, which had been a long time coming for Lo after 20 years of waiting. Her mentality is absolutely rock solid. She never gives up. She is always supporting her teammates on and off the field. She is reliable in any instance, whether she’s driving the ball forward as an attacking 10 or running back to pick up the block from her defense, you can count on LaBonta. I love her energy, her tenacity, and quality on the ball. She is a perfect fit for Summit FC based on all these irreplaceable qualities. The midfield would be unstoppable.

Defender Megan Reid: I have seen many incredible defenders over my twenty years of watching Women’s soccer at any level. Sauerbrunn, Buehler/Van Hollebeke, Ali Krieger, Klingenberg, and so many more come to mind. These now retired defenders were aggressive, scrappy, good on the tackle, and impossibly fast. The next in line, in my opinion, is Megan Reid. This player is tenacious. She is fast. She knows how to dribble away from forwards and make a solid clearance. She is a Canadian Center back with many clean sheets under her belt with her national team and LA’s Angel City. I think she’s criminally underrated, as she hasn’t been a regular starter for LA until the unfortunate season breaking health incident of Savy King. On Denver Summit FC, she could become a best 11 center back. I would love to see her as a regular starter for a new building team.

Forward Rachel Hill: This is a forward that has had so much success in the NWSL, but moves around a lot. Her first two years with Orlando Pride warranted 11 goals in 60 appearances as a difference maker. She always seems to be the big play maker when it matters the most, whether a sub or a starter, she can score when you need her to. She is fast, can turn with the ball on a dime, and put defenders on their ass to get a goal from twenty yards out.

Defender Feli Rauch; This German all around player has been playing in the NWSL since 2024 with the playoff team North Carolina Courage. I’ve seen her play in the NWSL and German u-20 National teams, and I think she is an incredibly talented left back. She served well as a replacement for Sarai Linder in the 2024 Olympics and made 5 appearances, ultimately achieving a Bronze win for Germany. I watched those games and couldn’t believe the speed of this player. She would be able to advance the ball and make long crosses to tall forwards (such as Jule Brand and attacking mid Taylor Flint). I love the way she plays. It’s not unlike one of the best players in the world right6 now, Emily Fox of USWNT and Arsenal fame. That kind of quality winger is one of my favorite things to watch in Soccer.

Midfielder Taylor Flint 2028?: I know three years is a long time to wait, but Taylor Flint is one of my favorite players in the NWSL of 2025. Her work on the struggling Racing Louisville FC has been absolutely incredible this season. She already has 3 goals and 1 assist is 13 appearances this season. Her tackling is stellar. Her presence in the air in unmatched at 6″1. She is one of the best midfielders in the league, and has yet to hit her full potential this season. I know her and her husband have fallen in love with the small town vibes of Louisville, but her big city heart would do well in Denver. Her height is fitting for the premise of Summit Fc, because I am pretty sure her aerial is a mile high. Would love to see her as a later acquisition for Summit FC.

Defender Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic: This star of the UEFA Euro Women’s championship is up for grabs from Seattle Reign in August 2025. Crnogorcevic is a Swiss international player. I think she is one of the best players in the world. She is infinitely versatile. She currently plays as a Winger for Seattle Reign. She is a dynamic attacking player with explosive speed and technical ability with the ball. She can run the ball up the field on her own, go at defenders 1 v 1, and make some tackles. I love watching her play. She is absolutely unpredictable no matter where she is on the field. Ana Maria would be a key player on the team and get full utilization on Denver. She can get the ball to key players like a Borges or Hill up top, but return to defend in a split second and make game changing tackles. She is 34, though in the age of Marta, age is just a number.

Who would you like to see on Denver Summit FC? Who did I miss?