October 2, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) News Release
NEW YORK – With tonight’s 3-0 win over the Orlando Pride, OL Reign have claimed the 2022 NWSL Shield, presented by CarMax. The shield, awarded to the club with the best record at the conclusion of the regular season, will return to Reign for the first time since 2015 and the third time in the club’s history. OL Reign topped this year’s table with an 11-4-7 record, earning the No. 1 overall seed ahead of the 2022 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Budweiser. This year marks just the second season in league history for the NWSL Shield to be decided in the final weekend of play.
As the presenting sponsor of the NWSL Shield, CarMax has committed to doubling the bonus pool awarded to the winning team, increasing earnings from $5,000 to $10,000 per player to support equitable pay in the women’s game.
“I want to congratulate OL Reign on their incredible success this season,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “This was a particularly competitive regular season and I applaud the team for all the hard work they put in to achieve this accomplishment. I look forward to watching them compete in what will surely be an exciting postseason.”
“The NWSL Shield is a significant achievement and it’s an honor to recognize OL Reign for their hard work and strong performance this season,” said Sarah Lane, Vice President, Marketing at CarMax. “When CarMax joined the NWSL as a partner this year, we wanted our contributions to directly impact the fan experience and the players, which is why we were excited to double the bonus pool for Shield winners. CarMax is committed to supporting the growth of women’s sports and these incredible athletes for years to come.”
With the No. 1 seed, OL Reign earned both a first-round bye and home field advantage for the semifinals and will await the outcome of the quarterfinals to determine their opponent.
More details regarding the 2022 NWSL Playoffs will be available in the coming days.
OL Reign, who lead the league with 11 wins this regular season, were stellar on both sides of the pitch throughout the 2022 campaign. Notably, Bethany Balcer led the team in scoring for a third year with seven goals and one assist in 19 games. In addition, making her 100th regular-season appearance in Reign’s regular-season finale, Megan Rapinoe became the 10th player to score in her 100th regular-season game. Defensively, goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce tied Portland Thorns FC goaltender Bella…