November 21, 2023 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Utah Royals News Release
HERRIMAN, Utah – Utah Royals FC today added Utah native Michele Vasconcelos to its expansion 2024 roster via free agency, as the one-time Alta High School standout becomes the second former BYU star to now call Utah her NWSL home, joining MF Mikayla Cluff. Vasconcelos was selected 11th overall in the NWSL Draft by Chicago in 2017, and has played 47 games in the NWSL over the last six seasons for Chicago, Kansas City and Portland, a total which includes one game during the NWSL Fall 2020 series for the earlier iteration of Utah Royals FC.
“As I come back to Utah, for sure excitement is my main feeling, but I’m also feeling a ton of relief – I was devastated when the team left three years ago, as I’d only been back here a month,” said Vasconcelos, amidst her family’s relocation from Portland to Utah ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. “I grew up in Sandy, in the shadow of the Royals / RSL stadium. Now coming back for the second time around, it really feels too good to be true, now I really have the chance to live out my dream.
Utah Royals FC are set to return to the NWSL as a 2024 expansion side, along with Northern California’s Bay FC. The 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft, presented by Ally, is set to be held on Friday, Dec. 15, beginning at 5:00 p.m. MT, with Utah Royals FC currently slated to select No. 2 overall. Fans can watch LIVE on CBS Sports Network as the two expansion sides can select up to 12 players each, with additional coverage via CBS Sports Golazo and the “Attacking Third” show & social accounts. Details regarding January’s NWSL draft will soon be unveiled at www.NWSL.com.
“I know A-Rod (URFC Head Coach Amy Rodriguez) very well from our time in Kansas City, and talking to her now I can tell she means business,” continued Vasconcelos. “Her vision for this Club is exciting, she’s the perfect one for the job, with a super-aggressive, no-nonsense approach to team-building, as you might expect.
“It is incredibly exciting to see what is happening here in the early days of the roster coming together; DF Kaleigh Riehl and I were in a U.S. camp together for the U-23s just 4 months after I had my daughter, and of course I know FW Mikayla Cluff – we never played together at BYU, but as alumni of course we became instant friends.
“My family has been super-excited for this move – I have two nephews already playing in the RSL Academy right now, actually – so we will all be…