May 7, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release
Washington, D.C. – Washington Spirit defender Casey Krueger and midfielder Croix Bethune have been named to the NWSL’s Best XI of the Month, presented by Amazon Prime, for their performance during March and April competition, the league announced today.
After joining the Spirit in free agency during the most recent NWSL offseason, Krueger picked up where she left off in 2023 as one of the NWSL’s best defenders. Krueger started all six matches for the Spirit in March and April, picking up two assists and helping the team to one clean sheet and just four goals against through five matches. She is joined by North Carolina’s Malia Berkely, San Diego’s Naomi Girma and Chicago’s Sam Staab on the back line of March/April’s Best XI.
Bethune came out of the gates on fire in her first professional campaign, scoring three goals and adding an assist in her first six matches. The midfielder netted a game-winner, her first career goal, in Washington’s home opener against Bay FC before finding the back of the net again in Houston and recording another game-winner against East Coast rival NJ/NY Gotham FC. Bethune is joined by Kansas City’s Vanessa DiBernardo and Louisville’s Taylor Flint in the midfield of March/April’s Best XI.
Since the monthly award began in 2017, no player has made more appearances in the NWSL’s Best XI of the Month than Krueger, who is earning her 13th such recognition. Krueger has also been named to year-end Best XI teams three times: Second Team in 2016, First Team in 2017 and 2019. Making waves of her own, Bethune becomes just the 16th first-year player in NWSL history to be named to a Best XI of the Month team.
The NWSL Best XI of the Month, presented by Amazon Prime award is selected each month of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis, and the NWSL’s on-air broadcast talent.
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