May 24, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Utah Royals FC News Release
HERRIMAN, UTAH – The Utah Royals announced today that defender Kate Del Fava has inked a contract extension with the Royals through 2026 with a team option for 2027.
Del Fava re-joined the Royals in December of 2023 following a trade with the Kansas City Current for expansion draft protection and $75,000 in Allocation Money, having been originally selected by the Royals with the 12th overall selection in the 2020 NWSL College Draft. She, along with Michele Vasconcelos, are the only two players on the current roster who were part of the original Royals squad in 2020.
Del Fava has been a mainstay in head coach Amy Rodriguez’s lineup this year, and is the only player in 2024 to have played in every minute of Utah’s ten matches. She fittingly scored the first goal of the 2024 season in the Royals 2-1 home victory over North Carolina Courage on March 22. This season, the center back has been the most consistent player along the backline which has rotated frequently due to injuries and her passing percentage of 88.8% is the highest among all Royals field players.
“Signing an extension with the Royals fills me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and excitement. The support from the club, fans, and the entire Utah community has been incredible so far and I can’t wait to continue this journey for years to come. I want to thank the Utah Royals for allowing me the opportunity to continue working alongside my teammates, coaches, staff, and the entire organization. I truly believe in the vision of this club and am thrilled to be part of its bright future. COYR.”
Utah Royals FC returns home to America First Field on Saturday May 25 to face Del Fava’s former side, Kansas City Current. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00pm MT with tickets available at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/.
• Discuss this story on the National Women’s Soccer League message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.