The Santa Clara alum returns to the Bay Area after a stellar career start with Kansas City Current
San Francisco (Nov. 15, 2023) – Bay FC, the Bay Area’s new women’s professional soccer franchise in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), started to build the club’s inaugural roster with the acquisition of Defensive Midfielder Alex Loera in a trade with the Kansas City Current in exchange for $175,000 in allocation money and protection from Bay FC in the 2024 Expansion Draft. Loera, whose current contract runs through the 2025 season, is the first player to join the Bay FC roster and will help fortify the team’s defense ahead of its inaugural 2024 season.
Loera joins Bay FC from the Kansas City Current, where she built on a breakout rookie season in 2022 and quickly became regarded as one of the top midfielders in the league. A versatile player who has been performing well beyond her years, Loera has proven herself as a major presence in the midfield and as center back. She made history for the Current by scoring the fastest goal in NWSL playoff history from an away team, in the 4th minute of the 2022 Semifinal against OL Reign.
“Alex’s technical ability and passing range makes her the perfect fit for Bay FC’s possessional style of play and epitomizes the tone we want to set for the rest of the team,” said Lucy Rushton, General Manager of Bay FC. “Coupled with her tenacity and strength in defense, Alex has all the tools of a complete modern-day DCM and we are delighted to be bringing her back to the Bay Area.”
Like Bay FC’s cofounders—USWNT legends Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, Danielle Slaton and Leslie Osborne—Loera played at Santa Clara University (2017-2021), leading the team as its captain in 2020 to its second NCAA Division I National Championship win. While at Santa Clara University, she earned Second Team All-American honors twice, as well as the Honda Sports Award in 2020, which recognizes the best collegiate female athletes across twelve sports. Loera was drafted by Kansas City with the 36th overall pick in the 2021 draft but deferred joining the NWSL for an extra year of eligibility.
“It is an incredible opportunity to be on the roster of a team that is new to the league but has a deep, rich history of soccer excellence,” said Bay FC defender Alex Loera. “The Bay Area played such a significant role in my soccer career and development and I could not be more eager to get back to my roots and onto the pitch for Bay FC.”
Bay FC is entering its first season in the NWSL and will have the first pick in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft set to take place virtually on Friday, December 15. The 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft will air live on CBS Sports Network with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The “Attacking Third” women’s soccer show will also provide additional coverage and analysis during the week of the expansion draft on CBS Sports Golazo Network and across @AttackingThird social accounts.
Bay FC will kick off its inaugural season in March 2024 at PayPal Park in San Jose. Ticket deposits are now open for Bay FC’s inaugural season and new merchandise can be purchased at BayFC.com. Fans can also follow @wearebayfc on social channels for more exciting announcements to come.
About Bay Football Club
Bay Football Club (Bay FC) is the new women’s professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area and the 14th team to join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Bay FC was established in April 2023 and co-founded by USWNT legends Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton, and Aly Wagner in partnership with global investment firm Sixth Street and an investor group of leading tech, business and sports executives. Sixth Street’s investment is the largest institutional investment to date in a women’s professional sports franchise. Bay FC is changing the face of women’s soccer as we know it. Beginning play in the 2024 season, we are building a squad that will play the beautiful game with power, passion, energy, and creativity. Ticket deposits are now open for Bay FC at bayfc.com and fans can follow Bay FC’s social channels (@wearebayfc) for the latest news, merchandise, and events.
