Reign FC trade Bethany Balcer to Racing Louisville for Jaelin Howell

Seattle Reign FC are not yet done with making moves in this summer transfer window, and this one is a stunner. Seattle has traded forward Bethany Balcer to Racing Louisville FC for midfielder Jaelin Howell and $50,000 in Allocation Money.

Yes, you read that correctly.

The shocking goodbye

Balcer joined the Reign in 2019 as an undrafted rookie, a story well-documented as the first player to come from an NAIA college to sign with an NWSL club. Balcer's rookie year is the stuff inspirational sports movies are made of, as she won NWSL Rookie of the Year honors that season with six goals in 24 appearances.

That rookie campaign resulted in her getting her first call-up to the United States Women's National Soccer Team that December. In her 2021 season, Balcer increased her goal total to 9 – and on November 26, 2021, Balcer made her international debut for the United States in a friendly against Australia.

Balcer's time at the Reign comes to a shocking end with 132 total appearances across all competitions, scoring 39 goals.

Balcer, one of only two NWSL players to score more than 6 goals each season since her rookie year in 2019, recently signed a new contract with the Reign through 2025.

Sources have told Ride of the Valkyries that when the club and Balcer were in conversation about signing an extension beyond the 2025 season, Balcer had expressed interest in pursuing other opportunities elsewhere.

“Seattle Reign would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Bethany Balcer for her time with the club. A player who took the league by storm in her rookie season and continued to build an admirable professional career here in Seattle. I know she’ll be sorely missed in the locker room, by our staff and fans. We want nothing but the best for her as she continues her career. BB8 leaves a lasting legacy," said Seattle Reign FC General Manager Lesle Gallimore in the club's announcement.

Welcome to Seattle, Jaelin Howell

Midfielder Jaelin Howell was the second overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and has been Racing Louisville's captain since the start of the 2023 season. She's featured in 50 regular-season games since entering the NWSL.

“I couldn’t be more excited for this new chapter of my career and to join the Reign at such a critical point in the season. This club has a history of competing and winning at a high level. I’m ready to help the team succeed on the field while getting to know the community and our fans in Seattle. See you at Lumen this weekend," said Howell in the club's announcement.

Howell is an aggressive ball-winner, most often playing as a defensive midfielder or as a box-to-box midfielder when asked. In 2023, she featured in 21 games and ranked among the NWSL’s best in tackles (6th), tackles won (6th) and duels won (6th). Howell, who missed time in the middle of the season with an injury, was named to the Challenge Cup All-Tournament Team last year as well. 

Howell finished her collegiate career at Florida State with 14 goals and 14 assists and became only the sixth women’s player to win the Hermann Trophy in consecutive years, joining Mia Hamm, Cindy Parlow, Christine Sinclair, Morgan Brian, and Catarina Macario.

“Jaelin Howell is a terrific addition to Seattle Reign FC, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have her joining us as we begin to turn the page in a new era for the club. Jaelin has a strong overall presence in the midfield combined with a competitor’s work rate and a leader’s winning attitude," said Gallimore.

The 24-year-old has five caps for the U.S. women's national team and scored her first international goal against Uzbekistan in April 2022.

A busy summer transfer window

This trade is part of a busy summer transfer window for the Reign. It is no coincidence that the moves follow the purchase of the club by Sounders owners and investment firm Carlyle Group, which was finalized and announced in June.

“We sat still for way too long,” said general manager Lesle Gallimore at a press conference last week. Gallimore noted how much more flexibility the team now has with the sale complete. “For us to have a little bit more freedom now to do some things to get where we are as a club, as a roster, and to collectively internally align on what direction we want to go with the project [is good].”

In addition to acquiring Howell, the Reign made moves to bring Nérilia Mondésir and Ana-Maria Crnogorčević to the club and signed U-18 players Ainsley McCammon and Jordyn Bugg to build for the future.