Seattle Reign FC announced Wednesday morning that defender Shae Holmes has agreed to a two-year contract extension, staying in Seattle through the 2026 season. Holmes had been set to become a free agent after this season.
“I’m grateful to sign a contract extension and continue my soccer journey in Seattle for two more years," Holmes said in a club release. "It’s a privilege to represent this city and play for our fans. I’m thankful for all of you, my family, friends and teammates for the endless support!”
Rookie season: "Get healthy."
Holmes was selected by Seattle in the second round of the 2023 NWSL Draft and made 12 appearances (9 starts) across all competitions, with the highlight being starts in all 7 NWSL Challenge Cup games, where the Reign held their opponent scoreless in six matches. Holmes earned her Challenge Cup All-Tournament Team honors for her contributions to that achievement.
The number of appearances and quality of those minutes for Holmes in her rookie season may have been a pleasant surprise to the team, since going into the season Reign head coach Laura Harvey said the main objective for Holmes was to get healthy. During her college career at the University of Washington, Holmes sustained three ACL tears, an experience that she has chosen to symbolize through her own jewelry line, Connected Comebacks.
Year 2: "Play more."
Over the course of this 2024 season, Harvey has spoken about the next objective for Holmes being to simply play more – which she has, to the tune of 20 appearances across all competitions to date, with 18 in league matches and 2 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup matches.
“Since we brought in Shae, she has exceeded our already high expectations in her professional development," said Harvey in the club announcement. "Shae makes an impact all over the field and in our community. She is a very talented player and an even better human, and we’re excited to have her at the Reign for two more years.”
“We are thrilled to announce the re-signing of Shae Holmes,” said Reign General Manager Lesle Gallimore in the club's release. “Over the past two seasons, Shae has demonstrated remarkable consistency across our backline, showcasing her reliability on both sides of the ball. Her team-first mentality and versatility are invaluable assets to our squad, and her contributions positively impact both the club and our community. We are excited to see her continued growth and future success here at Reign.”
Holmes is also the club's nominee for the 2024 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, for her volunteer work with MS, I’mpossible in educating, raising funds, and offering support for young adults with multiple sclerosis. The fan vote for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award runs through October 31, with the winning player's charity receiving $5,000.
