[ColoradoTree]

I think she wanted to play in the NWSL over another college season, which will probably help her develop faster than she could at Stanford. I hope the decision was not based on making the USWNT immediately, that was not going to happen based on the players ahead of her in the forward position.

Yeah, I assume she did this knowing (1) she'd be the first pick, and (2) she wouldn't make the Olympic roster absent a few injuries, but (3) she'd have a leg up in a forward group without Lloyd or maybe Rapinoe after the Olympics. 

Financially, I don't think it's the soundest decision for her, but if the extra year of NWSL means she's a more established USWNT player for longer? Then it makes sense. It's going to be hard to find time to come back to finish the degree, though, unless she waits until she's all the way done playing soccer. With the NWSL calendar, the spring, summer, and autumn quarters are out, and winter quarter is going to run up against the standard January USWNT camp and January friendlies, prepping for the SheBelieves Cup in February/March, doing Olympic qualifying every four years. The reality is that despite what she and Tierna say about coming back to finish their degrees, it's going to be very difficult to find the time to spend a few months in a row on campus until their playing careers are over.

[ColoradoTree]

I think she wanted to play in the NWSL over another college season, which will probably help her develop faster than she could at Stanford. I hope the decision was not based on making the USWNT immediately, that was not going to happen based on the players ahead of her in the forward position.

Yeah, I assume she did this knowing (1) she'd be the first pick, and (2) she wouldn't make the Olympic roster absent a few injuries, but (3) she'd have a leg up in a forward group without Lloyd or maybe Rapinoe after the Olympics. 

Financially, I don't think it's the soundest decision for her, but if the extra year of NWSL means she's a more established USWNT player for longer? Then it makes sense. It's going to be hard to find time to come back to finish the degree, though, unless she waits until she's all the way done playing soccer. With the NWSL calendar, the spring, summer, and autumn quarters are out, and winter quarter is going to run up against the standard January USWNT camp and January friendlies, prepping for the SheBelieves Cup in February/March, doing Olympic qualifying every four years. The reality is that despite what she and Tierna say about coming back to finish their degrees, it's going to be very difficult to find the time to spend a few months in a row on campus until their playing careers are over.