August 22, 2024, might just be the date that temporarily altered the course of U.S. soccer. Eyebrows were raised when it was announced that the National Women’s Soccer League and its Players Association (NWSLPA) had reached a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to eliminate the college draft and all other draft mechanisms from the league. If you were among those caught off guard, you weren’t alone—NWSL star Lo LaBonta admitted she was quite “scared” by the change.

Naturally, anyone would be thrilled to witness the emphatic growth of the NWSL and its rise as a pioneer in the sports world. But it felt like a sharp U-turn when the league became the first major professional sports league in the U.S. to scrap the College Draft—a system that had been in place for decades and now suddenly faced heavy scrutiny.

“When it came to our CBA and they said ‘We’re not doing a college draft anymore,’ I was kind of scared for these rookies and these younger players,” admitted LaBonta while speaking on The Attacking Third podcast. Honestly, we aren’t surprised by this claim. The college draft was a clear pathway for aspiring talents to get picked by a team and get a contract accordingly.

Sure, it did come with several downsides. For starters, if any youngster decided to opt-out, they had no choice but to either sit out for a year or find opportunities overseas. Not to mention the power was mostly in the hands of the teams, with the poorest performance to get the first pick in the draft. This only gave college athletes three options: accept the pick, request a trade, or head abroad.

No wonder why many players ditched US Soccer and turned to clubs in Europe or Mexico. Meanwhile, now, they can seamlessly weigh key factors such as salary, contract terms, club location, playing style, and potential minutes on the field when choosing their next step. It also gives ambitious clubs the chance to sign multiple standout talents.

Even so, to quote Commissioner Jessica Berman’s thoughts on abolishing draft system: “There actually is nothing to point to as a case study of how to make this transition, because there is no league that has gone from a world of a draft and having years of service, to being able to earn free agency and just having that melt away overnight.”

Part of letting go of the college draft was to make sure the NWSL—while desperately chasing the top charts to become the best—perfectly aligned with the global standards of the beautiful game especially when it came to recruitment and free agents. It is the only way they can lure and retain the best of the best talents.

This realization hit hard quite recently to Berman and her peers, who didn’t think twice about doing what’s best for the long-term prospects of the league. “It was really clear that there is a global labor market for talent, and it was also clear that we weren’t operating in ways consistent with global standards around player movement in particular, and player agency,” Commissioner Jessica noted while speaking to The Guardian in August.

That said, it’s not like young talents had all the power in their hands. Some eligibility rules remain in place for them. Freshmen and sophomores aren’t allowed to sign professional deals while still competing in college. To go pro, they must either graduate or give up their remaining NCAA eligibility. And the biggest condition is that this NWSLPA and CBA agreement isn’t permanent as it will be running till 2030.

While the change initially sounded a bit complex and overwhelming, it was also undeniably progressive. LaBonta eventually realized that this might have been the breakthrough the American women’s domestic league truly needed.

College draft abolishment is ‘impressive’ for US Soccer after all!

Lo LaBonta was tensed how young talents would even negotiate a deal in the first place. But looking at how the 2024 rookies are making strides, she has full confidence in this pact. “For some reason, this year it’s actually paid off. These rookies are popping off and I’m actually so impressed,” continued the KC Current star.

Compared to a rookie signing for a club through a draft with the current open scenario, LaBonta believes these talents are “crushing” it. The biggest example is Houston Dash’s Maggie Graham, who picked up the 2025 NWSL’s first rookie of the month, thanks to her emphatic debut. Her consecutive goals in the opening two games—a third rookie to achieve this feat—really proves LaBonta’s point. 

Another one is Maddie Dahlien, who is making significant strides with Seattle Reign. Arriving directly from the University of North Carolina, the 20-year-old helped the Tar Heels to their 23rd NCAA National Championship in her third season there. She even made a significant impact at the US Youth national team level, which only compelled senior team boss Emma Hayes to call Dahlien for January’s Young Futures Camp.

That explains why, as LaBonta recalled, there used to be debates over who would be the potential Rookie of the Year—typically between just two or three players. However, this season, the 32-year-old midfielder admits she feels a bit guilty knowing she might leave some names out when discussing standout performers.

“There are so many now which is a good problem to have. But I’m going to forget some of them and it’s unfortunate. So if I forget you, I’m sorry,” added the former Stanford alumni who was selected as the 37th overall pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft by Sky Blue FC.

Simply put, NWSL rookies are thriving in the absence of college draft. And mind you, we are just in the sixth week of the league and just a few months since this old mechanism has been let go off. So you may imagine that moving forward, there is certainly a lot to expect from these rookies. And the best part? What seemed like a questionable idea for US Soccer seems to have finally paid off, right?