Last week, the National Women’s Soccer League announced the finalists for the 2023 NWSL Awards featuring Rookie of the Year, presented by Ally. The 2023 NWSL Awards are voted upon in two rounds with fans having the opportunity to participate in the final round of the voting process.

Last week, the National Women’s Soccer League announced the finalists for the 2023 NWSL Awards featuring Rookie of the Year, presented by Ally. The 2023 NWSL Awards are voted upon in two rounds with fans having the opportunity to participate in the final round of the voting process.In the preliminary round of voting, players, owners, general managers, coaches and the media voted on individual awards to determine the finalists. The preliminary round used a weighted scale, broken down by players (50%), owners/GMs/coaches (25%) and media (25%). The final round of voting uses a weighted scale of players (40%), owners/GMs/coaches (25%), media (25%) and fans (10%). Below is a recap of notable statistics and performances from the Rookie of the Year finalists during the 2023 NWSL regular season. For a full list of award finalists, including Most Valuable Player, presented by Bud Light, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year and Coach of the Year, click here.

Messiah Bright – F, Orlando Pride

The 21st selection in the 2023 NWSL Draft, Bright quickly became a key contributor in Orlando’s offense, scoring in just her second NWSL match. Bright led all rookies with six goals, tied for the eighth highest total in the league. Two of Bright’s goals came in Week 16, with the forward recording her first NWSL brace in a 5-0 win against the Chicago Red Stars. Two of her six goals were game winners for the Pride. Bright was named Player of the Month, presented by EA Sports, and Rookie of the Month, presented by Ally, in August, becoming the first player in league history to win both awards in the same month.

Jenna Nighswonger – M/D, NJ/NY Gotham FC

Fourth overall draft pick Jenna Nighswonger had a great rookie year for NJ/NY Gotham FC, tallying three goals, including scoring in consecutive matches played in Week 6 and Week 8. Nighswonger led all rookies with 35 tackles won, the seventh highest total in the league. The former Florida State Seminole recorded 78 duels won and 107 possessions won, third among Gotham FC players in both categories. Nighswonger was named Rookie of the Month, presented by Ally, in May and July, making her the only player to win the award twice this season. She also earned three Best XI selections, twice as a midfielder and once as a defender, and ranked fifth among all rookies for minutes played.

Alyssa Thompson – F, Angel City FC

Last year's No.1 overall pick, Thompson started her career in exciting fashion, scoring a goal just 11 minutes in her NWSL debut. Thompson went on to score three more goals during the 2023 regular season, tied for the most on Angel City FC. For her strong start to the season, Thompson was named Rookie of the Month, presented by Ally, for March/April. The 18-year-old midfielder notched her fourth goal of the season in Week 21, scoring the equalizer in a pivotal win against the Houston Dash. The Los Angeles native helped lead her club to its first playoff appearance with an assist in Angel City’s 5-1 win on Decision Day. Award winners will be announced in the days surrounding the 2023 NWSL Championship, presented by Bud Light, which is set to kick off Saturday, November 11 at 8 p.m. ET at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. The contest will air live on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ and internationally on Watch.NWSLSoccer.com.

In addition to the awards listed above, the winner of the third annual Nationwide Community Impact Award will be announced and honored at halftime of the Championship match. For more details on the Nationwide Community Impact Award, please click here. The league will also announce the Championship MVP, presented by Bud Light, during the on-field post-match presentation.

Tickets for the 2023 NWSL Championship, presented by Bud Light, are available here.