Last Year: Dallas Trinity came out of the gate fast, strong, and pressing from the first whistle of the first game last season, impressive. The team was captained by NWSL and USWNT veteran Amber (now) Wisner (formerly Brooks). During the winter break, Lexi Missiomo, a star UT and USYNT player, signed and brought some skillful passing to the midfield when they lost Sam Meza to Seattle Reign. Chioma Ubogagu was truly a bright spot in her playmaking and goal-scoring abilities. Allie Thornton won the league Golden Boot by scoring 13 goals. In the final stretch, several key starters and many other players had season-ending injuries, which saw them drop to 4th, earning the final playoff place, then losing in the first round.

Over the Break: The first thing done in the offseason was to fire the head coach, Pauline MacDonald, who has not yet been replaced. Canadian YNT goalkeeper Rylee Foster looks to pick up the starting position, relying on her experience from Liverpool, Everton, and Durham FC. Other acquisitions include several experienced and USYNT players.

Circle the Date: In season two, Dallas has a long stretch of home games in December (when it’s still warm in TX) and away games in September (when it’s still hot as the face of the sun in TX). It’s in everyone’s interest not to play in Texas in the summer, but December is lovely. They have a special State Fair of Texas Clasico against Club America on October 18th at 4 pm. This should be a good measure of where they stand and give young players international club exposure.

Remaining Questions: Last season, the coach started a few games after the season began; it appears the new coach will be in the same predicament, with limited time for tactical development, getting to know players, and preparing for the season. How big of an impact will this have? In year 2, will a team that has championship aspirations be hindered by a lengthy leadership vacancy? Will their knack for scouting and recruiting top youth players continue in year two?

The Finish: I predict a 3rd place finish. Other teams have recruited quality coaches and leveled up their rosters exponentially. Limited time with the team will yield a slow start in a league where every goal matters in the race to the top.

Last Year: Spokane Zephyr started the season timidly with moments of brilliant magic. Emina Ekic really started to show her baller nature when the chemistry kicked in down the final stretch. Hope Hisey was the league Goalkeeper of the Year, with 9 clean sheets and a league-high 77% save percentage. They became a powerhouse, with a spring league-best record of 9-2-3, and only missed out on playoffs due to tie-breaker fuckery [this is an editor’s addition].

Over the Break: Coach Jo Johnson shared that she would not be signing on for a second year during the Spring season. Her gain is the league’s loss. The second blow came when league MVP Emina Ekic signed with bottom-of-the-table Lexington, with Alyssa Bourgeois, McKenzie Weinert, and Taylor Aylmer, leaving gaps in the lines. Former All-American Cameron Tucker was the first off-season signing, bringing NWSL and La Liga experience. One under-the-radar signing is Lena Silano, UWS Champion with SC Blue Heat and a steady contributor for the Washington Spirit. They secured several players with NWSL experience to shore up the roster. Off-field, they hired Carrie Taylor as VP of Soccer Operations. Taylor brings 35 years of soccer experience, including being the first woman to coach on a U.S. men’s professional soccer technical staff, USLC’s San Diego Loyal.

Circle the Date: September 6th, Spokane versus Fort Lauderdale will be a new rivalry when they get revenge for knocking them out of the playoffs last year. September 20th will be a grudge match when Spokane face off against former teammates at Lexington. December, January, and February will be all road games to compensate for the weather.

Remaining Questions: I will be looking to see if Spokane has the best recruiters to find the right talent, delivering results. They have been able to discover players with high soccer IQ who fit into their project. Spokane is another team heading into the start of the season without a head coach. While it is becoming de rigueur to hire coaches midseason, there is an impact on the tactics, performance, and cohesion, often starting behind the other teams, having to come from behind.

The Finish: Predicted finish, without seeing anyone play, is 5th. This feels like a rebuilding year, new VP of Ops, no coach, and losing key players will take time to develop. It almost feels like another team in the league intentionally went after their best players to sneakily try to derail them.

Editor’s Note: Three more previews tomorrow!