When San Diego Wave FC goes up to the field for the regular season 2025 NWSL, they will be retired from their 2023 NWSL Shield victory and its last appearance in the playoffs. It is not the longest drought for a sports team, but for the four -year franchise that established a winning standard in 2022, it is a new territory. The club is now taking its first steps in a reconstruction after a low season busy.
It is not something that the franchise is avoiding with the general manager and former NWSL player, Camille Ashton Levin, telling CBS Sports during the preseason: “It is no secret”, but there are multiple circumstances that the club has had to juggle since its own arrival of the middle of the season to San Diego.
“Ultimately, I want to be in a place where we are competing for championships. Not in unique years, but year after year, and have something that is sustainable,” he said.
Low season shakes
The spiral towards a reconstruction began mid -season in 2024, a surprising dismissal of former chief coach Casey Stoney by former president of the Jillis club. The movement occurred after a streak without victories of seven games for the wave where they fought to produce any significant attacking football and fought in front of the goal, sitting in the ninth place at the time of their departure.
The movement, carried out in part to save the mediocre season, had the opposite effect when the player’s behavior fell, the struggles in the attack remained and were eliminated from the containment of the playoffs. Later, the US national team striker. Uu. Alex Morgan retired mid -season with a dual advertisement of his pregnancy in September, and in October, the Levine Leichtman family office completed the acquisition of the club of its previous owner, Ron Burkle.
Ashton joined the club during the middle of the summer turnover, which also included accusations of former employees of the club of a toxic work culture. In July, Ellis filed a demand for defamation against a former wave employee who had accused Ellis of creating a toxic work environment. An investigation (through a third -party company) occurred at the beginning of the year and discovered that the wave had not violated NWSL policies. Since then, Ellis has called “false” accusations.
In addition, several former employees have filed a lawsuit against the OLA and NWSL, although Ellis is not appointed accused. Demand contains accusations of sexual harassment, reprisals, racial discrimination and unfair termination. The former club president finally left his position for a newly created women’s football role in FIFA in December.
Low season acquisitions
With so many different circumstances of constant change, Ashton and the club had few options, but to rely on the reconstruction of the wave. The billing continued in winter, and Ashton and the club worked with Naomi Girma to solve a historical transfer rate now with Chelsea FC And finally negotiated an exchange for Jaedyn Shaw to North Carolina after the player requested the movement in the spring of 2024. The wave also needed to discover her position as a chief coach after three different managers in a season.
After Stoney’s dismissal, Paul Buckle was an inmate who left after summer, and the former US male team player. Uu. Landon Donovan was finally named interim for the rest of the year. During his introductory press conference, he said that the door was “open” for conversations for the permanent role of the chief coach, but as the wave season annihilated, Ashton knew that the club had to go to a larger search for a manager.
“When entering that type of situation, it was really important that we did not hurry to the decision of the chief coach, that we went through a very thorough process that was going to take time,” he said.
They landed in Jonas Eidevall in a little chance, since it was not an option available when the search for San Diego began. His departure from Arsenal changed things, and after long processes and conversations of interviews, the wave felt that he was the candidate to lead the team in his transition time.
“We had a lot of conversation … about how we see an environment and the things that are important, and what, what are the non -negotiable, and how we care for people, how we seek to develop the individual and then make sure that we were maximizing the team. We did all these things together and talk about what was important for the club, and then spoke about what was important for him, and was aligned in everything. [all] Those things, “Ashton explained.
The reconstruction of San Diego was in force when they announced to Eidevall as a chief coach in January. They signed the first player in the era after the Draft in the NWSL when they welcomed the striker of the University of Texas Trinity Byars in November. Shortly after the winter exits of Shaw and Girma, the wave announced the firm of defender Trinity Armstong of the University of North Carolina.
The wave also signed the Nigerian internationals in favor of Emmanuel and Chiamaka Okwuchukwu. In February, the Canadian international and veteran of NWSL Adrianna Leon joined the Aston Villa Club, adding to the long trip of the construction of the club list.
“You must understand the individual player and understand what is important for them, because each player is different, and each player is in a different part of his career or place and has different ambitions or things that resonate with them more or less. Therefore, it is honestly important to understand those things in each individual player,” Ashton said about the recruitment and reconstruction process.
“And then, look within ourselves and understand: ‘Is this the best place for this individual too?’ It’s great if, like a club, you really want a player, but he has to be fit both of them, if that makes sense.
Being able to exhibit, obviously, all the great things in San Diego and the club, but also make sure that we really understand what is important for the player. The other thing, we want to bring players to this organization they want to win, who want to compete. That is also very important in the players that we are recruiting to come here. “
Players who write a new chapter
Ashton recognized the challenges of a younger list, but expressed his confidence in the appearance of new leaders within the team. “When there are changes, you always have emerging leaders,” he said, pointing out the combination of the team of remaining veterans and young people as a source of optimism. However, trusting the leaders not tested to guide a team through a reconstruction is a bet, and the ability of the wave to promote a cohesive equipment culture will be essential for their success.
Goalkeeper Kalien Sheridan is an example of leadership in which he will trust the group. He is former goalkeeper of the year of NWSL and Olympic gold medalist with Canada.
“I think at the end of last season, there [were] Definitely, some fear factors there that we all feel and were nervous, “Sheridan explained.
“I think that entering with a similar perspective, and without forgetting the past, because that is not useful either. I think you must remember where you come to continue growing and not allow the backward. But I think that coming with an open mind and being ready to learn and work and have a goal forward, instead of returning [or] It is not useful to work to rebuild something. We have to move on and again, remember what we have done, but we have to advance. And we have an incredible group of players at this time with which I am really excited to work. There is so much talent in the room. We just need to control it and structure it now. So, it will be how we do that, “he said.
Despite all the complexities around the path of the wave towards a reconstruction only three years after its expansion to the league, the veteran goalkeeper believes that his list has the talent to compete and that the players in their second season in NWSL will be the next wave of leaders in the team.
“Believe [defender] Kennedy Wesley is an incredible talent, and he has not been given the opportunities he deserves, nor given the attention he needs to grow and flourish. Within six to eight months of being able to play and train with her, the growth I have seen is remarkable, and I am really excited to continue watching her trip. I don’t need to be part of that all the time, but I really feel lucky to be, “Sheridan said.
Look ahead
The club’s decision to prioritize young people and long -term growth over immediate results could position them as a future power or leave them fighting to compete in a quick league. With the 2025 season on the horizon, the attention will be in San Diego to see if their low season bets bear fruit, or if they leave them drifting in a sea of non -compliance.
For now, the future of the wave remains a question sign. As the club is navigated by this crucial moment, the pressure to deliver will only intensify. The bets are high and the margin of error is thin. Will the reconstruction of the wave drive them to new heights, or leave them looking for answers in another low season? Only time will say it.
