San Diego Wave FC have traded Kaleigh Riehl to the Utah Royals for 2024 expansion protection and $60,000 in allocation money. The deal was announced Monday morning.
The Wave selected the 27-year-old Riehl in the 2022 expansion draft from Racing Louisville. During her time in San Diego, Riehl appeared 41 regular-season games, starting 37 of them. She has a place in club history, having scored the Wave’s first-ever competitive goal, an equalizer against Angel City FC in 2022. A Virginia native who played collegiately at Penn State, Riehl was the 11th overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft.
The Royals, a member of the NWSL from 2018-20, have reformed and are rejoining the NWSL as an expansion team alongside Northern California’s Bay FC. The expansion draft is scheduled for Dec. 15.
Compiled in part from a news release.
