Dani Foxhoven will not return to Seattle Reign in 2016

Seattle Reign FC announced today that forward Danielle (Dani) Foxhoven will not be returning to the Reign for the 2016 season.

Fans expected that might be the case when Foxhoven's name was left off the list of re-signed players this November. Dani provided further proof at the end of December, when she stated in a blog post that playing the championship match in Portland "was the perfect end to a wonderful chapter in my soccer career."

While the Reign did not state what was next in Foxhoven's career, the same December blog noted that she planned to travel through New Zealand with her friend's outdoor media company, Comfort Theory.

Foxhoven was signed in 2013 by Portland Thorns FC for the inaugural season of the NWSL. With Portland, she scored four goals and won the first-ever NWSL championship. In November 2013, Foxhoven was traded to the Reign in exchange for forward Jessica McDonald and the rights to defender Rebecca Moros. Foxhoven played in 28 matches for the Reign during the 2014 and 2015 NWSL seasons, notching an assist and starting five matches, for a total of 699 minutes.

"The last two seasons with the Reign have been some of the best years in my soccer career. Even though I have decided to look at other opportunities, the decision comes with a heavy heart as I think so highly of this club and the team," said Foxhoven. "It has been an absolute honor to play at Memorial Stadium, in front of our fans, and for not only Laura, but also Sam, Ben, and Bill and Teresa. I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to everyone who helped me during my time with the Reign."

Foxhoven's two Reign seasons contributed to a significant soccer career for the 26-year-old. Foxhoven was a standout forward at the University of Portland. The Colorado native scored 57 goals and tallied 25 assists with the Pilots, and was a two-time All-WCC First Team selection. She also spent time with the U-17 and U-23 national teams.

Originally drafted by the Philadelphia Independence in the 2012 Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) Draft, Foxhoven signed with Russian club FC Energiya Voronezh after WPS ceased operations. In Russia, she scored six goals in nine appearances, including a hat trick against Kubanochka. After returning from Russia, Foxhoven joined the University of Portland as an assistant coach for the 2012 season.

"Dani has been an important part of our club for the past two seasons. She'll be missed by me, by her teammates and by the fans," said Reign head coach Laura Harvey. "We wish her the best and will leave the door open for her to return to Reign FC at some point in the future."

While Foxhoven was unable to get significant playing time with the Reign — falling behind players like Bev Yanez, Megan Rapinoe, and Naho Kawasumi on the depth chart — her vision and technical skills were evident every time she stepped onto the field. Case in point: this assist to Kim Little against FC Kansas City last season.

Finally, Foxhoven was one of the hardest-working players at practice and was well loved by teammates. Goodbye for now, Dani. You'll be missed.