Seattle Reign sign local talent Sally Menti through 2027

Following three breakout performances in June, Seattle Reign announced on Wednesday that the club signed midfielder Sally Menti to a two-year contract extension through the 2027 season, with a mutual option for 2028. Menti, who entered the Reign's preseason with a lingering college injury, had been previously signed to a short-term contract through June.

“We are extremely pleased to not only extend Sally’s contract but to officially welcome her as a long-term member of Reign FC,” said General Manager Lesle Gallimore in a team release. “Through her hard work and determination, she’s quickly established herself as an important contributor within our squad.”

The Seattle native played for Roosevelt High School and Crossfire SC before attending Santa Clara University, where she helped the Broncos capture the 2020 NCAA Championship and earned multiple All-West Coast Conference honors. In the summer, she would often train with the Reign to prepare for the upcoming college season. Now, the homegrown midfielder gets to call the same players her teammates.

“Continuing my career in my hometown with a world-class club I’ve admired for so long is incredibly special to me,” Menti said. “I’m grateful for the belief the Reign has shown in me, and I’m excited to keep growing and contributing to this team.”

Joining the team late in preseason after recovering from her injury, it took Menti a while to break into a gameday squad. She made her professional debut on May 23 as a substitute against the Washington Spirit. Menti earned her first career start the next match, scoring the opening goal from distance in a 2-1 win against the San Diego Wave in front of her family, who made the trip to San Diego to watch.

“[I'm] so happy for Sally,” head coach Laura Harvey said after Menti's goal against San Diego. “She's grown a lot since she's been with us. She's a baller, absolute baller. The fact she's a local kid just means a little bit more.”

Menti maintained her starting spot in the midfield in the two games that followed. Across her first four NWSL games, she's averaged 31 successful passes, with an 82% pass accuracy, and creates nearly two chances per game. It's clear that she possesses a lot of grit, poise, and calmness on the ball — and that there's still a lot of room for her to grow with this team.

Harvey told reporters after her first start that many players start to get referred to by their initials, as the coaches often write their names on the board. With Sam Meza already having SM, Menti adopted the initials KDB, a nod to one of her favorite players, Kevin De Bruyne. It could prove to be a rather telling nickname for the midfielder.

“Sally is a crafty player with exceptional football intelligence,” Gallimore echoed. “Her growth over the past few months has been impressive, and we’re excited to continue supporting her development in the years to come. We couldn’t be more thrilled to watch Sally’s journey unfold in a Reign jersey.”

Menti was recently called into training camp with the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team for the upcoming international window, along with teammates Emeri Adames, Maddie Dahlien, Emily Mason, and Maddie Prohaska. She has previously represented the U.S. at the U-16, U-17, U-18, and U-20 levels and was a finalist for the 2022 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year award.