Seattle Reign announced today that head coach Laura Harvey has signed a contract extension, keeping the winningest coach in NWSL history with the club through the 2028 season. Harvey, now entering her 11th season with the Reign across two stints, has compiled an impressive record since joining the club ahead of its 2013 NWSL inaugural season – earning a league-high 113 wins.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and trust the club has placed in me,” said Harvey in a team release. “The progress we made in 2025 speaks to the work our players and staff put in every day. Our priority is continuing to grow our talent pool, playing with a clear identity and putting a product on the field that reflects who we are as a club and as a city.”
Putting aside the 2024 season, which was marked by a significant period of transition and uncertainty with the club up for sale, the Reign have been a consistent playoff contender under Harvey. They returned to the playoffs in 2025, finishing the season with 16 more points than the previous year while integrating several new signings and young talents — many of whom earned first-time international call-ups as a result of their 2025 club play.
Harvey also led the Reign to three NWSL Shields (2014, 2015, 2022), tied for a record among NWSL head coaches. Under her guidance, Seattle has reached three NWSL finals (2014, 2015, 2023) and made six playoff appearances (2014-15, 2021-23, and 2025). The one thing missing from her trophy list is that elusive NWSL Championship victory.
“Laura sets the competitive standard for our entire program,” said General Manager Lesle Gallimore in a team release. “She elevates players with intention and leads with clarity and consistency. This extension allows us to continue building with confidence, knowing we have one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in the world guiding our sporting vision.”
Harvey has also earned individual recognition as a three-time NWSL Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2021). She was also the first coach to reach milestone markers of 100 matches coached, 200 matches coached, and 100 wins.
Her impact extends beyond just wins and losses. She's cited as a key reason that players join the Reign and stay with the team for so long, with Reign originals Jess Fishlock, Lauren Barnes, and Megan Rapinoe all choosing to play their entire NWSL careers with the Reign. She has helped develop numerous award winners, including 2014 NWSL MVP Kim Little and 2021 NWSL MVP Fishlock.
As Fishlock told Sounder at Heart back in 2017, “Harvey changed my life, and she knows that. She had me believing in her from game one, and she has a whole club believing in her still.”
Chelsea and U.S. Women's National Team forward Mia Fishel also cited Harvey as a key reason she chose to come to Seattle last summer on a multi-year deal.
“Laura was definitely one of my biggest reasons for going to the Reign. We had a great connection with the U-20s when we were trying to qualify for World Cup. I know that she brings the best out of me as a player and a person,” Fishel said at an introductory press conference. “She has made a great team culture, so that's another thing that drew me to Seattle. One thing that really stuck out to me was the family culture that Reign had.”
This work has been intentional from Day 1 for Harvey. “The thing that we've always advocated for here is that we're people first,” Harvey told the Attacking Third podcast last year. “We care about everybody that's here. We want them to feel like this is their place, their family, their club.”
After initially coaching the Reign from 2013-2017, Harvey returned midway through the 2021 season following a stint with the Utah Royals and time with U.S. Soccer's youth and senior national teams. Her 7-2-2 record upon returning in 2021 helped propel the team to a second-place finish and earned her a third Coach of the Year award.
The new contract for Harvey provides stability for a Reign organization that has undergone significant changes in recent years. The club lost a significant number of players between their 2023 and 2024 seasons, including the retirement of Rapinoe and departures of U.S. Women's National team regulars Emily Sonnett and Rose Lavelle to Gotham and Brazilian midfielder Angelina to Orlando.
The Reign have already seen the benefits of their new stability. The club was purchased by the Seattle Sounders and the Carlyle Group in June 2024, with Maya Mendoza-Exstrom now serving as chief business officer and Gallimore as general manager. Club leadership quickly expanded the Reign's technical staff, added a third assistant coach, Lee Nguyen, and the Reign returned to the playoffs in 2025.
Harvey and her coaching staff can now continue building on the culture and success she has established in Seattle. A big task for her this year will be finding more success on the offensive end, as the Reign struggled to create and score goals in the 2025 season. If she can figure that piece out, the Reign should be a contender to finally add an NWSL Championship trophy to their case.
“Laura’s leadership has shaped this club from its beginning,” said Mendoza-Exstrom. “That foundation, rooted in a culture of competing and winning with high standards, is important. As we step fully into the next era of our club, securing Laura’s leadership is about momentum, not just continuity. Alongside Lesle, this extension reflects our shared ambition and long-term vision for this club, a belief in what is possible over the next several years and a commitment not only to continue winning, but also to lead a new generation of women’s soccer globally.”
