The biggest remaining impending free agent for the Seattle Reign has been signed to a multi-year extension. The club announced on Tuesday that centerback Phoebe McClernon has signed a new contract which will keep her with the team through the 2029 NWSL season.
“Seattle has become such an important part of my life, and I'm really proud to have the opportunity to stay here,” said McClernon in a team release. “I've been fortunate to share the field with so many incredible people over the last five seasons with this club. I care deeply about this team, the people who represent it and what we want to accomplish together. There's still so much I want to achieve in a Reign jersey, and I'm looking forward to being part of what's ahead.”
The seventh-year pro started her career in Orlando, being selected 14th overall by the Pride in the 2020 NWSL draft. She went on loan to Växjö of the Damallsvenskan after the Pride were disqualified from the 2020 Challenge Cup due to a Covid outbreak, then returned to Orlando for 2021, where she made 21 regular-season appearances. The Reign acquired her during the following off-season, sending Leah Pruitt, Celia, and two draft picks to the Pride in exchange.
After two seasons as a back-up in Seattle and earning occasional spot starts, McClernon established herself as a written-in-ink starter for Laura Harvey’s side beginning in the 2024 season. She is on track to make her 100th regular-season appearance for the Reign on Sunday and is now the third-longest tenured player on the team, behind co-captains Jess Fishlock and Sofia Huerta. She is also the only Reign player to start all 29 games this season, playing all but 32 minutes of the season and ranking in the top quarter in nearly all NWSL defensive stats.
“Phoebe has been an important part of our defensive foundation, and her ability to perform at a high level consistently speaks to the type of player and professional she is,” said Reign General Manager Lesle Gallimore. “She brings an understanding of what it takes to compete in this league, and her influence extends well beyond her contributions on the field. Retaining a player with her experience, character and connection to this organization is significant as we continue shaping our roster for the future.”
The Reign defense has been one of the most consistent in the league, with the fifth-fewest goals conceded and 11 clean sheets so far this year. With McClernon’s re-signing, the team has now secured all of their defensive starters and several key backups for at least one more season, with most signed for multiple additional years. Fullbacks Ryanne Brown and Sofia Huerta are signed through 2027; goalkeepers Claudia Dickey and Neeku Purcell and fullback Madison Curry are signed through 2028; McClernon is signed through 2029, and centerback Jordyn Bugg and goalkeeper Evan O’Steen are both under contract through 2030.
Seattle has four remaining players who will be free agents at the end of the season: goalkeeper Cassie Miller, defenders Shae Holmes and Emily Mason, and midfielder Ruby Hladek.
