Racing Louisville FC has signed Jess McDonald to a new two-year contract following a December trade to acquire the veteran forward’s NWSL playing rights, the club announced Friday.
McDonald will officially join Racing after six seasons with the NC Courage organization, which she helped to a trio of league shields from 2017-2019 and NWSL Championship victories in 2016, 2018 and 2019.
“We’re delighted to sign a player that has such a history of winning,” said James O’Connor, Racing’s interim president. “Her success on the field has been huge, but she has such a strong mentality as well. We’re excited to bring in a player of her caliber.”
McDonald ranks first all-time in regular season NWSL assists (27) and fourth in goals (51). Racing marks her seventh club across the league, while her resume also boasts international experience, including a spot on the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 2019 World Cup-winning squad.
The 33-year-old and her son, Jeremiah, recently relocated to Louisville in anticipation of Racing’s start to preseason next week.
“It’s been a smooth transition coming into Louisville,” McDonald said. “Even my kid is excited to be here. As soon as he stepped foot on his campus, the first thing he said was, “This school is so big. I’m gonna make so many friends!” That hit home, and that joy from my boy is all I ask for. “
McDonald — who is making Racing her record seventh NWSL club — first broke into the USWNT in 2018, scoring a game winner against Portugal in her debut for the red, white and blue. The next year, she made the 23-player World Cup roster.
Off the field, McDonald was recently named part of 2022 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame Class, to which she will be inducted in June. She is also the founder of Soccer Resilience, an organization dedicated to helping players, coaches and parents develop the mentality for growth and improvement to reach their full potential.
The Phoenix native wound up with Racing following a series of trades on Dec. 17, the eve of the 2022 NWSL Draft. Louisville sent forward Savannah McCaskill to Angel City FC for the No. 6 pick and $25,000 in allocation money, then exchanged the pick with the Courage for McDonald’s playing rights.
