Thorns trade key players, move up to top draft pick

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland Thorns traded away U.S. national team defender Emily Sonnett, Australian Caitlin Foord and forward Midge Purce in a pair of deals Wednesday and landed the top pick in this year’s college draft.

The Thorns sent Sonnett and Foord’s rights, along with the seventh and 14th draft picks, to the Orlando Pride in exchange for the top pick in next week’s draft. Purce was sent to Sky Blue along with a 2021 first-round pick for the rights to midfielder Raquel Rodriguez.

Rodriguez posted thanks to Sky Blue, its fans and her teammates on Twitter. “We have been through it all, together. I am honored to have been part of such a resilient group of people, and such quality human beings. Wish you all the best for the future. Will always carry all of you in my heart,” she wrote.

Sonnett made her World Cup debut last summer in France with the United States, which won its second straight title. She was the first overall pick in the 2016 draft by Portland.

Foord, who has played with the Australian national team since 2011, played for Sky Blue from 2013-15 then played abroad for several seasons before returning to the NWSL with the Thorns in 2018.

Purce came to Portland in 2018 in the dispersal draft after the Boston Breakers folded. She made her first appearance with the U.S. national team in an exhibition against Costa Rica in November.

Rodriguez, who has played in 70 games with the Costa Rican national team and scored the nation’s first World Cup goal in 2015, was selected by Sky Blue in the 2016 draft. She had eight goals and five assists in 76 games with the team.

In another trade Wednesday, the Houston Dash acquired forward Katie Stengel and the No. 22 draft pick from the Utah Royals in exchange for second-round picks this year and next.