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Welcome back to the weekly column from Sports Illustrated that breaks down the women's soccer weekend through a U.S. women's national team lens.
At this moment, the stakes couldn't be greater. There is just one weekend remaining for players to make an impression on USWNT head coach Emma Hayes before she announces the next roster for the team's friendlies against Spain on Oct. 10 and Oct. 13.
Following those Spain friendlies, focus will shift to 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying during the November/December window. Hayes has likely already secured many of her core players, but with the likes of Cat Macario and Olivia Moultrie sidelined for the remainder of the year, there are still significant position battles unfolding.
Let's examine which players saw their stocks rise and fall over the past weekend.
Stock Up
Jordynn Dudley
Jordynn Dudley finds the net 2 times for Gotham FC as they put a stamp on their 15th win of the season.#GFCvsNC recap presented by @Nationwide pic.twitter.com/XbTkwtNqMB
Gotham FC forward Jordynn Dudley has been a dark horse candidate to appear in Stock Up, Stock Down throughout the season; however, this past weekend, in Gotham's 2–1 away victory over the North Carolina Courage, Dudley commanded attention with the finest individual display of her season.
Dudley netted the first brace of her NWSL career, which featured a 90th-minute match-winner. Her second goal was a textbook target forward effort, causing chaos on a cross; however, her first was the true highlight. Dudley showcased sharp passing and dynamic movement before weaving past three defenders and firing the ball beyond the goalkeeper.
While Dudley's tally of five goals and three assists in her debut NWSL season is impressive, it is her capacity to beat defenders on the flank, press opponents and win physical duels that makes a Hayes call-up feel inevitable in the near future. This October may be too early, but some involvement in 2027 seems all but certain.
Jenna Nighswonger
Jenna Nighswonger's lengthy road back to the USWNT received a significant boost this week. Since departing Arsenal and returning to the NWSL last month, the Bay FC fullback secured her second win and second clean sheet with the club in a 2–0 triumph over Racing Louisville. Nighswonger played the full 90 minutes and generated the most chances of any player on the field (five). She completed four of seven crosses, including a beautifully floated delivery that resulted in a header striking the crossbar. Defensively, she won six of eight total duels and made four tackles.
The upcoming October USWNT squad will likely arrive too soon for Nighswonger. Having played so few minutes in the first half of 2026, she is still working her way back into the picture; however, with more outings like this, a call-up could come soon and end an 18-month absence from the national team.
Trinity Rodman
Trinity Rodman slots it in early 💰
Watch NOW on ESPN and the ESPN App 🍿 pic.twitter.com/VT5u2DLat9
Many players benefit when facing sides at the foot of the table, and Trinity Rodman against the Chicago Stars in the NWSL was no exception. The Washington Spirit forward contributed a goal and an assist in a 3–0 win over the Stars at a rain-soaked Martin Field in Illinois. She could have had even more goal involvements, had Sofia Cantore's first-half effort been a few inches lower rather than rattling the crossbar.
What makes Rodman such a dangerous weapon is her complete game across all phases of play. Against Chicago, she demonstrated a variety of shot and pass types, along with her ability to exploit multiple running channels. Rodman's opening goal was a classic striker's run to beat the offside trap, hold up the goalkeeper and finish with a composed dink. Her assist, however, was vintage wing play — she found space out wide and delivered a floated ball into the danger area.
Stock Down
Jameese Joseph
Sometimes, a player's chance to impress is taken entirely out of their control. Jameese Joseph had little opportunity this weekend after being substituted off in the 12th minute of the Utah Royals' 3–0 loss to Angel City. The Utah forward was withdrawn from the starting lineup to accommodate a defender following an early red card shown to Paige Cronin.
Joseph has been doing everything in her power to force her way into the next USWNT roster, including completing a $750,000 transfer from the Chicago Stars to Utah. Yet the season continues to slip away from her, and her prospects of featuring in the October friendlies against Spain are fading. Joseph has managed just one goal in 21 NWSL appearances this season.
Mia Fishel
25-year-old striker Mia Fishel made a significant statement when she joined the Seattle Reign in the summer of 2025. More than a year and 32 matches on, Fishel has scored just three goals and failed to replicate the form she previously showed at Chelsea in England and UANL Tigres in Mexico.
Fishel's latest goalless outing came in a 2–1 road defeat to the Denver Summit, where she labored for 53 minutes without registering a shot or creating a chance before being replaced by Maddie Mercado with the score 2–0 to Denver. The Reign pulled a goal back less than two minutes after Fishel's departure, adding further frustration to her evening.
Lilly Reale
MESSIAH BRIGHT'S FIRST OF THE YEAR! 🤩
Is this the match winner for @HoustonDash?! 👀
Catch the match LIVE on @CBSSportsNet 📺 pic.twitter.com/4RFmm93JqN
The Boston Legacy fullback waited 82 minutes on the bench before being introduced in Sunday's 2–1 loss to the Houston Dash. The score was level at 1–1 when Reale entered the game; however, just three minutes later, the opposition took the lead courtesy of a Messiah Bright strike. While the goal wasn't directly attributable to Reale, the Legacy defender could only look on from close range as teammate Deja Davis was beaten in the air and then failed to clear the rebound.
That marks back-to-back matches without a start for Reale, who, to her credit, impressed from the bench in the 3–0 upset victory over the Washington Spirit the previous week. There are plenty of defensive concerns surrounding Boston, and despite arriving as a highly-regarded midseason signing, Reale has found it difficult to establish herself with her new club.