Louisville lands goal-scoring F Bethany Balcer in trade with Reign

The Seattle Reign traded their leading goal-scorer, forward Bethany Balcer, to Racing Louisville in exchange for midfielder Jaelin Howell and $50,000 in allocation money on Monday.

Balcer, 27, had been with Seattle since 2019. She has 33 goals in 103 career NWSL appearances, including five goals this year.

"Bethany is a proven goal-scorer in the NWSL and brings extensive league experience to our club," Louisville general manager Ryan Dell said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have her in Louisville as we make a push towards the playoffs."

"I'm excited for the opportunity to join Racing Louisville and work toward making the playoffs," Balcer said. "I am looking forward to working under (coach Bev Yanez) and her leadership and know that this club's ceiling is incredibly high. I can't wait to get to work with this group of talented players."

Racing Louisville (3-6-7) are in the mix for a playoff berth but have scored just 21 goals in 16 matches this year.

Howell, 24, was Louisville's captain and has three assists (no goals) in her three-year NWSL career. She was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.

"I couldn't be more excited for this new chapter of my career and to join the Reign at such a critical point in the season," Howell said in a statement. "This club has a history of competing and winning at a high level. I'm ready to help the team succeed on the field while getting to know the community and our fans in Seattle."

--Field Level Media