The Kansas City Current are serious about investing in their future. A record-breaking deal for Hanson's Ally Sentnor is proof.
Sentnor, who attended Thayer Academy before playing at the University of North Carolina, went to Utah with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft — the final draft before the league's new collective bargaining agreement abolished the practice.
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She's one of the fastest-rising stars in women's soccer, having been named US Soccer's young female athlete of the year in 2024. The midfielder made her senior national team debut before her 21st birthday, totaling four goals and two assists in her first 12 appearances.
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With the Royals sitting in last place in the NWSL (1-10-3, 6 points), Utah coach Jimmy Coenraets indicated Sentnor may have requested a trade.
'When a player wants to leave, there are not a lot of ways to keep a player,' Coenraets told local media,
Sentnor's dissatisfaction may have been the opportunity the Current front office was looking for. The serendipitous timing of the transfer gives first-place Kansas City more flexibility in the midfield, particularly important given midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo
The Current's Caitlin Carducci said during Sentnor's introductory press conference that she's in constant communication with fellow GMs around the league about potential trades, which was how Sentnor's name came up in transfer talks.
'If you're not constantly trying to get better in this league, you're going to get left behind,' Carducci said. 'We're not satisfied with where we are right now, we have really high ambitions, and so consistently looking around at talent, not only within the NWSL, but globally, is key for us.'
After one-plus season in Utah, where she was named the club's Offensive Player of the Year and was one of three nominees for NWSL Rookie of the Year, Sentnor said upon arriving in Kansas City she was struck by the Current's professionalism — an indication that the investments made by co-owners Angie and Chris Long are setting the pace in the NWSL.
'[The Longs] are constantly raising the bar for women's football across the globe as we sit in this wonderful building, and their continued dedication to making sure that this is the best women's football club in the world is always appreciated by all of us,' Carducci said from the Current's training facility.
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Though Sentnor notched a goal and an assist in 13 matches with Utah this season, the former No. 1 pick's expectations for her team were loftier than the Royals could provide.
'We all have a timeline,' said Coenraets, the Utah coach. 'We all have goals and ambitions, and I think maybe we weren't at the right place to achieve hers.'
Carducci will have to hope Kansas City's multimillion-dollar facility is the right place in which to nurture Sentnor's sky-high ambitions.
'I am expecting a trophy, just from all the hard work we're going to put in this season,' Sentnor said. 'It's so amazing to have that fight and be on a team that is fighting for that. 'It's definitely a mentality shift, but I'm really excited.'
Emma Healy can be reached at
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