Trinity Rodman’s Status Uncertain Ahead of NWSL Quarterfinal

LEESBURG, Va. — Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman has been listed as questionable for Saturday’s NWSL quarterfinal as she continues to recover from a sprained MCL sustained last month.

Rodman did not participate in the initial 30 minutes of the Spirit’s training session on Friday, which was open to the media. According to a team spokesperson, she was seen in the gym adjacent to the practice field before joining her teammates for the final portion of training.

The standout player for the United States women’s national team is officially listed as questionable for the quarterfinal match against the No. 7 seed, Racing Louisville FC, according to the league’s availability report.

Earlier in the day, Spirit head coach Adrián González was noncommittal regarding Rodman’s status. He mentioned that Rodman and several others are being evaluated on a “day by day” basis and that he would consult with the medical staff later for a definitive diagnosis.

“The only thing with Trin is she’s been doing great,” González stated. “I’m positive that she’s checking those boxes, and she’s in a good spot—mentally and physically she’s improving. She’s very committed to her recovery and doing everything possible to be in the best position for the game. We are optimistic and she’s doing well.”

Rodman was unavailable for comment following practice. The Spirit enters the playoffs as the No. 2 seed for the second consecutive year. If they succeed in defeating Louisville on Saturday at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., they will host a semifinal match next week against either the Portland Thorns or the San Diego Wave.

“We are approaching the game with a humble mindset,” Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt remarked to reporters after training on Friday. “We want to fight and we’re hungry. We’re not taking our position for granted; we’re determined to face any team in the playoffs with full intensity.”

During the training session, González emphasized the importance of the Spirit maintaining defensive compactness and winning second balls to avoid being caught in transition—an area where Louisville thrives.

Washington may have to contend without Rodman, who has recorded five goals and two assists in just nine matches this season. The injury occurred on October 15 during Washington’s 4-0 victory over Monterrey in the Concacaf W Champions Cup, a win that secured the Spirit a spot in next year’s continental semifinals. Rodman exited the field in tears, unable to put weight on her leg, and was later seen on crutches and wearing a full knee brace. González expressed at the time that the MCL sprain was the best-case scenario given initial concerns about the severity of the injury.

Just hours before her injury, Rodman had been named to her first U.S. roster in six months, with USWNT head coach Emma Hayes expressing her excitement for Rodman’s return, calling her “one of the best players in the world.”

Unfortunately, Rodman was unable to join the USWNT and has played only one match for the United States since contributing to the team’s Olympic gold-medal victory in the summer of 2024. Her recurring back injury has limited her availability for the national team over the past year and affected her performance in last year’s playoffs as well. Rodman acknowledged after the Spirit’s loss to the Orlando Pride in the 2024 NWSL Championship that she was not at her best due to her injury.

In March, she indicated that her back might never fully recover, but her decision to move to London for rehabilitation this spring resulted in a more complete recovery and a brighter outlook.

Rodman made her return to the field on August 3 after nearly four months sidelined and scored a dramatic game-winning goal off the bench. She expressed her emotional relief after the match, stating, “That was just the hardest thing I’ve had to go through with injury and everything.”

As one of the NWSL’s promising stars, Rodman is out of contract at the end of 2025. Earlier this year, she revealed to ESPN that playing overseas has always been on her mind, indicating it’s only a matter of time before she makes that transition.

In the Spirit’s regular-season finale, they had only three healthy field players available off the bench in a 1-0 loss to Utah. However, Friday’s open training session featured 18 field players participating at the Inova Performance Complex.

Alongside Rodman, Croix Bethune (thigh), Leicy Santos (illness), and Deborah Abiodun (ankle) were all unavailable last week, although Bethune, Santos, and Abiodun were able to participate in some capacity during Friday’s practice.

“We’ve got a big bench now and we’re excited,” Spirit defender Tara McKeown said after practice. “Everyone’s ready to go and eager to play at home in front of our fans at Audi Field.”