Sports Illustrated argued that Gotham FC rookie Jordynn Dudley should be named NWSL Rookie of the Year. The 21-year-old from Georgia quickly became a starter and posted strong numbers.
College background and Gotham pursuit
At Florida State University, Dudley was a two-time NCAA national champion in 2023 and ’25, a three-time All-ACC First Team Selection, and earned three U.S. Coaches All-America honors. She had 30 goals and 29 assists over 53 collegiate matches.
Yael Averbuch West, Gotham president of soccer operations, said: "Jordynn could have played for any NWSL club that she wanted. I give so much credit to our scouting team. They didn’t find Jordynn Dudley, everyone knows she’s excellent, but they arm me with the confidence when we need to try hard for a player and we’re in a tough negotiation, and for Jordynn, it was, ‘do whatever you can.’"
Averbuch West said: "I joked that for three nights in a row, I basically didn’t sleep at all because I was waiting to go back and forth on this. It was worth every minute of sleep I lost."
Averbuch West said Gotham played against Florida State in preseason 2024 and Dudley "destroyed" Gotham.
Season output and recognition
Dudley made 26 appearances across all competitions, with five goals and three assists, and appeared in Gotham's NWSL Challenge Cup victory. In 1,725 regular-season minutes, she drew 61 fouls.
Of those 61 fouls, 21 were in the final third, which Sports Illustrated said was the most in the league. Dudley earned NWSL Rookie of the Month honors twice and was named to the Best XI twice.
Sports Illustrated said the only other rookie to earn Best XI honors twice for Gotham was 2024 Rookie of the Year Jenna Nighswonger.
Dudley said: "It was really cool to earn Rookie of the Month in April. It gave me a lot more confidence going into the second half of the season, but I’m obviously not complacent with that."
Ali Riley, a former player-turned-analyst, said: "The control she’s able to maintain and the way she can slice and dice while taking long strides at speed, it became clear that the most efficient way to stop her was to foul her, to try and prevent her from breaking into space. She steadily got better and better, and learned the ways to be dangerous in the league so fast."
Backing from Gotham figures
Dudley said: "The entire staff, I feel like they have confidence in me and trust me, and I felt that before even coming here. [My teammates] have also all really helped me, especially on the field. They’re constantly telling me things to help me, giving me ideas, and taking me under their wing."
Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said: "Rookie of the Year is something that she deserves; for me, she deserves it. She’s been really a game-changer in the league, and sometimes we tend to look only at how many goals, how many assists, but I think there are so many things. chances that she’s created, balls that she’s recovered. She’s by far one of the most fouled players in the league. She’s been such a joy to watch, to work with. She’s been a continuous threat for the opposing teams. She’s adapted to the pro world and performed consistently throughout the year."
Amorós also said: "There’ve been some great rookies this year; don’t get me wrong. Jordynn has definitely been, for me, the best of all of them in terms of how much impact she’s had on the team, in the league and on and off the ball, and it's enjoyable to watch. We’re gutted that she’s not going to be with us this last period."
Following Gotham's Shield win, Averbuch West said: "I think she’s been unbelievable, really a game changer for us, and she’s there every moment of the day alongside the players now even though she can’t step on the field. You saw her today with her teammates. She’s putting in the work to get back and be healthy. I vote her Rookie of the Year."
Averbuch West also said: "I think she’s just getting started."
Injury update
In late October, Dudley sustained a foot fracture during a training session and was placed on the season-ending injury list.
