NWSL News: After Alex Morgan’s San Diego Wave FC Part Ways With Coach, Bay FC Shakes Up Leadership

This season of the National Women’s Soccer League continues to keep everyone on their toes. Looking at the standings so far, the tussle among all 14 sides remains to finish their season on the best terms possible. But as they say, desperate times require desperate measures to achieve success, a few NWSL sides are taking this to heart. In a surprise development, just hours after Alex Morgan’s San Diego Wave parted ways with their manager Casey Stoney, Bay FC also made a call to sacrifice their leadership pawn.

Well, fear not, they haven’t also bid farewell to their coach Albertin Montoya. Instead, the San Francisco-based club’s general manager, Lucy Rushton, has resigned. Specifying her exact role, she used to look after player recruitment and development for Bay FC. However, filling her shoes now would be the club’s technical director Matt Potter, becoming the head of football and interim sporting director.

Interestingly, Rushton’s decision to resign was not only unexpected but no specific reason has been stated. Remarkably, she had previously worked for MLS teams, including DC United and Atlanta United, as well as served as a senior analyst for England’s League One side, Reading FC. At Bay, Rushton was working on the executive team alongside CEO Brady Steward, COO Jen Millet, SVP and strategic projects & head of foundation Danielle Slaton, and EVP of communications and government affairs Lisa Goodwin-Scharff.

Meanwhile, Bay FC’s co-founding members include USWNT legends Aly Wagner, Danielle Slaton, Brandi Chastain, and Leslie Osborne, who call the Bay Area home—alongside Sixth Street, who is the largest investor of the club. Unfortunately, Lucy Rushton won’t be a part of Bay FC anymore. But this isn’t the biggest departure announcement of all as it was San Diego Waves who sent shockwaves in the NWSL.

NWSL side San Diego Waves break up with Casey Stoney

A string of poor results in the 2024/25 campaign forced the San Diego Waves to sack manager Casey Stoney. “We are immensely grateful to Casey for her commitment to our club and the positive impact she has had both on and off the pitch,” said president Jill Ellis. Notably, Stoney was the first manager in the club’s history to lead them to the playoffs and also helped them win the NWSL Shield in 2023. While this achievement earned her a new contract until 2027 earlier in January, things haven’t been up to the mark since then. 

Not only are San Diego struggling in 9th place of the NWSL table but they are also mired in a 7-game winless streak. While thanking Stoney for all of the work she did for the club, Ellis added, “The decision to part ways was very hard and not made in haste, but given the ambition of this club, and where we are in our season, we felt a change was necessary at this time.” For now, assistant coach Paul Buckle is expected to take charge of Alex Morgan and Co. until Waves finds a new replacement.