Utah Royals FC has finalized its preseason roster, the team announced Wednesday, after acquiring Australian international Katrina Gorry, Norwegian international Elise Thorsnes and former FC Kansas City defender Brittany Taylor Kolmel.
Gorry returns to the NWSL three years after hoisting the 2014 championship trophy with seven of her former FC Kansas City teammates, including Becky Sauerbrunn, Amy Rodriguez, Nicole Barnhart and current Royals assistant coach Amy LePeilbet.
“Katrina is a player that I have watched for a few years now,” Utah coach Laura Harvey said in a team release. “… Since she was here, she has gone away and developed her game further, and now together we felt it was the right time for her to come back to the league. Katrina has proven she can play anywhere in the world, and I’m excited to get her back to the NWSL.”
Gorry comes to Utah from the Brisbane Roar of Australia’s Premier W-League. In addition to winning the NWSL title in 2014, Gorry was named both the 2014 Asia Football Confederation’s Player of the Year and 2014 Football Federation Australia Player of the Year that winter.
KATRINA GORRY <br>Position • Midfielder <br>Height • 5 feet <br>Hometown • Sunnybank, Queensland, Australia <br>Previous club • Brisbane Roar FC
Thorsnes has earned 110 caps and scored 17 goals for the Norway national team. On the club side, she led the Toppserian, Norway’s top-tier women’s league, in scoring in 2006 (19 goals), 2011 (27) and 2013 (19). She also was named the league’s 2006 player of the year.
Thorsnes, a four-time Norwegian Cup champion, won league titles with Roa in 2009 and 2011, and with Stabaek in 2013.
“Elise is a player that has a proven record at the international level, she can play in multiple positions on the pitch and is comfortable on both sides,” Harvey said in a release. ”… Bringing any international player into the NWSL is always a fantastic thing for the league, and I think Elise’s style of play and her competitive attitude is something that allows her transition into our setup to be an exciting one.”
The veteran forward spent the tail end of Australia’s season with Canberra United FC, on loan from Toppserian’s Avaldsnes IL. She scored six goals in nine starts.
ELISE THORSNES <br>Position • Forward <br>Height • 5 foot 8 <br>Hometown • Leikanger, Norway <br>Previous club • Avaldsnes IL
Kolmel received a new contract offer from FC Kansas City in October, a month before the team folded. She started 22 of her 23 appearances last season. Kolmel began her professional career in 2010 in the WPS. Since the inception of the NWSL, Kolmel has spent three seasons with the Western New York Flash and two with FC Kansas City.
BRITTANY TAYLOR KOLMEL <br>Position • Defender <br>Height • 5 foot 8 <br>Hometown • Washingtonville, N.Y. <br>Previous club • FC Kansas City