Chicago Red Stars forward, Mallory Swanson, has been named to the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) June Best XI of the Month, presented by Amazon Prime, as announced by the league today.
This is Swanson’s first time receiving Best XI of the Month honors in 2024 and the seventh time in her career, with four of those recognitions coming while playing for the Red Stars. Her previous acknowledgments include March and April of 2018, May and July of 2021, and May and June of 2023. Throughout the four matches in June, Swanson scored three goals, matching her total from the first 9 matches of the 2024 season. This puts her fourth in the NWSL Golden Boot race with seven goals so far. In June, Swanson played all but one of the 360 minutes, leading the Red Stars in shots (8), chances created (5), and passes in the final third (36). She also leads Chicago in expected goals (5.99), shots (30), chances created (20), and final-third passes (145), with her 10 goal contributions placing her fifth in the NWSL.
Swanson’s three goals in June, which totaled just 1.6 expected goals, were all exceptional. During the June 14 match against Kansas City, six minutes in, Swanson scored a magnificent goal by curving a shot past the keeper. On June 23 in North Carolina, she displayed remarkable skill by flicking the ball forward to herself off the back of her own heel from a throw-in, swiftly moving from midfield into the box to beat three defenders and score in just 12 seconds. And on June 28 in San Diego, Swanson received a pass from Jameese Joseph, took one touch to control the ball, and shot it off the crossbar into the goal. Her third consecutive goal earned her the NWSL Goal of the Week honors on July 2.
The NWSL Best XI of the Month, presented by Amazon Prime, is chosen each month of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a group of writers and on-air broadcast talent that cover the league consistently. The full June Best XI of the Month lineup can be seen below:
Goalkeepers: Anna Moorhouse (ORL)
Defenders: Elizabeth Ball (KC), Jenna Nighswonger (GFC), Casey Krueger (WAS), Izzy Rodriguez (KC)
Midfielders: Croix Bethune (WAS), Rose Lavelle (GFC), Lo’eau Labonta (KC)
Forwards: Barbra Banda (ORL), Temwa Chawinga (KC), Mallory Swanson (CHI)
