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Gotham FC Rookie Jenna Nighswonger Named to 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup All-Tournament Team
September 7, 2023

Gotham FC Rookie Jenna Nighswonger Named to 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup All-Tournament Team

HARRISON, NJ // NEW YORK (September 7, 2023) - The National Women’s Soccer League and Gotham FC today announced that rookie defender/forward Jenna Nighswonger is among the 11 players named to the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup All-Tournament Team by the NWSL Media Association and the NWSL’s on-air broadcast talent.

Selected as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, Nighswonger scored in back-to-back Challenge Cup matches in July that included Nighswonger notching a one-goal, one-assist game in a 3-1 Gotham FC win against the Orlando Pride. The rookie finished group play with two goals and two assists in the competition.

Nighswonger has enjoyed a breakout opening campaign that includes twice earning Rookie of the Month honors and twice being named to the NWSL Best XI of the Month, presented Mastercard (May and July).

To celebrate the All-Tournament Team, each athlete will receive an additional cash prize from the historic $1.1 million bonus pool from UKG for their achievements on the pitch.

The 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup, the first in U.S. women’s soccer history to deliver a record-breaking $1.1 million prize pool, concludes Saturday, September 9, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. This historic investment from UKG will benefit all NWSL players competing in the 2023 Challenge Cup, with player bonuses representing an increased focus on challenging the gender wage gap in women’s soccer.

The 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup All-Tournament Team was selected by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis, and the NWSL’s on-air broadcast talent. Selection criteria was based on player performances throughout group play of the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup.