Defenders

Grosso returns home to South Florida after a prolific start to her professional career in Australia. The dynamic Grosso earned “Player of the Year” honors for Melbourne City in 2022-23, and was an integral part in City winning the 2023-24 Premiership title. Before Australia, Grosso was a mainstay in the lineup over a five-year span for the Kentucky Wildcats, and showed her positional versatility as she started games as a forward, midfielder and defender in her collegiate career.

More About Julia:

• Favorite Foods
  • Pasta
  • Sushi
  • Chips & Dip
• Favorite TV Shows
  • Prison Break
  • One Tree Hill
  • New Girl
  • The Summer I Turned Pretty
• Favorite Movies
  • Mamma Mia
  • Wicked
  • The Other Woman
• Favorite Music Artists
  • Taylor Swift
  • Florence & The Machine
  • Noah Kahan
• Fun Facts
  • She’s a mermaid! — (she loves the beach!)
  • Julia did competitive horseback riding! (barrel racing)
  • She learned how to surf in Australia & Hawaii.

Fresh off an NCAA National Championship appearance with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, defender Laurel Ansbrow is joining the FTL UTD back line for the second half of the season. In addition to starting 61 matches for the Demon Deacons in 2023-24, Ansbrow earned the Elite 90 award, which is given to the athlete who has reached the top of competition in their sport whilst maintaining the top academic standing.

Ansbrow spearheaded a dominant Wake Forest back-line that gave up the least amount of goals in a season in team history en route to a trip to the National Championship. In addition to four years in the ACC, Ansbrow has experience in the USL W League dating back to 2022 and 2023, where she made an impact and was a First Team member on the USL W League Team of the Year for the North Carolina Courage in 2023.

More About Laurel:

• Favorite Foods
  • Chocolate
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Cottage Cheese
• Favorite TV Shows
  • One Tree Hill
  • Stranger Things
  • Schitt’s Creek
• Favorite Movies
  • Harry Potter (Series)
  • Hunger Games (Series)
  • Yours, Mine and Ours
• Favorite Music Artists
  • Fleetwood Mac
  • Florence and The Machine
  • Caamp
• Fun Facts
  • She’s always singing.
  • Laurel loves to hike!
  • She’s been to Alaska.

McNeill is a key contributor at both Eastern Michigan and Auburn University, where she distinguished herself with her goal-scoring ability, consistency, and leadership on the field.

Over her collegiate career, McNeill earned numerous accolades, including First Team All-MAC, United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America honors, and an impressive three-time all-region recognition—achievements that underscore her skill, dedication, and impact as a player. Known for her quick thinking and field vision, she not only scored crucial goals but also created opportunities for her teammates, showing a rare combination of offensive prowess and unselfish play.

Her strong academic commitment, which earned her SEC and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll distinctions, speaks to her discipline and work ethic. With her ability to drive the attack and set the pace in the midfield, McNeill is poised to be an invaluable asset for Fort Lauderdale United FC as they embark on their season.

More About Sabrina:

• Favorite Foods
  • Ground Beef
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Tacos
• Favorite TV Shows
  • The 100
  • Gossip Girl
  • Outer Banks
• Favorite Movies
  • Top Gun: Maverick
  • Avatar
  • How to Train Your Dragon
• Favorite Music Artists
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Sabrina Carpenter
  • Rihanna
• Fun Facts
  • She loves to cook!
  • Sabrina has two big dogs!
  • She can talk with her mouth closed.

California-bred, Delaney Lindahl, has been a fundamental defensive player for Cal State Fullerton.

Lindahl was a staple player, helping her team achieve 11 shutouts, the second-best single-season total in school history. She ended her collegiate career awarded to the All-Big West First Team.

Lindahl received a professional contract to play soccer for the Preston Lions Football Club in the NPL Division in Australia in 2023 and  then played for the Romanian team FCU Olimpia Cluj in the prestigious UEFA Europa League.

More About Delaney:

• Favorite Foods
  • Sushi
  • Thai
  • Smoothies
• Favorite TV Shows
  • New Girl
  • Ted Lasso
• Favorite Movies
  • Miracle
  • Crazy Rich Asians
  • The Holiday
• Favorite Music Artists
  • The 1975
  • OG Justin Bieber
  • John Lindahl
• Fun Facts
  • She’s live in three different countries.
  • Delaney listens to Christmas music year round!
  • She hates mushrooms.

Jordan began her collegiate career for the Bears in 2012 and finished with multiple accolades, including Big Sky Defensive MVP, Big Sky All-Tournament Team, All-Pacific 2nd Team and her third Big Sky All-Conference 1st Team honor.

Jordan first began to cement her legacy in the professional field by playing for Colorado Pride in 2015 before being drafted by the Chicago Red Stars in the 4th round of the 2016 NWSL College Draft, making history by becoming the first Northern Colorado Bears and first Big Sky player to be drafted into the NWSL. However, Jordan chose to sign with Ostersund DFF in Sweden, playing 1,710 minutes and earning Player of the Match awards twice. 

Jordan continued to establish herself as a standout global talent by playing for IB Vestmannaeyja in Iceland, earning Man of the Match awards four times. Jordan then joined Atalanta from 2018 to 2019 in the Italian Serie A and joined Birmingham City in the English FA WSL in August 2019.

Making history once again, Jordan became the first player from the University of Northern Colorado to play in the NWSL and the second from the Big Sky Conference by signing with OL Reign for the 2020 Challenge Cup. 

Following her time in the NWSL, Jordan signed with UD Granadilla for the 2020 to 2021 season before finally reaching her dream of playing in the Bundesliga. Jordan joined SC Sand in the Frauen Bundesliga, playing in 32 league games and making two assists, and later with FFC Turbine Potsdam.

More About Adrienne:

• Favorite Foods (Vegan)
  • Pho
  • Mac & Cheese
  • Popcorn
• Favorite TV Shows
  • Demon Slayer
  • D20 Dungeons & Drag Queens
  • Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Favorite Movies
  • The Lion King (1994)
  • Mulan
  • Mean Girls
• Favorite Music Artists
  • Doechii
  • Von Wegen Lisbeth
  • Giveon
• Fun Facts
  • She has a spreadsheet to track almost every anime she’s watched.
  • Adrienne does her own hair, nails and lashes.
  • She fosters animals!

Gaynor is set to make her professional debut as a defensive powerhouse. 

Gaynor was a dual player for Michigan State University, keeping the back line together while also scoring game-winning goals. Her efforts as a collegiate athlete earned her First-Team All-Big Ten, Third-Team United Soccer Coaches All-Region, Academic All-Big Team and CSC Academic All-District.

Gaynor was also picked by the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL draft earlier this year.

More About Celia:

• Favorite Foods
  • Chips and Salsa
  • Raspberries
  • Coffee (One of her main food groups)
• Favorite TV Shows
  • Severance
  • Friends
  • One Tree Hill
• Favorite Movies
  • Grown Ups
  • How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
  • Kicking & Screaming
• Favorite Music Artists
  • Benson Boone
  • Noah Kahan
  • Quinn XCII
• Fun Facts
  • She used to play the clarinet.
  • Celia is one internship away from being a speech pathologist!
  • She won two Big Ten titles with her sister at Michigan State University.

Brooks paved her path at the University of Texas as an integral part of its offensive success, blazing her trail as a crucial forward.

Acknowledged for her game-changing goals, Brooks scored the decisive penalty kick that helped her team move to the Big 12 Championship Final in 2021. She was also awarded the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week in 2022 and recorded a four-year streak of being an Academic All-Big 12.

More About Cameron:

• Favorite Foods
  • Steak
  • Burgers
  • Pasta
• Favorite TV Shows
  • Gossip Girl
  • SpongeBob
  • Outer Banks
• Favorite Movies
  • Gran Turismo
  • Shrek
  • Harry Potter
• Favorite Music Artists
  • Rod Wave
  • Burna Boy
  • Morgan Wallen
• Fun Facts
  • She’s left handed!
  • Cameron took her LSAT for law school!
  • She loves the beach!

Allen was a key piece for Brown University’s third straight and league-leading 15th Ivy title. 

Her ability to remain reliable and consistent under pressure made her the captain of her team during her senior year. Allen also earned an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention for her contributions as a defender.

Following her collegiate success, Allen signed with Club De Albergaria, a professional soccer team based in Portugal. 

More About Sheyenne:

• Favorite Foods
  • Salmon
  • Impossible Burgers
  • Cotton Candy Grapes
• Favorite TV Shows
  • Succession
  • Game of Thrones
  • The Office
• Favorite Movies
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once
  • Avengers: Endgame
  • Avatar
• Favorite Music Artists
  • Travis Scott
  • The Weeknd
  • Ariana Grande
• Fun Facts
  • She hates ketchup.
  • Sheyenne loves playing Fortnite!
  • She’s an only child.

Vaka made her first international debut in 2018 for the Tonga National Women’s team.

Vaka had a decorated career with Brigham Young University as a defender, awarding her the 2022 WCC Defender of the Year and 2022 NCAA First Team-All Region while also putting her on the 2022 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch list. 

In 2024, Vaka was selected by Bay FC in the NWSL Draft, creating history by becoming Tonga’s first female professional soccer player.

More About Laveni:

• Favorite Foods
  • Corn Dogs / Hot Dogs
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Chocolate
• Favorite TV Shows
  • Bridgerton
  • Twilight
  • Harry Potter (Series)
• Favorite Movies
  • Crazy Rich Asians
  • Maleficent
  • She’s The Man
• Fun Facts
  • She has a twin sister!
  • Laveni can play the organ, piano & flute!
  • She comes from a family of 8.