Three Former Frogs Set to Begin 2025 NWSL Season
3/14/2025 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Bright, Ryan and Williams all represent TCU in NWSL
FORT WORTH - Three former TCU women's soccer standouts, Messiah Bright, Yazmeen Ryan, and Ryan Williams, are set to begin their 2025 NWSL campaign.
Bright, who graduated from TCU in 2023, left as TCU's all-time leader in goals (50) and points (118). She was a five-time All-Big 12 and All-Midwest Region performer. She was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2018 and earned Big 12 Championships Offensive MVP honors in 2019. She was twice named a United Soccer Coaches All-American while earning first-team honors in 2021.
She began her NWSL career in 2023 after being selected 21st overall by the Orlando Pride in the NWSL Draft. In her rookie season, she led all rookies with seven goals across all competitions and became the first player in league history to earn both Player and Rookie of the Month honors in the same month. In January 2024, Bright was traded to Angel City FC. She also recorded the first hat trick in Angel City's history during a 7-0 friendly victory over FC Juárez on August 18. Bright returned to Texas in January 2025, joining the Houston Dash.
While at TCU, Ryan led the Horned Frogs to the Elite Eight in 2021 as she scored seven goals and added six assists for a team best 20 points. She was named a 2021 MAC Hermann Trophy Award Semifinalist, a First-Team All-American by United Soccer Coaches and was a member of the 2021 TopDrawerSoccer First-Team Best XI. She earned four all-conference selections including three first-team nods and a second-team honor during her time as a Frog. She was drafted in the 6th round by the Portland Thorns in the 2021 NWSL Draft.
While in the NWSL, Ryan as a member of the NJ/NY Gotham FC won the 2023 NWSL Championship which marked her fourth trophy since making her professional debut in 2021. In 2024, she was named to the 2024 NWSL Best XI Second Team and finished with five goals and six assists last season. Ryan has appeared in 82 regular season games since making her debut in 2021, scoring nine goals and tallying 12 assists. She is currently a member of the Houston Dash.
Williams, who played for TCU from 2014-2017, was drafted by the North Carolina Courage in the fourth round of the 2017 NWSL Draft. While at TCU she appeared in 80 games making 79 starts and logged over 7,000 minutes in her career. In her senior year she earned All-Big 12 First-Team and First-Team All-Midwest Region honors. Throughout her tenure with the Courage, Williams has been instrumental in the team's success, contributing to two NWSL Shields (2018, 2019), two NWSL Championships (2018, 2019), and two NWSL Challenge Cup victories (2022, 2023).
