In case you are a Dallas Trinity fan living under a rock, there have been two large news moments for DTFC since the end of the 2025-2026 season. First, the club said goodbye to over half its roster, with 14 players departing. Second, the Super League announced a calendar flip to align with NWSL and a mini-season this fall.
Earlier this week, Trinity “welcomed back” eight of the nine players we expected to be on the roster this fall with an Instagram blitz. Despite welcoming back players under contract being a bit odd, it was as good a trigger as any to delve into a Trinity roster rebuild for this fall.
Dennis McGowan gave us a deep dive into the nine returning players, and now I try to fill in the rest.
Note: since Super League contracts generally run till June 30, you might not hear any inter-league announcements until July 1.
USL Super League Roster Rules
- No salary cap
- Minimum salary of $35k
- Minimum of 20 players
- No upper limit to the number of players
- Max 7 internationals
- Max 5 academy players
Build Philosophy
Coming into last season, GM Chris Petrucelli talked about wanting to add some speed. Seeing the relative lack of pace around the Super League, I think that’s a quality the club should continue to seek out. The Trinity under Coach Nathan Thackeray can be a quality possession team, but they could use some verticality and a change of pace.
Trinity has a leg up in roster building on much of the league in two ways: the relative success of loans from NWSL and the talent hotbed that is the local youth/academy scene.
As examples of each, in its inaugural season, the club’s top playmaker was Sam Meza on loan from NWSL, and in the second season it was local Academy player Sealy Strawn from Solar SC.
With just a half-season of games this fall, my suggestion is to stay steady this fall, look for some young talent, and go with a bigger push this winter when a great many NWSL contracts come open. Petrucelli might like to have greater roster flexibility for that window.
If we double every position, that would be 22 players. We’ll see if Trinity goes that far. I did 20 (the minimum) for this exercise.
Rebuilding the Dallas Trinity Roster for Fall 2026
Let’s start at the back.
Goalkeeper – Need 2, Have 0
With Tyler McCamey heading to Barcelona and Sam Estrada retiring, Trinity will need two netminders.
Given the club found a good keeper in back-to-back seasons, I’m not too worried about this spot. Hopefully Petrucelli can work some magic again.
In all seriousness, first suggestion… Trinity’s season one keeper, Madison White, isn’t playing for NC Courage. Don’t forget, Coach Thackeray came from the Courage. So call up the Courage and do a loan.
The harder part might be finding a good, reliable backup on low money. Maybe Texas Tech’s Faith Nguyen? Only 5’7″ but a two-season starter with a 0.83 GAA and a 78.9% save PCT.
Left Back – Need 1+, Have 1
Cyera Hintzen has been fantastic since taking over left back in season one. A converted wing, Hintzen brings a lot of offense to that spot, allowing Trinity to play a flex game when they desire. Hintzen also has the pace to defend 1v1 out wide.
Hintzen has also, knock on wood, been pretty durable. So for depth, the club can get by with using a lefty CB when needed.
Center Back – Need 4, Have 1 (or 2… sorta)
CB is the spot that needs the most bodies.
One of last year’s signings, Lauren Flynn, has been terrific at the back for the Golden Girls. She does have some injury struggles, but when healthy, is one spot taken care of and a lock starter.
I said the club might have two center backs, because midseason signing Sydney Cheesman can play most anywhere across the back, but I like her better in MF.
So instead…
Some unfortunate news came in the league after season two with the folding of Spokane Zephyr. They just missed the playoffs twice and had some talent. If I were the Trinity GM, I would go hard after center back Reese Tappan. Tappen was, for my money, Spokane’s best overall player and is captain material. Tall’ish, pacy, smart, and tough, I imagine she will be in high demand.
Spokane had one of the better defenses in SL, so if Trinity can’t get Tappen, then another defender like Haley Thomas or Sarah McCoy would be a good second option. Thomas is the more versatile; Clark is a purer center back… and was also with the Courage back in 2023 (again, Thackeray).
After nabbing one of the Spokane starters, Trinity should target either Wisconsin (and US U20) defender Kiara Gilmore or Virginia (and US U19) defender Jordyn Hardeman. Or maybe both.
Gilmore played for FC Dallas and played in a friendly with Trinity in 2024-25. She’s an amazing talent and started every game for Wisconsin as a freshman.
Hardeman played in 6 games at center back for Trinity in 24-25 as an Academy player and appeared in every game for Virginia last fall.
Right Back – Need 1+, Have 0
Speed at right back has been an issue for Trinity for its entire existence, and remains so.
After season one, Julia Dorsey retired. Last season, Kiley Dulaney was brought in for pace and couldn’t get on the field. Samar Guidry was the lock starter but was consistently targeted by teams for 1v1 attack as she couldn’t handle the direct wings coming at her. Both have departed.
I applaud the concept of a pacy defender in this spot. Trinity’s right winger, who we will get to in a bit, is built to play inverted, and many clubs have highly dynamic attacking left wings who slash inside on their right foot.
How about Macy Blackburn on loan for the Fall from Racing Louisville? Texas Tech’s all-time assist leader (46) out of right back. 2nd team All-American at Tech last year. Maybe Racing would want to get her some minutes?
As on the left, depth can come from CB or CM. Maybe even wing.
Holding Mid – Have 1, Need 1 (maybe)
With the departure of Captain Amber Wisner, the 6 might have been considered a need, but I thought Sydney Cheesman was excellent in that role last year when Wisner was in the back. In fact, I liked Cheesman more in midfield than I did in defense. Her first touch and passing are quality, and she’s got a good defensive focus.
A player who is still in college that might be worth a shot as a signing is Former Georgia redshirt junior Summer Denigan. A holding mid and 2025 Herman semifinalist, she just transferred to UNC.
Linking Mid – Need 2, Have 2
This is the spot Trinity has the most remaining depth with Heather Stainbrook and Wayny Balata. The two can be used in a double 8, or the club could pair one of them with a 10. Both can fill in at the 6.
I think Stainbrook is the better player and should be the starter – which is why she has an NWSL contract (Washington Spirit) – but her loan runs out this winter. But she did get hurt down the stretch last season; hopefully she’s ready for the fall session.
Balata is solid but also got injured. Frankly, with all the injuries Trinity seems to have and the overall lack of depth in the Super League, Balata should play a bunch even if she’s not penciled in at 1 on the depth chart.
Attacking Mid – Need 2, Have 1
Now we’ve come to the biggest single roster issue Dallas Trinity has: attacking mid.
When you add up all the talent, Lexi Missimo should dominate the Super League… and she doesn’t.
Our information tells us she’s the highest-paid player in the league, and last season she was beaten out by an 18-year-old Academy player on a free: Sealey Strawn. Strawn has now gone on to North Carolina.
Yet with the calendar flip, the suggestion here is to just stand pat. Missimo can play it out this fall, or Trinity can fill in with Balata or other attackers if needed.
So, keeping budget in mind, and knowing others can shift around, an Academy suggestion to fill up the roster is FCD ECNL and US U17 attacking mid Jordyn Heathcock.
Left Wing – Need 2, Have 1+
Jasmine Hamid has looked like a good addition since her arrival in the middle of the 2025-26 season, challenging and eventually supplanting Chioma Ubogagu. Having Hamid means RW isn’t a spot of need.
Unfortunately, Ubogagu tore her knee at the end of the season and will be out a year. She also turns 34 in September and wasn’t “welcomed back” by the club in the Instagram blitz. But she’ll still likely need to be on the roster, even if it’s some kind of injured reserve. Will she ever take the field for Trinity again?
So again, let’s think Academy for depth. Someone like Solar SC and US U17 Giselle Aguilar perhaps?
Right Wing – Need 2, Have 1
With Camryn Lancaster in place on the right, Trinity is in a good spot needing just a depth/challenger winger.
So I think the Trinity could make a play for a college talent. How about a fall loan for Horned Frog and former USL W-League Player of the Year Seven Castain? She signed with Orlando Pride out of college and has played 1 game.
Striker (9) – Need 2, Have 0
With 24-25 Golden Boot winner Allie Thornton and last year’s signing Bethany Bos both departing, Trinity needs some help at 9. Based on last season, Post-up strikers don’t seem to fit the Nathan Thackeray style, so I’m going to suggest targeting pace and verticality to stretch the field.
Yet, I don’t think Trinity should go for a “big” name at the 9 right now; they should save that play for the winter flip. Instead, take a small gamble here.
My gamble? Trinity should roll the dice on my second Spokane Zephyr suggestion, Catherine Rapp.
Spokane brought on their coach, Nicole Lukic, in the middle of last season. Lukic coached Rapp in the W-League at Minnesota Aurora and brought Rapp to Spokane after her hiring. The 22-year-old Rapp, out of FIU and Kentucky, might be the fastest player I’ve seen in Super League. She’s not a high-profile name, but speed kills, and you can’t teach it. Rapp could also be used as a winger.
As a backup, grab former Lexington SC starter Shea Moyer, she was loaned to Fort Lauderdale United in 25-26. She’s not prolific, scoring 8 goals over two seasons, but they came on just 21 shots. That’s an adequate conversion rate for a backup this fall and shows she just needs service. Moyer’s also a vet at 27 with experience in Iceland, Turkey, and Israel. She could perhaps be a good complementary piece in training and off the bench.
Buzz’s Trinity Fall 2026 Roster Build
Here’s what I got. 20 players. With the idea of outside back being backed up with central defenders or mids. This fall is a short season, and that gives them some flexibility to move if the opportunity arises.
Look, my project is, in some ways, preposterous and ridiculous; of course, this isn’t going to happen.
But I had fun. I found some talent that I think it would be worth it for Trinity to chase, and I think I’ve shown where the holes are and what kind of players might help fill them in.
I did it with players from college, some loans, a few USL free agents, and a couple of Academy kids. The upside is that I didn’t lock them into any big contracts. I think that’s a workable plan.
Biggest difference from the real?
Petrucelli will almost certainly mix in some players from Europe, either Americans coming home or a couple of key foreigners.
What would you do differently?