A lasting Legacy

As a founding NWSL club, Seattle Reign FC has helped define what excellence in women's soccer looks like—not only through world-class performance, but through leadership, integrity and lasting community impact.

The Lu Barnes Award presented by Paula's Choice is the next evolution of that legacy: a lasting expression of our club's culture and the values that define what it means to wear the Reign crest. The award celebrates the player who best exemplifies excellence on the pitch, leadership in the locker room, and service to the community.

This isn’t just an annual award, it’s a legacy and strengthens the connections between our players, fans and community.

MEET THE NOMINEES

The nominees for the award were selected by Reign FC players and staff via voting based on leadership in the locker room, high performance on the pitch and impact in the community. This year’s nominees are Jess Fishlock, Phoebe McClernon and Cassie Miller!

  • Jess Fishlock

    Jess Fishlock

    Fourteen seasons. One club. Jess Fishlock is the last original from the 2013 roster that started all of this, and the record behind that longevity is remarkable: 219 appearances, three NWSL Shields, and the 2021 NWSL MVP award. Fishlock is now Reign FC's all-time leading scorer, breaking Megan Rapinoe's club record with a brace, her first since 2023, in a September win over Boston Legacy. Her teammates talk about her less as a player than as the club itself, a captain who sets the standard every single day and an advocate for everyone around her. Her work in Seattle and back home in Wales, from the LGBTQ+ community to supporting people experiencing homelessness, has always been built on relationships she keeps.

  • Phoebe McClernon

    Phoebe McClernon

    Phoebe McClernon reached her 100th NWSL appearance this May and is approaching her 100th Reign FC appearance, part of a Reign career built on the things that rarely make a highlight reel: duels won, clearances, a back line held together. She ranks among the league's best in clearances this season. She's often recognized for her energy and competitiveness that set the standard at this club, and her teammates reach for almost the same words: steady, team first, competitive. She's also the club's Players Association rep and a regular presence in the community, from Pride to engaging the next generation of fans at our games. A leader by example and by drive, someone her teammates say is committed to making everyone around her better.

  • Cassie Miller

    Cassie Miller

    Cassie Miller's teammates describe her as someone who does everything with her whole heart. In Seattle she has worked with the Nick of Time Foundation to bring cardiac screening and life-saving education to young athletes, a cause rooted in her own history, and she was named Reign FC's Lauren Holiday Impact Award nominee in back-to-back seasons before joining the NWSL's 2026 Nation of Lifesavers ambassador class. On the field, she came back from a season-ending injury to record two clean sheets in four starts. Inside the group, she is the one teammates call a giver: prepared whenever she is needed and steady through a long road back.

CAST YOUR VOTE

The Lu Barnes Award is a new player-led tradition that honors the teammate who best embodies a trifecta of excellence - greatness on the pitch, leadership in the locker room and service to the community. Now that Reign FC players have nominated three teammates they felt best embodied the Lu Barnes Award, it's time to cast your vote! The voting period runs from October 1 - October 15 and will be weighted:

  • Players = 40%

  • Coaches and Reign staff = 30%

  • Season Ticket Members = 20%

  • General Fans = 10%

Just for voting, you will be entered for a chance to win 4 tickets with scarves to the November 1 match where the Lu Barnes Award presented by Paula’s Choice winner will be recognized!

Season Ticket Members: check the Reign FC app for your special voting link!

VOTE NOW

2025 Winner

Club original Lauren Barnes received the inaugural Lu Barnes Award, presented by Paula’s Choice Skincare. Created to honor Barnes’ legacy ahead of her retirement at the end of the 2025 season, the award recognizes players who embody integrity, leadership and excellence – qualities that defined Barnes’ 13-year career with the Reign and in the NWSL. The honor celebrates those who demonstrate extraordinary performance on the field and meaningful impact in the community, a standard Barnes set throughout her career in Seattle.

JOIN US AT THE MATCH |

JOIN US AT THE MATCH |

ABOUT Paula’s Choice

Seattle-born and female-founded, Paula’s Choice Skincare empowers confidence through high-performing, science-backed skincare. Its partnership with Seattle Reign FC reflects a shared commitment to women's empowerment, performance, and innovation from the Pacific Northwest to the world stage. Lu Barnes embodies that spirit through her consistency, resilience, and dedication to her craft. As presenting partner of the Lu Barnes Award, Paula’s Choice celebrates her legacy and the players who carry it forward. A donation to a nonprofit organization of each recipient's choice extends the impact beyond the field, honoring Barnes’ enduring commitment to her community.