Sofia Huerta Uses Skill and Experience to Lead Reign FC Into a New Campaign
Seattle Reign FC is primed to start the 2026 NWSL season this Sunday, March 15 on the road against the Orlando Pride. Led by team captains Jess Fishlock and Sofia Huerta, the stage is set for the Reign to enter the new season with stability and momentum on their side.
While Fishlock is one of two players in the league that has seen every year of action since the league’s inception in 2013, Huerta joined the NWSL in 2015 and made her way to Seattle in 2020. Since then, the defender has been a mainstay in the Reign’s lineup, leading the team both by example and vocally.
Once a fresh young star with Chicago and Houston, the Boise, Idaho native has now grown into a veteran leader and captain of one of the NWSL’s legacy clubs. Through this journey, she has stepped into a new role and flipped the script, becoming a mentor for the next wave of NWSL players.
“I feel like on this team, we have a lot of young players, not a lot of middle-aged players, and a handful of older players. There's Jess [Fishlock], Britt [Ratcliffe] and I who have experienced this league for a long time now, and so we'll have times where we're laughing about just like what it used to be. And we're all excited that it's gone to where it has,” said Huerta.
“I’m happy for her. I think it's a big role for her to take on,” shared Reign FC Head Coach Laura Harvey. “I think just that understanding of one, the league and two, our club and what our expectations are of our culture, it's really important and I think Sof will do a fantastic job of being able to influence some of the less experienced players and impact them in a positive way.”
Huerta, who has never been afraid of taking a leap into the unknown, re-joined the Reign in July 2025 after spending nearly a year on loan with OL Lyonnes in France and made an immediate splash, getting on the scoresheet in a friendly match against Urawa Red Diamonds before going on to the break the NWSL record for all-time assists in the regular-season.
Though her presence on the pitch speaks for itself as she continues to climb her way up the leaderboards in assists, appearances and league honors, Huerta’s leadership is what has taken her game to the next level. Now officially a captain for Seattle, she’s making a conscious and intentional effort to use her knowledge to help the less experienced players on the Reign’s roster.
“When you start out in this league, for me it was 2015, I didn't think about playing to help the future. It's not necessarily what I was thinking about, but now that I'm able to reflect on it, it's awesome to think that I am somewhat of a trailblazer in this league and I've helped propel it to where it is today,” shared Huerta.
She continued, “I think what motivates me is now that I'm older, is there's really this position that I want to take. I want to help the younger players understand what it takes to be a good player and to be a professional because that wasn't necessarily something I had when I was younger.”
The NWSL, now entering its 14th season, has an unprecedented level of stability behind it. It continues to grow and expand, welcoming new teams like Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC into the mix but simultaneously welcoming the newest wave of players into the league, many of whom are part of the youngest group the league has ever seen.
“There is so much growth with those younger players. I think what people don't realize, especially a lot of players in the league, there's a lot of question marks around young players coming into the league and whether they're ready or not. But the point isn't are they ready right now. So many of them have been the best with their club teams and when they come into the league, maybe it's a little bit of a shock, but what I've noticed is how quickly they adapt and how quickly they come to the speed of play.”
It’s that unique combination of leaders like Huerta and newer players that makes the NWSL and Reign FC so special. Huerta, who has cemented herself as a trailblazer in this sport, continues to forge new paths forward for the group as she works to support the young stars on the team.
In 2026, that path takes Reign FC to territory that is previously uncharted for the league and the club – Spokane, Washington. After starting the season on the road in Orlando this weekend and then traveling to Portland to take on their biggest rivals in Portland Thorns FC, the Reign play a first-of-its-kind three-match series over on the east side of Washington state at ONE Spokane Stadium.
There’s no denying that Spokane is already a sports powerhouse city, as is evident by their youth and college programs, in addition to their repertoire of professional teams, like the Zephyr, Velocity, Chiefs and Indians. Reign FC is excited to join the community, bringing the highest level of the game to the east side of the state, contributing to the building excitement for the entire state ahead of the United States Women’s National Team match at Lumen Field and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.