The San Diego Wave are surging. Opponents have been battered by relentless attacking from every angle, and the Wave show no signs of slowing down.
Going into Week 11, San Diego sits in second place and are riding a club best six-game unbeaten streak, a surprising turn for many fans and analysts given how much has changed for the Wave in just a year.One of the greatest players of all time, Alex Morgan, retired in 2024, becoming an investor this season. In January, the Wave hired a new head coach, Jonas Eidevall, and just weeks later, midfielder Jaedyn Shaw was traded to North Carolina. Then in a blockbuster move, Chelsea broke the women’s transfer record and the Wave sent one of the world’s best defensive players, Naomi Girma, across the pond.
Even one of these offseason moves is enough to rock the foundation of any team, but such massive changes in quick succession could easily spell disaster. No one could blame an organization if they took a second to recover. A “rebuild year,” fans and sportswriters would say.
But that’s not at all how it’s played out so far in 2025.
ION national match analyst and former goalkeeper Jill Loyden said there was a question mark around how San Diego would adapt this season, but those questions were quickly answered.
“They were the biggest wild card coming into this year,” Loyden said. “I don’t think people are giving San Diego the respect they deserve. People think that they’re a flash in the pan, but I don’t think that.”
This is not a postmortem of how things fell apart for a team. Instead, it is an examination of how and why San Diego has flourished in the face of so much change.
INNOVATIVE COACHING
Much of the success in San Diego stems from the coach at top. In just a few short months, Jonas Eidevall and his coaching style have proven incredibly effective. Eidevall joined the Wave from Arsenal in Women’s Super League, and for Loyden, it’s his courage in coaching that stands out.
“Jonas has to create an environment where he encourages bravery because the way they’re playing is objectively very risky,” Loyden said. “For me, he has to create a really safe environment where players are encouraged to be brave to be themselves.”
Instead of what she considers to be the traditional style of play in the NWSL, transitional soccer, Eidevall is encouraging his players to press on all fronts: using the backline and keeper as bait, pulling them upfield and trusting them with the ball.
“That’s exactly where it’s risky to outsiders, but for them, they’ve trained it so well,” Loyden said. “They've got players on the ball that can solve all different types of pressure that it’s not really that risky to them. They can just play through it. It takes a lot of buy in, a lot of trust, and a lot of exploration in training.”
After San Diego’s dominant 5-2 win over North Carolina, Eidevall commended his team and staff on their growth mentality and a commitment to each other.
“You can see that these players create something special between them. You can see that on the pitch, as well,” he said. “It’s a very tight team.”
Fostering that environment and mindset is not an easy task, but Eidevall is onto something less than halfway through his first season and it’s earned him Coach of the Month in May too.
KAILEN SHERIDAN
That style of play also requires trust in your defense and keeper, but for the Wave, faith in their keeper is not an issue, according to Loyden.
Kalien Sheridan is a difference maker for San Diego, and Loyden isn’t just saying that because she’s her sister-in-law. Sheridan has been an anchor for the Wave since the team’s inception. She’s been there through the ups and downs of the franchise, but it’s not just her veteran presence that sets her apart.
Sheridan is effectively a center back for the Wave, baiting their opponent forward, Loyden said.
“I will confidently say this: There is no one in the world that can do what she does with the ball on the men or women’s side. No one,” Loyden said. “No other goalkeeper could play in San Diego and be as effective because she’s the linchpin."
NEW FACES AND A FRENCH CONNECTION
Kristen McNabb is another San Diego veteran who has seen every iteration of this team. In a postgame press conference, she said this is the most different the team has ever looked, from a new coach to new players.
But that hasn’t stopped a connection from forming.
“We have done such a good job of establishing an identity, and we’ve been true to that every week,” she said.
One of the biggest concerns coming into this season was how San Diego would make up for losses like Girma and Shaw, but because of those moves, they were able to bring in new faces.
“You lose the best center back in the world, and you can still play like this,” Loyden said. “It's quite remarkable.”
In just one offseason, the Wave brought a slew of new players into the fold, many of whom have already proven to be difference makers. With so many first and second-year players, it’s again a testament to the environment.
San Diego’s top four goal scorers have been with the team for only a year or two. In their debut seasons, German international Gia Corley and Canadian forward Adriana Leon have two and three goals respectively. French national Delphine Cascarino is in her second season, but came in midseason. She’s already notched two goals this season, and USYNT U-20 standout Kimmi Ascanio has three.
In Week 6, San Diego started three 17-year-old players, a first in NWSL history. Ascanio, Trinity Armstrong, and Melanie Barcenas combined for a goal and an assist. Armstrong’s first professional goal came just one week later, when she notched a game-winner in stoppage time against Bay FC.
The young blood is one facet of the new faces. The other has been dubbed the French Connection. The trio of Cascarino, Perle Morroni, and Kenza Dali leads the team in assists, with a combined 14. Cascarino leads the league with four.
That depth and chemistry all over the pitch also means that at any given moment, anyone can put the Wave on the board.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SCORING
If you’re familiar with Popeye, you are familiar with why the Wave attack is so formidable.
A leak springs up on the cartoon sailor’s boat, and he covers it with his hand. Once that leak is covered, the pressure bursts somewhere else, creating another leak. He covers it with his other hand. Rinse and repeat.
It’s a comparison that Loyden felt fit San Diego’s offense perfectly.
“There's just so many different ways that they can beat you that no matter your defensive shape, they can still produce opportunities on goal,” Loyden said.
Scoring in San Diego can come from anywhere. In just 11 weeks, the Wave lead the league with 13 different players scoring a goal. That’s more than half of their active roster.
“If the main Plan A isn’t working, they have a Plan B,” Loyden said. “If the main striker isn’t scoring every game, like if Leon isn’t scoring, you’re getting a player like Kimmi [Ascanio] who is putting balls in the back of the net. It feels very sustainable in the way they’re attacking.”
It’s not just skill that allows for this. It also comes down to the fact that the Wave is not limited by their positions.
“Everyone has that attacking mentality and we’re dangerous from all different spots on the field. It shows what a tough and deep team we are,” McNabb said after the Courage game.
As much as things are clicking for San Diego already, the season is still young. For Leon, that just means more time and space to keep growing.
“I’m excited to see where we are at the end of the season because what we have right now is quite special,” she said. “It’s only going to get better and better.”
The Wave will be put to the test in Week 11 against the Reign’s stingy defense. You can catch the action on Friday, June 6 at 10 PM ET on Prime Video.
