Utah Royals Announce Signing Of Former BYU Cougar Mikayla Cluff
Nov 15, 2023, 2:06 PM | Updated: Nov 16, 2023, 11:49 am
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Royals announced that they’ve signed Mikayla Cluff.
Cluff joins the team from Orlando Pride. But before that, she was a BYU Cougar from Kaysville, Utah.
The 2024 season will be the Royals’ first season back in Utah after the team left in 2020. The franchise had played in Utah since 2018.
Arriving soon… 👑 pic.twitter.com/uzHr2tl50F
— Utah Royals (@UtahRoyalsFC) November 15, 2023
Their return was announced in the Spring of 2023.
About Mikayla Cluff
“ Utah Royals FC acquired former BYU star MF Mikayla Cluff and the No. 26 pick in the 2024 NWSL College Draft in exchange for $90,000 in Allocation Money and expansion protection. With the initial trade of the Club’s second era, URFC kicks off the roster-building process for its expansion 2024 season by bringing home the Kaysville, Utah native Cluff, formerly the No. 14 pick in the 2021 NWSL draft and a veteran of 51 NWSL appearances, including four goals and one assist for Orlando,” reads a release from the team.
One of the most decorated players in BYU history, Cluff started every game but two over the course of her BYU career, helping lead the team to the 2021 NCAA Championship game. Individually, she was named WCC Player of the Year three times, while earning the 2021 WCC Offensive Player of the Year honor while also being named a 2021 Hermann Trophy finalist.
“While I’ve enjoyed my time in Orlando over the last two seasons, I’m extremely excited to return to play in my hometown and bring back this Club for the state and for the fans,” said Cluff, signed to Royals FC through 2025 and already back in Utah to prepare for the upcoming NWSL season. “I’m very thankful for my time with the Pride, and I wish them luck, but now I’m focused on working with the legend Amy Rodriguez to bring a championship to Utah.”
Utah Royals Head Coach Amy Rodriguez
The club announced that Amy Rodriguez will lead the team back in the Spring.
Rodriguez played forward for the Utah Royals from 2018-2020.
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“Returning to Utah is a dream I never knew I had and it is with the utmost humility that I step into this role as your Club’s head coach,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “My time with the Royals is among the greatest years of my professional career. The Utah community fully embraced my family and made this state feel like home for not just myself, but my husband and kids as well. We were devastated to leave and I left feeling like there was still unfinished business on the table. I cannot put into words just how excited I am to get to work and bring Royalty back to this community.”
In her career, Rodriguez was a two-time Olympic Gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup winner, and two-time NWSL champion. They Royals will be in good hands when they make their return to the Beehive State in 2023.
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