Utah Royals FC has traded forward Katie Stengel to the Houston Dash for a 2020 draft pick and a 2021 draft pick, the club announced Wednesday. The Royals will pick 12th overall as a result of the trade in the upcoming National Women’s Soccer League College Draft.
The Royals also gave the Dash their 22nd overall pick in the trade. Both picks Utah received are in the second round.
Stengel played two seasons with the Royals and scored eight goals while also notching one assist in 47 matches. Her six goals in Utah’s 2018 season were highest on the team.
“Thank you to [Katie] Stengel for the role she played for us these past two years," Royals general manager Stephanie Lee said in a statement. “With this pick we look forward to growing our youth talent in this upcoming draft.”
Stengel had an up-and-down 2019 with the Royals. She suffered a stress fracture in the offseason while playing for the Australian W-League, and injury that lingered for four months instead of the previous four-week timeline.
She came on late in the season, scoring her first goal in the 16th game of the year.
The Stengel deal represents the second by the Royals this offseason that has netted a 2021 draft pick. Utah traded Makenzie Doniak to the Chicago Red Stars in December for a second-round pick in 2021.
