Mason Joins Seattle Reign: A Game-Changing NWSL Partnership!

SEATTLE, Wash. – Seattle Reign FC today revealed that the team has secured Rutgers defender Emily Mason through the 2025 NWSL season. Mason’s signing is significant as she is the first collegiate athlete to join the Reign since the league’s shift away from the NWSL Draft.

“We are thrilled to welcome Emily Mason to the Reign for the 2025 season,” commented Seattle Reign FC General Manager Lesle Gallimore. “Emily is an intelligent, adaptable, and highly talented defender with immense potential as a professional player. Her remarkable collegiate journey and her standing as a leader and teammate really highlight her character and ability. We are eager to see her don a Reign jersey, and we believe she will have a remarkable influence both on and off the pitch.”

Mason, 22, comes to the team from Rutgers, where she featured in 72 of her 82 overall matches, scoring six goals and providing seven assists over four years. In her debut season with the Scarlet Knights in 2021, she played a crucial role in guiding Rutgers to its inaugural Big Ten Conference title for both the program and the University.

“I’m incredibly excited to join Seattle Reign and to make the transition to the West Coast,” expressed Mason. “It’s an amazing club, and I am eager to begin this new phase of my career!”

During her collegiate tenure, Mason earned selections to the All-Big Ten First Team (2022, 2024), All-Big Ten Second Team (2023), United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Second Team (2023), United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team (2022), and United Soccer Coaches All-North Region First Team (2022, 2024).

On the international front, the New Jersey native was named to the 2025 USWNT Futures Camp today. While representing the United States, she has secured a gold medal at the Sud Ladies Cup in 2022 and the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship in both 2022 and 2020. In the 2022 tournament, Mason started five out of seven matches, contributing three goals and one assist. She was honored with a spot on the Concacaf U-20 Championship Best XI for her role in aiding the defense to achieve seven consecutive shutouts on their way to the championship. In the 2020 Concacaf U-20 Championship, Mason provided an assist to help the United States triumph over Mexico, 4-1.

Additionally, in 2022, Mason was called up to represent the United States at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup held in Costa Rica.

Before enrolling at Rutgers, Mason was recognized as the 2019-20 Gatorade National Player of the Year and was a consecutive New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year (2019-20, 2020-21). In 2019, she clinched the ECNL National Championship with PDA and captained the club at the U-15, U-17, and U-19 levels.