MacNab, Nagai Earn Invites to NWSL Preseason Camps
January 27, 2025 | Women's Soccer
As the NWSL heads toward its 2025 season beginning in April, Heather MacNab and Aria Nagai have earned invitations to NWSL preseason camps, with MacNab getting the call from the North Carolina Courage and Nagai from the Utah Royals.
MacNab, a co-captain and first-team All-Ivy Leaguer while helping the Princeton women's soccer team to an Ivy League double and an NCAA tournament bid last fall, played at forward for most of her career and moved to the back line as a senior while maintaining her contributions on offense. In 2024, she assisted on nine goals and scored two to finish with 24 assists and 13 goals across 72 games and 50 starts in her four seasons with the Tigers. MacNab helped Princeton to the NCAA tournament in three seasons and to the NCAA second round twice.
The Courage's camp will be held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in mid-February. The NWSL season is scheduled to start in mid-March.
"It was very clear from the early part of our recruitment of Heather that she had her sights set on playing this sport at the highest level she could," Princeton head coach Sean Driscoll said. "Her passion for soccer has not wavered in the more than nine years that we have known her. If anything, her competitive drive continued to grow with each passing year. I could not be happier that she has earned the opportunity to join NC Courage for their preseason. My sincere hope is that their staff will be impressed with Heather's qualities as a player, her personality, and her willingness to do whatever it takes to enhance the team culture. Our staff wishes her the best of luck as she pursues her dream of playing in the NWSL."
Nagai was a three-time All-Ivy Leaguer in her three competitive seasons with the program after coming to Princeton in the fall of 2020. Nagai helped Princeton to two NCAA tournaments on at-large bids, making the second round both times. Nagai played in 55 games and made 42 starts, scoring two goals and adding six assists. After graduating from Princeton, Nagai played a graduate season at North Carolina, starting all 27 games and scoring three goals while adding three assists, including a helper in the 2-1 NCAA quarterfinal win over Penn State on the way to the Tar Heels winning the national title.
"From the moment Aria arrived on campus, she gave every ounce of her energy to our program," Driscoll said. "She captivated so many fans with her composure, ability to see the field two steps ahead of the opponent and the relentless nature with which she always played. Our staff was ecstatic to see her hoist the National Championship Trophy in December with UNC because she truly earned and deserved that unforgettable moment. Her technical gifts, coupled with her IQ and incomparable humility, left a lasting impression on our staff and her teammates. I fully believe her qualities will translate at the professional level and am grateful she has an opportunity to join Utah during their preseason. We wish Aria the very best as she pursues this next chapter in her career."
The Royals will have a game against the University of Utah on Feb. 1 before going to Chula Vista, Calif., to continue their preseason camp.
Two Princetonians played in the NWSL in 2024, with Tyler Lussi '17 playing for the Courage and Madison Curry '24 for Angel City FC in Los Angeles. Pietra Tordin, a teammate of MacNab's for the last three seasons and with Curry for part of that time as well, recently signed with the NWSL's Portland Thorns.
MacNab, a co-captain and first-team All-Ivy Leaguer while helping the Princeton women's soccer team to an Ivy League double and an NCAA tournament bid last fall, played at forward for most of her career and moved to the back line as a senior while maintaining her contributions on offense. In 2024, she assisted on nine goals and scored two to finish with 24 assists and 13 goals across 72 games and 50 starts in her four seasons with the Tigers. MacNab helped Princeton to the NCAA tournament in three seasons and to the NCAA second round twice.
The Courage's camp will be held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in mid-February. The NWSL season is scheduled to start in mid-March.
"It was very clear from the early part of our recruitment of Heather that she had her sights set on playing this sport at the highest level she could," Princeton head coach Sean Driscoll said. "Her passion for soccer has not wavered in the more than nine years that we have known her. If anything, her competitive drive continued to grow with each passing year. I could not be happier that she has earned the opportunity to join NC Courage for their preseason. My sincere hope is that their staff will be impressed with Heather's qualities as a player, her personality, and her willingness to do whatever it takes to enhance the team culture. Our staff wishes her the best of luck as she pursues her dream of playing in the NWSL."
Nagai was a three-time All-Ivy Leaguer in her three competitive seasons with the program after coming to Princeton in the fall of 2020. Nagai helped Princeton to two NCAA tournaments on at-large bids, making the second round both times. Nagai played in 55 games and made 42 starts, scoring two goals and adding six assists. After graduating from Princeton, Nagai played a graduate season at North Carolina, starting all 27 games and scoring three goals while adding three assists, including a helper in the 2-1 NCAA quarterfinal win over Penn State on the way to the Tar Heels winning the national title.
"From the moment Aria arrived on campus, she gave every ounce of her energy to our program," Driscoll said. "She captivated so many fans with her composure, ability to see the field two steps ahead of the opponent and the relentless nature with which she always played. Our staff was ecstatic to see her hoist the National Championship Trophy in December with UNC because she truly earned and deserved that unforgettable moment. Her technical gifts, coupled with her IQ and incomparable humility, left a lasting impression on our staff and her teammates. I fully believe her qualities will translate at the professional level and am grateful she has an opportunity to join Utah during their preseason. We wish Aria the very best as she pursues this next chapter in her career."
The Royals will have a game against the University of Utah on Feb. 1 before going to Chula Vista, Calif., to continue their preseason camp.
Two Princetonians played in the NWSL in 2024, with Tyler Lussi '17 playing for the Courage and Madison Curry '24 for Angel City FC in Los Angeles. Pietra Tordin, a teammate of MacNab's for the last three seasons and with Curry for part of that time as well, recently signed with the NWSL's Portland Thorns.
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