Who leads the NWSL in top statistical categories?

The 2026 NWSL season is entering the home stretch. Who are the top players in key statistical categories at this point in the year?

Goals

•  Ashley Sanchez is in a league of her own this season as she continues to smash records with her 15 goals and counting. Most recently, she broke the North Carolina Courage’s record for most goals scored in a season by a single player — and she still has nine games left to play!
• Close behind is Barbra Banda who is no stranger to this list. Banda has 12 goals on the year and has started seven fewer matches than Sanchez, so she might overtake her later in the season as she leads in goals per game.
• 2023 NWSL Golden Boot winner Sophia Wilson, the world’s highest-paid women’s footballer Trinity Rodman, and breakout striker Evelyn Ijeh share third place on this list with 10 goals each. There is still a lot of football left to play.

Assists

• Croix Bethune, Cloé Lacasse, and Pietra Tordin are all tied for first in this metric with nine assists each. All three have been crucial pieces for their respective clubs, leading them to table positions that have all but guaranteed a playoff spot.
• Racing Louisville fullback Lauren Milliet is an unexpected addition to this list, but she has earned her spot with six assists on the season. Racing Louisville have won all but one game that she has assisted in (and have won only seven games overall) — is she the secret sauce?
• Tied for third are Shinomi Koyama, Emma Sears, Olivia Moultrie, and Trinity Rodman with five assists each. Unfortunately, Moultrie’s season ended early with an ACL tear in early August.

Chances created

• Cloé Lacasse once again proves her worth to the team and the NWSL as she’s created a league-leading 45 chances for teammates this season. Her ability to create as well as score has been a huge reason why the Utah Royals are on the verge of making the playoffs for the first time in club history.
• Yazmeen Ryan is not too far behind with 44 chances created for her teammates. The Denver Summit winger is making sure that the $1 million dollars that the club paid for her and teammate Delanie Sheehan is worth it for her new side.
• San Diego Wave midfielder Kenza Dali has created 42 chances this season, continuing to be an important cog in the Wave’s win machine.

Save percentage (minimum 5 games played)

• It’s no surprise that the keeper behind the top defense in the league, Ann-Katrin Berger, would take home this honor. Her 80.88 percent save rate has contributed to 10 of her club’s 13 clean sheets this season.
• Bay FC’s Jordan Silkowitz has had some very impressive moments this year, including a penalty save. She has kept 77.67 percent of shots on target out of the back of the net, keeping playoff hopes alive for her side.
• While technically the backup keeper for the Utah Royals, Mia Justus put on a goalkeeping clinic when she took some shifts between the sticks at the beginning of the season while Mandy McGlynn was out with an injury. In those first six matches of the season, Justus allowed on 76 percent of shots on target to turn into goals, making it a tough decision for the coaches when McGlynn returned from injury.