Golden Boot winner Sophia Smith leads NWSL Best XI

Golden Boot winner Sophia Smith and Portland Thorns teammate Sam Coffey headline the 2023 National Women's Soccer League Best XI announced Monday.

The San Diego Wave (defender Naomi Girma and midfielder Jaedyn Shaw) and NJ/NY Gotham (defender Ali Krieger and forward Lynn Williams) also placed two players on the first team.

Also voted to the Best XI first team were Houston Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell, Angel City defender Sarah Gorden, Washington Spirit defender Sam Staab, Kansas City Current midfielder Debinha and North Carolina Courage forward Kerolin.

"It is an honor to recognize the 22 remarkable players named to this year's Best XI teams," said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. "The Best XI distinction is a testament to the talent, grit and dedication with which each of these athletes competed all season long, and the NWSL, alongside our partners at Mastercard, congratulates them on achieving this incredible feat."

Players were selected to the first and second teams based on a weighted voting scale made up of players (40 percent), owners/GMs/coaches (25 percent), media (25 percent) and fans (10 percent).

The second team consisted of goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan (San Diego); defenders Emily Fox (North Carolina), Kaleigh Kurtz (North Carolina), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY) and M.A. Vignola (Angel City); and midfielders and forwards Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville), Savannah McCaskill (Angel City), Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina), Ashley Hatch (Washington), Alex Morgan (San Diego) and Trinity Rodman (Washington).