NWSL rookie Croix Bethune is quickly becoming a household name. The 23-year-old Spirit midfielder has already set two records in her rookie season.
First, she became the fastest player in NWSWL history to notch eight assists. She completed that task in just 11 games. Last Sunday, the three-time NWSWL Rookie of the Month tied Tobin Heath’s single-season record of 10 assists. Five of those dishes teed up Ouleymata Sarr, making them the most prolific combo since Yuki Nagasato to Sam Kerr in 2019.
She also recorded three fancy assists, including one outside of the heel, against the Chicago Red Stars earlier this season. Bethune also has five goals this season, making her one of the top 10 scorers in the league. And The Washington Spirit looks like the team to beat this campaign, currently in second place in the table with 37 points.
Bethune is having a year to remember
Bethune is also an Olympic gold medalist. Her stellar performances as a rookie earned her a spot on Emma Hayes’s USWNT roster this summer. She earned her first cap on July 13 in a Paris Olympic warm-up against Mexico.
The visionary is also a trendsetter off the pitch. She often shows up to NWSL games in some serious arrival gear. “Clothing is another way I can express myself,” she told the Monumental Sports Network. When she decides to show like she did last April in Nike Air Forces Ones, watch out!
“If someone’s wearing black Forces, then that person is dangerous and you need to approach with caution,” she said. She also says the same about her Cactus Jack leather jacket.
“This is business. It’s gonna get scary out there. So I would watch out.” She coined the encompassing look “demon time,” and she makes her opponents pay.
With five games left in the NWSL season, Bethune will likely break the NWSL single-season record for most assists. She’s also a top candidate for Rookie of the Year. A straight baller, the former USC Trojan and former Georgia Bulldog is is taking the NWSL by storm. Good luck stopping her, on and off the pitch.
