Croix Bethune’s rookie season is over, and he only needs one more assist to make NWSL history.
The Washington Spirit announced Wednesday that the 23-year-old midfielder will miss the remainder of the season with a meniscus injury and has been placed on the season-ending injury (SEI) list. While the team said only that the injury occurred “outside of last week’s practice,” Jason Anderson of Pro Soccer Wire reports that she injured her knee while throwing out the first pitch at a Washington Nationals game last week.
You can watch the pitch here:
Bethune will finish the season with five goals and 10 assists in just 17 games. Last week, she tied Tobin Heath’s 2016 campaign for the most assists in the NWSL’s 12-season history. Even with eight games remaining, Bethune appears to be a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year honors.
Croix Bethune gamble paid off for Spirit before injury
Bethune has been a huge bright spot for the Spirit this season. After a disappointing 7-9-6 season last year, the team opted to wipe the slate clean by not retaining head coach Mark Parsons and cutting standouts Sam Staab and Ashley Sanchez.
Washington used the pick it acquired for Staab, the third overall pick by the Chicago Red Stars, for Bethune. She was one of four first-round picks for the team, joining Hal Hershfelt, Kate Wiesner, and Makenna Morris.
While some criticized it at the time, the moves have paid off big time for the Spirit, who currently sit second in the standings with a 12-2-4 record. The additions of Bethune and Hershfelt have been a significant boon, as both players looked good enough during the season to be selected as USWNT alternates for the 2024 Olympics.
Bethune was promoted to the Olympic squad after Jaedyn Shaw was injured and appeared as a substitute in the group stage against Australia. It’s unclear where the Spirit’s season stands now, but she can at least say she earned a gold medal and a spot in the NWSL record books in her rookie season.
