NEW YORK (June 5, 2026) - The National Women’s Soccer League announced today the 11 players named to the Best XI of the Month, presented by Prime, for the month of May by the NWSL Media Association. Headlined by Player of the Month Temwa Chawinga, eight teams are represented in the league’s Top 11, including three players from Utah Royals FC who went undefeated in the month of May, which also earned Head Coach Jimmy Coenraets the Coach of the Month Award.
GK – Mandy McGlynn (UTA): Anchored a Utah defense that kept three clean sheets in six matches in the month.
D – Janine Sonis (DEN): The Canadian fullback bagged braces in back-to-back games in the middle of the month
D – Sam Hiatt (POR): A key cog in the Thorns back line that helped keep three clean sheets during May
D – Kate Del Fava (UTA): The Royals center back had 16 tackles and six interceptions across six matches, recorded her 63rd consecutive start for the Royals, dating back to the re-launch of the club in 2024.
D – Tierna Davidson (GFC): Gotham’s captain helped the team keep a clean sheet in three of four matches and tallied her first goal since 2019
M – Manaka Matsukubo (NC): Tallied three goals and two assists in six matches in the month
M – Kimmi Ascanio (SD): The 18-year-old had 13 tackles across six matches and scored her first goal of the season
M – Croix Bethune (KC): The 2024 Midfielder of the Year had a goal and three assists during May
F – Temwa Chawinga (KC): The two-time reigning MVP had seven goals in six games across the month of May
F – Barbra Banda (ORL): The Zambian star a one-to-one goal to game ratio in May, scoring six goals in six matches
F – Mina Tanaka (UTA): The Royals forward scored two goals and had three assists to help Utah go unbeaten in May. A centerpiece of a Royals attack that has eight different goalscorers.
As the presenting sponsor of the NWSL Best XI, Amazon Prime is bringing fans closer to the players they love by placing the spotlight on the excellence of the athletes selected for this honor. Prime encourages members to explore their passions and interests through the entertainment they watch, the music they listen to, and the things they like to buy. You could say: Whatever you’re into, It’s on Prime. Prime Video’s NWSL coverage continues every Friday night throughout the regular season.
The NWSL Best XI of the Month is selected each month of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis.
