HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday September, 12, 2025) - Utah Royals FC announces the signing of free agent defender Lauren Gogal until the end of the 2025 NWSL season.
Before entering the professional landscape, Gogal played four seasons at Virginia Tech, making 64 appearances and scoring three goals as a defender and midfielder. As a freshman in 2021, she started both NCAA tournament games, helping the Hokies earn its first tournament win since 2018. In her senior year in 2024, she started all four NCAA tournament matches, playing a key role as the seventh-seeded Hokies reached the quarterfinals for just the second time in program history, with upset wins over Tennessee, No. 2 seed UCLA, and No. 3 seed Iowa.
After graduating from college, Gogal began her professional journey by joining the Washington Spirit as a non-roster invitee during the 2025 preseason. She then gained valuable playing experience with Lexington SC in the USL W League, where she started all 10 matches and scored two goals.
Her strong performances earned her a national team replacement contract with the Spirit, signed on July 23 and set to run through August 20. Just one day before the contract expired, Gogal made her professional debut, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a commanding 7–0 away victory over Salvadoran club Alianza during the group stage of the 2025–26 CONCACAF W Champions Cup.
Utah Royals FC return home for two games after three weeks on the road, first to take on the Houston Dash on Sunday September, 14th. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. MT. Then URFC will host Racing Louisville on Friday September 19th, kickoff for this match is scheduled for 8 p.m. MT. Tickets for both games are available for purchase here.
