Going back to SoCal: Sierra Enge returning to her hometown to play with Wave FC

San Diego Wave FC is already becoming a destination for free agents. Heading into the debut season, USWNT stars Alex Morgan and Abby Dahlkemper chose the new franchise. Heading into the 2023 season, top midfielder Danny Colaprico and two other free agents have landed in the southern part of SoCal. 

But the great weather and great crowds aren't just appealing for players who choose to make San Diego their playing destination. The Wave's top pick in the most recent NWSL Draft — once the team jumped up to the No. 13 spot to make it — was already familiar with the region's beaches and relaxed attitude. 

After all, it's home — and the Cardiff, Calif., native, who played soccer and lacrosse at Pacific Ridge High School in Carlsbad before heading up to Stanford, knows it well. She'll take the field at Snapdragon Stadium not far from where she fell in love with the game.  

It was in high school that Enge realized being a professional soccer player was attainable. In 2016, she was the ECNL San Diego Top Player and Southwest Conference champion. She was also part of the US Youth National Team program and remembers one of those camps stuck out in particular. At age 15, she was invited to a U.S. Youth National Camp at what is now Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, where the LA Galaxy of the MLS play. 

“I remember Christen Press and Tobin Heath actually came to one camp,” Enge said. “It was in that moment where I looked at these two women who were doing something that I wanted to do, and I think that’s when it really became something that I wanted to do and a goal that I set for myself.” 

Her dreams of pro soccer became more real as she grew older, playing for the U.S. at each youth level and eventually playing a pivotal role for Stanford in its 2019 NCAA National Championship, where she was teammates with Wave FC’s Belle Briede and Naomi Girma. 

After finishing her fifth season at Stanford as a Pac-12 champion and Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year last year, Enge registered for the draft. While the draft process was different, Enge felt prepared. Why? She had already trained with two NWSL teams — the Portland Thorns and the Wave — in the summer. 

“I was fortunate enough to train with the Wave in my off-time from school. I remember seeing Alex Morgan and Abby Dahlkemper walk out on the field and being a little starstruck and having to keep it cool.”

Enge immediately wanted to join her hometown team after training with the players. “Something that really stuck out to me was Casey [Stoney] pulled me and a couple other girls that were on the team aside and did individual training sessions with us,” Enge said. “I think that’s something that really sold me on San Diego — just how personable the staff is and just how much they want to develop talent.”

But this isn’t free agency, this is the draft. No matter how much Enge wanted to go to Wave FC, she couldn't decide who would actually select her. On the day of the draft, Wave FC made a trade to move up to the top selection of the second round. Wave FC head coach Casey Stoney told Enge the club would ideally like to draft her. Still, Enge was unsure where she would really end up.

“I was just trying to trust and believe in myself, but it was definitely a stressful night,” the club’s top selection said. “I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen.”

It wasn’t until after the first round was complete that Enge knew exactly which city she would be calling home. Her phone lit up with an incoming FaceTime call from Stoney as the second round was about to commence. 

"I had to take a deep breath before I answered," Enge confessed. "I had my mom, my sister and one of my best friends looking over my shoulder,” she said. “When [Stoney] said that they were going to take me, I just felt so much joy and excitement and then hearing my name, it was so special.”

“I was thinking how cool it would be to be able to play in front of my friends, in front of my family and for my hometown,” Enge recalled. 

Enge is a midfielder who plays well in possession, pushing the ball up the field and looking to distribute. She had five goals and 13 assists playing 5,129 minutes in her Stanford career. For a team who is looking to control more possession in the middle of the field and find other offensive outlets besides Morgan, Enge is a great fit. 

“It was really important we traded up because we wanted to get as high as we possibly could in the second round because we knew Sierra would possibly go in that round and she was a key target for us,” Stoney said on draft night. “The importance of getting Sierra to add to our depth, quality, character ... and she has already been in with us so she is familiar with our surroundings. We have been able to bring her home which is great.”

Besides coming back home, Enge will also reunite with her Stanford teammates Briede and Girma. The three were teammates at Stanford from 2108 through 2021, including the title-winning team in 2019. “It's been really nice to have [Girma] to help guide me through even just the first little bit and I think I'm gonna rely on her even more once games start and once we get into the season,” Enge said. “I'm also super fortunate because Belle is also a Stanford grad. So I feel like I have a great support system here.”

Enge says her new coach has been clear on expectations of her during her rookie season. With the 2023 Women’s World Cup in the middle of the season, depth will be critical for all NWSL teams. “[Stoney] liked me because of my versatility and my ability to kind of adapt and play in different positions,” Enge said. “I think my main role on the team is just to help and do whatever I can to support the team and help them win.”

Enge just wants to soak up as much information from the players around her as she can, starting with preseason. “There are so many incredible players and so many great members on the staff,” she said. “I want to learn and continue to develop my game so I can help them as much as possible.”

As Enge began her collegiate career five years ago, playing in her hometown wasn’t possible. The Thorns and the now-folded Utah Royals were as close as she could get to the beaches she knows. 

“I think San Diego is the best place in the world," she reflected, "so if I could stay home and do what I love, there was no option better."