NWSL Best XI of May: Temwa Chawinga Shines for Utah Royals

In a league that rarely pauses for breath, May belonged to Temwa Chawinga and a Utah Royals side that refused to lose.

The National Women’s Soccer League on Friday unveiled its Best XI of the Month, presented by Prime, with Chawinga named Player of the Month and Utah providing the backbone of the squad. Eight different clubs earned representation, but it was the unbeaten Royals who made the loudest statement, placing three players in the team and seeing head coach Jimmy Coenraets recognized as Coach of the Month.

Royals set the standard

Utah’s resurgence has been built from the back, and the Best XI reflects it.

In goal, Mandy McGlynn takes the gloves after anchoring a Royals defense that posted three clean sheets in six May fixtures. Behind every unbeaten run sits a keeper who refuses to blink; McGlynn was that presence, steady and unflustered, as Utah navigated a demanding month without defeat.

In front of her, center back Kate Del Fava earns her place after a relentless stretch of performances. Sixteen tackles, six interceptions, and a milestone: her 63rd consecutive start for the Royals, a streak that stretches all the way back to the club’s re-launch in 2024. Durability is one thing. Delivering that level of defensive output week after week is another.

Higher up the pitch, Mina Tanaka provided the craft and cutting edge that turned Utah’s solidity into results. Two goals, three assists, and a role at the heart of an attack that has already produced eight different goalscorers this season. She didn’t just score; she stitched the front line together for a side that looks deeper and more dangerous with every game.

Chawinga leads a ruthless front line

At the top of the Best XI sits Chawinga, the two-time reigning MVP who spent May reminding everyone why those trophies live on her shelf.

Seven goals in six games. Defenders knew what was coming and still couldn’t stop it. Chawinga’s form powered Kansas City’s attack and set the tone for an offensive group that dominated the month.

She’s joined up front by another unstoppable force: Barbra Banda of Orlando. The Zambian star delivered a clean one-to-one strike rate, six goals in six matches, imposing herself on every back line she faced. If Chawinga bludgeoned teams with volume, Banda matched her with ruthless efficiency.

Tanaka completes a fearsome front three in the Best XI, a trio that punished mistakes and turned half-chances into points all month long.

Steel at the back, control in the middle

The defensive unit in front of McGlynn reads like a who’s who of May’s most reliable stoppers.

On the flank, Janine Sonis of Denver produced the kind of attacking threat fullbacks dream about, bagging braces in back-to-back games during the heart of the month. Fullbacks are supposed to support; Sonis took over games.

Portland’s Sam Hiatt slots in after playing a central role in a Thorns back line that also recorded three clean sheets in May. She provided the calm, organizing presence that turned defensive phases into platforms for Portland’s attack.

Rounding out the back four, Gotham FC captain Tierna Davidson delivered both leadership and end product. Gotham shut out opponents in three of their four May matches, and Davidson even chipped in her first goal since 2019, a reminder that she can hurt teams at both ends.

Midfield, as always, is where the month’s rhythm truly lived.

North Carolina’s Manaka Matsukubo lit up May with three goals and two assists across six games, driving play and consistently finding the final ball. When North Carolina needed a spark, Matsukubo supplied it.

San Diego’s 18-year-old Kimmi Ascanio brought a different kind of energy. Thirteen tackles in six matches told the story of a teenager unafraid of the physical and tactical demands of the league, and she crowned her month with her first goal of the season. It was a coming-of-age stretch for one of the NWSL’s brightest young midfielders.

From Kansas City, Croix Bethune reminded everyone why she claimed the 2024 Midfielder of the Year award. One goal, three assists, and a constant creative presence. She dictated tempo, broke lines, and fed the very forwards now sharing the Best XI spotlight with her.

A monthly snapshot of a shifting league

The NWSL Best XI of the Month, selected by the NWSL Media Association, offers more than just a roll call of names. It’s a snapshot of who seized control of the league’s narrative in a compressed, unforgiving stretch of the season.

This time, it tells the story of a Utah side that refused to lose, a Kansas City attack that continues to terrorize defenses, and a wave of stars—established and emerging—who turned May into a showcase.

The question now is simple: who can keep this pace when June kicks off and the margins get even thinner?