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Years ago, the Powder Puff Girls and the Red-Eyed Tree Frogs were locked in a bitter rivalry. The Colorado youth soccer teams were the best around, always vying for first place, and each was led by a dynamic star: PPG’s Ally Brazier and the Frogs’ Jordan Baggett. “We were enemies,” Brazier says.
Today, they’re teammates—both members of Denver Summit FC, the National Women’s Soccer League expansion franchise that will play its first home game on March 28 against the Washington Spirit at Empower Field. (The team begins the season on the road on March 14.) The former rivals are half of a strong Centennial State contingent on the Summit’s roster. “We take a lot of pride in who we’re representing,” Brazier says.
After taking a look at the Fab Four’s résumés, all we can say is, Olé.
Lindsey Heaps
- Age: 31
- Hometown: Golden
- Position: Midfielder
Résumé: Long before Emily took Paris, Lindsey did, becoming the first female American soccer player to jump straight from the preps to the pros when the Golden High School graduate signed with Paris Saint-Germain FC in 2012. The midfielder returned to the States four years later to play for the Portland Thorns but has spent the past five seasons back in France, at OL Lyonnes.
Don’t let her Francophilia fool you: She’s been a stalwart on the U.S. Women’s National Team for more than a decade and currently serves as a captain. Heaps won’t join the Summit until her Lyonnes contract expires in June. She’ll arrive with a bursting trophy case, including an NWSL title, five French championships with Lyonnes, and wins at the World Cup (2019) and Olympics (2024).
Jordan Baggett
- Age: 29
- Hometown: Littleton
- Position: Midfielder
Résumé: Baggett was a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy (soccer’s Heisman) at Stanford University before the Washington Spirit made her the third pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft. Injuries have hampered Baggett’s pro career. Still, Summit general manager Curt Johnson praised the midfielder’s professionalism, a trait that should benefit younger players such as fellow former Stanford star Jasmine Aikey, a 20-year-old rookie forward who netted 43 goals during her college career.
Janine Sonis
- Age: 31
- Hometown: Highlands Ranch
- Position: Defender
Résumé: Sonis has played for six different franchises, but she’s arguably made her biggest impact north of the border. Although raised in Colorado, Sonis chose to play for the Canadian national team (her parents hail from the frozen north) and has scored 36 goals for Les Rouges in 123 appearances.
Sonis and forward Natasha Flint are the only Summit players who have experience with coach Nick Cushing’s system—he was Sonis’ manager at Manchester City FC. “When they announced that he was the coach, I became even more excited about playing here,” Sonis says. “I knew I could help build the club’s culture.”
Ally Brazier
- Age: 29
- Hometown: Colorado Springs
- Position: Forward
Résumé: Brazier kicked off her career down under by winning a championship with Australian side Melbourne City FC in 2020—scoring three goals in three matches. The forward has spent the past five seasons in the NWSL, capturing another title with the Orlando Pride in 2024 and dishing out three assists during that year’s playoffs.
Growing up in Colorado Springs, Brazier rarely got the chance to watch top-level female athletes play the sport she loved. With six seasons of professional soccer under her belt, Brazier sees the Summit as an opportunity to engage and excite young players in Colorado. “This is huge,” she says. “I know how important we can be.”
Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Denver’s New Pro Women’s Soccer Team
