UCSB Soccer Alum Shaelan Murison Signs With Utah Royals FC as National Team Replacement Player

UC Santa Barbara Women’s Soccer alumnae, Shaelan Murison has signed with the Utah Royals FC as a National Team Replacement Player (NTR), the team announced Wednesday afternoon.

Murison played for the Gauchos from 2016 – 2019. While in Santa Barbara, she appeared in 75 matches, scored 34 goals and recorded 16 assists.

Following her career with the Gauchos, she played in Iceland for Thróttur Reykjavík FC from 2021 – 2022.

The Santa Clara native made eight appearances and scored three goals. More recently, she took the pitch for Oakland Soul SC, appearing in 11 matches and scoring eight goals. She was named to the USL W League Team of the Month in June.

Murison will be available for the Royals to kick off the inaugural NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup on the road on July 19 against Seattle Reign FC before returning home to face Portland Thorns on July 27 and Club Tijuana on July 31.

An NTR can only be signed when a team has players away on national team duty, in this case, the 2024 Paris Olympics. It’s a way for players to get training time as they try and earn a full-time contract.