Wave FC loses its backbone as Sheridan departs

San Diego, California – San Diego Wave FC is saying goodbye to one of the most important figures in its short but eventful history.

On Monday, the club announced it had mutually agreed to terminate the contract of goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, a founding member whose deal had been set to run through the 2026 season. For a team still defining its identity, the departure lands as both a practical roster move and an emotional turning point.

Sheridan arrived in San Diego in 2021, before the Wave had ever played a match, and quickly became the backbone of the club. From the first kickoff, she was more than just a starting goalkeeper. She was a constant. A stabilizer. The kind of player who makes expansion chaos survivable.

In a statement, sporting director and general manager Camille Ashton called Sheridan “an integral part of this Club since day one,” noting that after discussions, both sides agreed the move was right for everyone involved. The language was professional, but the reaction around San Diego made clear this was not a routine transaction.

Wave supporters felt it immediately. Social media filled with tributes, none more reflective than the message from the San Diego Sirens Supporters Group, which thanked Sheridan for four seasons of heart, grit, and authenticity. For fans who watched the club grow from an idea into a contender, Sheridan wasn’t just a player — she was continuity.

On the field, her résumé speaks for itself. In 2022, Sheridan was named Goalkeeper of the Year in the National Women’s Soccer League, anchoring a Wave defense that powered one of the league’s most impressive seasons. This year, she reached 600 regular-season career saves, becoming just the second player in league history to hit that mark — a quiet statistic that underscores just how much ground she’s covered.

Her excellence in San Diego mirrored her success on the international stage. As a member of the Canada women’s national soccer team, Sheridan has been part of multiple Olympic and World Cup runs, including a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and a bronze medal in Rio. She also represented Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics, adding yet another chapter to a career built on consistency and pressure-tested performances.

But Sheridan’s connection to the Wave went beyond saves and clean sheets. She was a leader in the locker room and a visible presence in the community. That bond only deepened earlier this year, when she and her wife welcomed the birth of their daughter. Almost immediately, the baby became a familiar face to fans, popping up in NWSL videos and team moments that humanized a league increasingly built on connection as much as competition.

That context makes the timing of the move feel especially poignant. Three months after sharing one of life’s biggest milestones with the Wave family, Sheridan is now stepping into a new chapter — professionally and personally.

For San Diego, the decision raises real questions. Goalkeeper has been a position of rare stability since the club’s inception, and replacing Sheridan’s presence, both statistically and culturally, won’t be simple. Whoever takes the reins will inherit a standard that was set from day one.

Still, this moment also reflects how far the Wave has come. Expansion teams don’t often get the luxury of evolving beyond their originals, but that is now the reality in San Diego. The club is no longer building from scratch; it’s making choices about what comes next.