The wait is almost over for Chicago Stars fans. Mallory Swanson, the dynamic U.S. women's national team forward, has been officially added to the active roster for the first time since stepping away for maternity leave—marking a major milestone after 18 months on the sidelines.
Swanson missed the entire 2025 season while expecting her first child with husband Dansby Swanson, the Chicago Cubs shortstop. The couple welcomed their daughter, Josie, in November 2025. Now, the 28-year-old Colorado native is poised to make her long-awaited return ahead of Saturday's match against the North Carolina Courage. The club has not yet confirmed whether she will start or how many minutes she might see, but the excitement is palpable.
Swanson is part of the legendary "Triple Espresso" front line that powered the U.S. to Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games. Her fellow attackers, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Wilson, also faced extended absences in 2025—Rodman recovering from injury and Wilson taking her own maternity leave. Wilson returned to action for the Portland Thorns this season and has already netted three goals in 562 minutes, showing that motherhood and elite performance go hand in hand.
Swanson's journey back to the pitch is especially inspiring given her 2024 campaign, where she bounced back from injury to lead Chicago in goal contributions (11) and clinch Olympic gold. That year, she also signed a landmark contract with the Stars through 2028—reportedly the most lucrative in NWSL history at the time, valued at nearly $2 million over five years. Since then, the league's salary landscape has shifted dramatically, with Wilson opting into a $1 million option year and Rodman's deal helping create a new $1 million salary cap exception for top-tier talent.
Swanson now joins 27 other mothers currently on active NWSL rosters, a testament to the league's growing support for players balancing family and professional careers. Whether she starts or comes off the bench, her return is a powerful reminder that champions never truly step away—they just take a brief timeout.